Frequently Asked Questions

Icron (established in 1998) is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada and operates as a brand of Analog Devices, Inc.

USB-C (Universal Serial Bus Type-C) is a modern connector standard for transmitting data, power, and video between devices. It is known for its small, reversible design, meaning it can be plugged in either way up, offering convenience and ease of use. USB-C replaces previous USB connector types (like USB-A and USB-B) and supports faster data transfer, higher power delivery, and versatility across various devices. However, the presence of a USB-C connector does not guarantee all of this functionality, so it is important to consult the product documentation to confirm the capabilities of the port.

USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 Gen 1 Super-Speed systems provides a performance enhancement of speeds up to 5Gbps with distances up to 3 meters for storage and multimedia devices, greatly improving transfer times for large files and blocks of data. USB 3.0/3.1/ 3.2 Gen 1 devices and controllers are designed to be backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices and controllers. For example, you can plug in a USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 Gen 1 device into a USB 2.0 controller port, or you could plug in a USB 2.0 device into a USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 Gen 1 controller port. However, the new USB 3.0/3.1 Type-B plug has been designed to only attach to USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 Gen 1 receptacles and devices. USB 3 is an entirely different protocol and has its own host controller, physical hardware and drivers separate from USB 2.0 and 1.1.

USB 2.0 was developed to offer a complementary High-Speed transfer rate at 480 Mbps. Backwards compatible with the full speed and low speed transfer rates of USB 1.1; USB 2.0 delivers a significant bandwidth increase. Although USB 3 provides an even more significant bandwidth increase, USB 2.0 will continue to provide cost effective and convenient peripheral connectivity. An example of a typical high-speed device is a multi-channel audio device, but more commonly USB 2.0 serves as a redundant or back up interface for super speed devices that typically run at 5Gbps or greater such as cameras and storage devices.

USB 1.1 provides support for two interface speeds: Low-Speed at 1.5 Mbps and Full-Speed at 12 Mbps. The two interface speeds target specific classes of devices to provide the most efficient and cost-effective interconnect solution. Low-Speed devices
are typically interactive input devices such as keyboards, mice or game controllers. Full-Speed devices are typically basic audio devices like 2.1 channel speakers and microphones. Other devices such as cameras and storage devices are not suitable for this bus speed.

ExtremeUSB was developed and patented by Icron to enable native USB connections to extend beyond the desktop, breaking through the 5m cable length limitation imposed by the USB standard. The ExtremeUSB® protocol manages the strict timing requirements of the USB specification to enable USB connections over any physical media. ExtremeUSB® offers a suite of features, including transparent USB extension, true plug-and-play functionality (no software drivers required), and compatibility with all major operating systems. Icron later introduced ExtremeUSB-C to incorporate USB 3.0 and video extension.

These are Icron terms. LEX stands for Local Extender and REX stands for Remote Extender. These two units comprise a standard Icron Extension solution. The LEX unit interfaces to the Host computer via a Type-B or Type-C USB connector, or a built-in Type-A USB cable. The LEX interfaces to the REX unit over the extension media (CAT 5e/6/7 UTP, Fiber, etc.) and the REX unit provides connectivity for one or more USB devices at the remote location.

ExtremeUSB is designed to be truly Plug-and-Play and appears completely transparent to the host computer. No drivers are required.

No, they are not encrypted. However, the USB data is packetized via a proprietary format between the LEX and REX.

We support all four USB data traffic types: Control, Interrupt, Bulk, and Isochronous.

The following combinations have been tested to work.
3022 and 3001-15
3104 and 3251C

We recommend testing out the setup for you particular usb device to ensure correct operation before deploying in the field.

SwitchableUSB is a protocol developed by Icron to dynamically switch LEX and REX pairings over a LAN. This is done on a 1:1 LEX to REX fashion.

This is supported through an OEM feature called Simultaneous Users Interaction. Refer to next question.

Simultaneous Users Interaction is an Icron feature for OEM customers enabling up to seven different users in seven different locations to collaboratively view and make changes to a document or image at the same time over a LAN. The set-up is one LEX connected via LAN up to seven different REXs. Please contact your Account Manager for more information.

No. You must use the included cable as it has been customized for use with the Starling. You cannot modify the included custom cable.

No. Starling 3251C and Raven 3204C Series only supports USB Data and does not provide power on the USB-C connection to the host.

Built for more demanding video extension applications, the USB-3-2-1 Raven 3204C Pro and Raven 3104 Pro is a premium extension solution, offering advanced features, higher resolution, and support for ISO transport devices and modes. For more specifics, refer to Icron’s USB 3-2-1 Raven Series Product Comparison.

The Raven 3204C Series is the newest generation of CATx/LAN Raven extenders. Refer to Icron’s USB 3-2-1 Raven Series Product Comparison to compare the different feature sets.

The Raven extenders can be field terminated to specific lengths using standard RJ45 connections. The Starling extenders must use the included custom cable. Furthermore, Raven Series extenders must be powered externally at the LEX and REX, while Starling extenders can be USB bus-powered.

No. Only the power supply included with the product or sold by Icron as an optional accessory is covered by warranty.

Our Ranger/RG 2324 (multimode) and 2344 (singlemode) extenders are the same except for the transceivers. However customers should only use the transceivers provided by Icron to ensure proper performance. The Spectra 3022 is a multimode only model as is the USB 3-2-1 Raven 3124. The USB 3-2-1 Starling 3251C is a bus-powered extender and has optional 5V power on the LEX that works with Icron’s power supply, available for purchase separately (21-00111). The USB 3-2-1 Raven Series extenders are powered at both the LEX and REX.

All CAT X extender models require at least solid-core CAT 5e UTP for extension distances longer than 10 meters. For Raven, Maverick and KVM extenders, we recommend CAT 6a/7 cabling.

The CAT 5e extender models use all four pairs of the UTP cable. They all use a standard straight-through connection, referred to as TIA/EIA-568-B.1-2001 T568A or T568B.

Yes. The Starling 3251C (01-00457) is Plenum-rated. The Spectra 3001-15 is not plenum rated. For any of our other extension solutions you have the option of connecting the LEX and REX units with Plenum-rated CATX or Fiber Cable

The USB extender is in suspend mode. Hubs are placed in suspend mode by an operating system when no USB devices are connected. The hub will wake up from suspend mode when a USB device is connected.

Please contact Icron Tech Support for firmware upgrades. They can be programmed in-field by the user. There are no upgrades available for the USB 1.1 Rover® 1850/2850 or USB 2.0 Ranger® 22xx products.

Yes they do.

No, both Spectra extenders are designed to only support USB 3.0 devices.

Possibly. If your USB device connected to the REX is bus-powered, you may want to connect the optional Starling power supply to guarantee operation. If the device connected to the REX is powered from its own power supply, you do not need to. The best practice is to test the application first for consistent operation.

Yes. Please follow this link to the Icron Troubleshooting guide.