Engadget Offers Ways to Reuse Old USB Cables and Fix Persistent Disconnects

According to the first guide, old USB cables accumulate from phones, headphones, speakers and printers that users no longer own. A cable that no longer matches a current phone or laptop may still carry a current, and even worn or incomplete cables can provide copper wiring and plastic sheathing for other uses. Engadget cautioned that using a frayed cable to conduct current may pose a fire risk, so readers should know what they are doing before reusing wiring to power something new, or choose a use that does not involve electricity.

Working cables can be gathered into a dedicated charging station near an outlet and labeled by device type, the guide said. A separate set can be packed as a travel charging kit, so losing a spare cable at an airport or hotel is less costly. Old cables can also power LED lights behind a monitor or illuminate a dark desk corner, and with basic electronic skills and a soldering iron they can support small DIY projects such as simple sensors.

For cables that no longer charge reliably, Engadget described household and craft uses. Once the outer shielding and inner insulation are stripped, bare or tinned copper strands are pliable enough to tie tomato vines to garden stakes, and the entire cable can be used in a pinch to tie a tree to a support stake during a storm. Intact cables can be looped around a pot or frame as plant hangers or picture supports after the connectors are cut off. Craft uses include coiling a flexible cable into a tight spiral and gluing it as a coaster, threading cable segments through drilled drawer holes as handles, making keychain lanyards or zipper pulls, building a key mount with matching female USB ends, braiding stripped cables into bracelets and arranging them as wire art.

In a separate guide, Engadget said a USB device that does not stay connected can cause mouse stutters, missed keyboard inputs, video camera cutouts and incomplete file transfers to an external drive. It advised starting with a computer restart, then isolating the fault by using the same device in another USB port and a different device in the original port. If one accessory fails in every port, the device or computer is likely at fault; if several accessories fail only on one port, the problem is likely that port.

Engadget advised inspecting the device connector for loose fit, bent pins or other damage and checking the cable jacket for tears or extreme bends, replacing removable cables that are damaged. A light shone into the port can reveal debris, which can be loosened gently with a wooden toothpick rather than metal and cleared with short bursts of canned air. USB hubs add another point of failure, the guide said, and a powered hub that plugs into the wall is preferable for high-power devices. On a desktop, long-term devices are best connected to rear ports wired directly to the motherboard.

On Windows, Engadget described two power settings that can cut power to USB ports. In Device Manager, under Universal Serial Bus controllers, users can open each item's Power Management tab and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.” In advanced power settings, under USB settings and USB selective suspend setting, the guide said the setting can be changed to Disabled. It added that Microsoft “strongly recommends” keeping selective suspend enabled.

Engadget also suggested updating drivers through Device Manager, or uninstalling a specific port's device and rebooting so it reinstalls automatically. The free USBDeview tool can help identify which Device Manager entry corresponds to each port, the guide said, and users should avoid disabling the port used by their keyboard or mouse. If a device fails across ports, especially after a drop or water exposure, the device itself may be the cause.