Good to know, so far I have only used ethernet with the XP8. I am sure I will find myself having to use the USB on a job sometime.

Is this also possibly why some complain of RF problems?
Perhaps an USB cable can act like an antenna in some situations?
Maybe something to look at nexy time the RFI is bad?

I have a few jobs running for months with difficult a to access RP-6. I left a long USB cable left in on both jobs without issue. I understand to not leave it into the computer but have never had issues with it left in the RP6 only.

Are you saying that you had unplugged the computer end of it, which is why it was just dangling there, and that the RP-6 worked after you unplugged the cable from it? A couple of these posts seem to say that it's necessary to unplug from the RP-6 end, no matter what.

My experience has been that if you disconnect the RP-6 from the computer, by unplugging either end or taking a hatchet to the cable, then it will work. Same with the T2+ and T2-C.

When I did the first RP-6 and T2+, I found this out on the phone with RTI. Problem solved, but situation stupid. I pointed out to them that when the USB connector on a PC is bad, the entire freakin' PC is worthless, and their design is, all by itself, shortening the life of my PC more than anything else I do with it.

I now carry a dumb passive four-port USB hub for RTI work, where the hub and the learner stay plugged in all the time, and I plug and unplug other components as needed.

That's what I'm saying, I had it unplugged from the laptop but left it in the RP-6 and had issues. Once I pulled the USB cable from the RP-6 100% reliability.

that is really strange, i have never seen that before. maybe it's just a one time fluke.

I picked up a 12' usb cable so I can sit where I am working and just unplug the cable from the computer to test things...

Has this happened to you? Seems I'm the only one except for an earlier post from you that stated "been there done that".

Mine's better. It's 15'.

I will bet I am more lazy than you though!!

I have had an RP6 and RP1 in my system for years running 232 and IR with USB cables dangling from both with no problems. I have had customer units that seemed to to work more reliably when USB cable was removed. Bottom line: It varies from unit to unit or install to install.

It's probably acting as some sort of antenna. If it's got a common ground with the unit, then technically you're changing the way the unit was designed. Although how can you have a 1000' wire coming off of the Ground terminal without it being a problem. Hmmm...