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USB is directional protocol so there is always host and devices. USB-C lets devices negotiate the direction for power and data separately. This means that if th
by ianburrell 2y ago
USB is directional protocol so there is always host and devices. USB-C lets devices negotiate the direction for power and data separately. This means that if they were doing USB media, one device has the files and the other can access them.
There used to be cables with USB connectors on both ends and dongle in middle, that did Ethernet between devices. That would be possible to do with USB-C, effectively two USB-C Ethernet adapters connected together. I had never thought to use two USB-C Ethernet adapters with short Ethernet cable, I bet you hadn't thought of it either.
The problem is that this isn't needed very much. Computers are almost always connected to local network, or can make Wifi Direct network if needed. There are programs for making local file sharing but they aren't common enough to rely on them.
It would be nice to have Ethernet over USB without needing adapter and using the high speeds of USB3 and USB4.
- zbrozek 2y agoI did think about that and ultimately did do that. It's just not what the hardware could do, and it's a crappy solution. I don't often wander around with spare USB NICs, but a double ended type-C is in my standard kit. There's no hardware reason why two type-C ports couldn't adopt host and device roles and become a NIC. Could be an RNDIS class endpoint or emulate one of the ultra common ASIX ICs. That's basically what my phone does when USB tethering. Why does my desktop computer do less?