# Anyone running a long USB cable to the Maslow controller for better logging? **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [May 19, 2026, 2:04am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/anyone-running-a-long-usb-cable-to-the-maslow-controller-for-better-logging/25796 "2026-05-19T02:04:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nov27th2025](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/nov27th2025/32/29771_2.png) [@Nov27th2025](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Nov27th2025)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 2:04am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/anyone-running-a-long-usb-cable-to-the-maslow-controller-for-better-logging/25796/1 "2026-05-19T02:04:12Z")
Following up on [a controller reboot I just reported](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/sending-g0-x0-y0-caused-controller-reboot-no-motion-lost-position/25789) — between the last `` status report and the FluidNC boot banner there were only 27 ms of silence, no `error:` or `ALARM:` line beforehand. WiFi-over-WebSocket is a great convenience but it gives me no visibility into _why_ the board rebooted. Wondering if anyone is running a long wired USB connection from a stationary computer to the Maslow board, specifically to get more reliable comms and richer logs when things go wrong. A few specific questions: 1. **Distance.** My workshop layout puts my computer ~50 ft from the machine. USB 2.0 spec maxes out at ~5 m (16 ft). For 50 ft you’d need an active extension cable, USB-over-Cat5/Cat6, or fiber-optic USB. Has anyone made this work reliably? What gear? 2. **Does USB serial actually log more than the WebSocket?** I’d expect to capture boot-time messages before WiFi is up, ESP32 panic traces / core dumps, and bus-level errors that the WS stream can never show. Is that true on FluidNC, or does it expose roughly the same thing both ways? 3. **Anything I’d be giving up vs WiFi** , beyond convenience? E.g. does the Maslow UI work the same over a USB serial connection, or is some functionality WiFi-only? Goal: when the controller hangs or reboots, I want to _see_ why in the log — not just a 27 ms gap followed by the board coming back up with stale belt positions. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 4:17am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/anyone-running-a-long-usb-cable-to-the-maslow-controller-for-better-logging/25796/2 "2026-05-19T04:17:10Z")
Wes wrote: > Wondering if anyone is running a long wired USB connection from a stationary > computer to the Maslow board, specifically to get more reliable comms and > richer logs when things go wrong. yes > A few specific questions: > > 1. **Distance.** My workshop layout puts my computer ~50 ft from the machine. > USB 2.0 spec maxes out at ~5 m (16 ft). For 50 ft you’d need an active > extension cable, USB-over-Cat5/Cat6, or fiber-optic USB. Has anyone made this > work reliably? What gear? there are active usb extensions that have electronics in them to boost/clean up the signal. I’ve used 50’ ones for exending webcams. the one I used was from aliexpress but just look for a 50’ usb2 extension cable that has bumps in the wire, not just cable and ends. > 1. **Does USB serial actually log more than the WebSocket?** I’d expect to > capture boot-time messages before WiFi is up, ESP32 panic traces / core dumps, > and bus-level errors that the WS stream can never show. Is that true on > FluidNC, or does it expose roughly the same thing both ways? yes. much of it is the same, but not all there are logs at times that the web connection is not running (startup/crashes) some of this data gets replayed into the web log, but not all logs about wifi or browser problems/disconnects may only exist in the usb feed there is other data that is considered too noisy to put in the web log (esecially if you enable motor debug logs > 1. **Anything I’d be giving up vs WiFi** , beyond convenience? E.g. does the > Maslow UI work the same over a USB serial connection, or is some functionality > WiFi-only? this is not in place of wifi, it is in addition to it. The browser UI does not work over USB (the UI exposed to the USB serial interface is pretty much complete, but there is no nice UI that knows how to use it but this means that it doesn’t need to be the same computer. you could have a pi or something cheap and low power live close to the machine and be capturing the logs all the time, but not use it for anything else (so no need to have keyboard/mouse/screen/computer with fan near the sawdust) > Goal: when the controller hangs or reboots, I want to _see_ why in the log — > not just a 27 ms gap followed by the board coming back up with stale belt > positions. yep, I have a test board (no frame/motors) that I use for a lot of development that sits with power and usb connected and then I connect to it via wifi David Lang ---
**Author:** ![Nov27th2025](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/nov27th2025/32/29771_2.png) [@Nov27th2025](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Nov27th2025)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 6:22am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/anyone-running-a-long-usb-cable-to-the-maslow-controller-for-better-logging/25796/3 "2026-05-19T06:22:07Z")
> [@dlang](#): > > re is other data that is consider Thank you; digesting this now.