USB Networking

[deliriou5]

Why can't you use USB ports as a kind of network interface card? I hear that the transfer rates through USB are really high, and I think alot of people could save lots of $$ if they didn't need to by an NIC in order to set up a network. True, that the cards are dirt cheap, but still, it's annoying to have to buy the stuff and install it

 

[Caitiff]

The new USB 2.0 standard is supposed to address this issue. From what I've heard (strictly 2nd/3rd hand), the new USB ports will allow for networking to occur directly from the port of one machine to the port of another w/out any other kind of interface. Again, I heard this as rumor, so no flamethowers if I'm wrong pls. However, on the current USB 1.0 that is the standard in most systems today, there is an interface nic that hot plugs into the USB port and will work w/ standard ethernet. The old standard would only allow 12Mbit/sec xfer across the hub, the new one is like 480Mbit/sec! Should make networking a snap if it's true. BTW, you have to have one of the new USB cards to use USB 2.0, don't try to plug directly from one computer to the other w/ your current hub!!