Cabling

If you think that's the end, man you're wrong! Them extension ports provided with your mobo are usually very short in length. Reason being you're to mount them at the back of your case, not at the front. So what do you do about the cabling? Well, here's how I extended mine so that the connectors are able to reach the header on my motherboard. Here's what you need for this mod.

• Extra cables (26 AWG USB Cable or old IDE Cable)

• Heatshrink tubing

• 10-pin connectors

• Connector terminals

• Jumper pins

• Wire stripper/cutter

• Long nose pliers

The stuff and tools

AWG26 Ten Wire USB cable

Strip off the protective layer

   First, strip off the main protective layer from the cable and expose about 2 inches of cables inside. Each of the 10 cables will be covered with different colored protective layer so it's much easier for you to ensure the right connection from your USB extension ports to the headers. Using the same connectors as the one on the USB extension cable, crimp the 10 wires onto the connector terminals. Use the long nose pliers to secure the wires into the terminals and secure them into the connectors. Do the same for the rest of the wires and take note of the alignments of the wires at the other end, connecting to your original USB extension.

10-pin connector and terminals

Wires with terminals crimped

Done!

   Now take the double-sided jumper pins and cut them according to the number of pins on the USB connector. This will be used as a "connecting bridge' between the original USB extension and the extension cable you just made.

The Jumper pins

Cut to required length/number

Pins connected to original USB extension

  If you're have difficulty trying to look for the 10-wire USB cable for this mod, you can also use the wires from an old IDE cable that you mght have lying around. Just strip off the required number of wires, like when you're making your own "round cables" and use the same connector and connector terminals. Much cheaper and easier to find! :O)

Assembly and Final Words

   Once everything is completed, I installed the extension ports into position and closed up the bezel. Connect the ports to the motherboard headers and boots into Windows. All 4 USB 2.0 ports works fine and no signs of bad connection between the two extension cables. The thing I like most about this mod is that the position of the ports do not present any kind of obstruction and it looks stock, as if it was already there from the factory. I just hope that the Chieftec guys that are looking at this now will consider adding them up! Maybe even adding a couple of Firewire ports to it! *crosses fingers!!*

Can you spot the ports? Heheh!

Looks stock!

Front Ports in action!!

   Those of you with older motherboards without the USB extension, you can still do this mod if the USB header is present somewhere on your mobo. If it's not, then tough luck! A 3.5" hub would be better for ya! :O) I hope this will help you in your own USB port mods for your Chieftec/Antec/Chenming case folks. Give me a holler if you need help with this! I'll try to help ya out! And if any of you know where to get the parts for the cabling extension in the States, lemme know so I can post it here for the overseas folks! Thanks for reading and enjoy!!!