Major USB Mistakes You Might Be Making

usb cables

Many of us rely on USBs (that’s short for Universal Serial Bus) to allow one device to communicate with another. We use USB cables and connectors to charge our phones, transfer data, or to connect our mouses and keyboards to our computers. The good news is that we’re continuing to improve upon USBs, as well. While USB 2.0 cables and compliant devices can reach a maximum transmission rate of 480 Mbps, the newest USB cables and compliant devices can theoretically offer much faster speeds and better reliability.

 

Still, that doesn’t mean that the technology — or our use of it — is perfect. In fact, you might be making some mistakes with your USB use that can be easily rectified. But if you don’t follow these tips, you could become extremely frustrated or even risk damaging your devices. Here are just a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid when working with USB cables and compliant devices.

 

MISTAKE: Using the Wrong Kind of USB Car Charger

Given the fact most of us can’t stand the thought of being caught out of the house without our mobile devices, it’s no surprise that the majority of motorists have a car charger in their vehicle at all times. But you probably haven’t given much thought to the quality of that charger — especially since they’re often available for affordable prices in gas stations and convenience stores. Using a low-quality or incompatible car charger might mean that it’ll take a lot longer to charge your device. In some cases, this could actually damage your phone. Make sure to do your research and buy USB cables and chargers from reputable brands and sellers that are compatible with your device.

MISTAKE: Trying to Use a Corrupt USB Device

If you’ve tried to plug in a USB drive or device into your computer and have gotten an error message, it could be due to an issue with the drive itself or with your device. In some cases, the drive may be corrupted or unstable in some way — this could happen if you’ve purchased a poor quality drive or it’s been damaged. It’s also possible that your computer may need updates (or that its recent updates are no longer compatible with your USB drive). You may be able to fix the issue by uninstalling and reconnecting your external hard drive or by resolving computer-related issues. But it’s also possible that you may need a higher quality external drive or have an incompatibility issue between the drive and the main device.

MISTAKE: Blaming the USB Port Instead of the Cable

A lot of people are quick to blame a faulty USB port in their computer or other device when the connection isn’t working. While this certainly could be the case, it may also be something much simpler. USB cables are more likely to fail than the port is, especially if the cables you’re using aren’t exactly the best quality. You can check to see whether the cable might be the cause by plugging in the cable to another USB port on your computer or on a different device altogether. If none of these connections are successful, it’s very likely the cable’s fault. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to find a replacement that won’t bail on you when you need it most.

Whether you need the best USB 3 cables on the market or want to invest in some replacement charging cables for your phone, we’re here to help. For more information on our various products, please contact us today.

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