Icron's Cost-effective 100m USB Distance Extenders

For a little over a decade, Icron has been focusing on developing USB distance extenders; it has been successful in increasing the reach of USB over CAT5 Ethernet, fiber optics, power-line and most recently, WiFi. It however has never quite tried to lower the cost of their ExtremeUSB solutions until now. The Vancouver-based Icron has announced their Ranger 2101/2104 ExtremeUSB extenders, which can maintain Hi-Speed USB connection over CAT5e cables up to 100m, will now retail for only $349 (single node) and $389 (with 4-port USB hub). It seems a no-brainer which one to pick here.

Icron has a couple of specific markets to target, including industrial control, remote desktop, automatic telematics, access control and video surveillance. Most consumers are mostly concerned with sharing printers, scanners and storage; though most of these have been taken care of long ago via add-on or integrated solutions.