USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 Gen 1 aka the kind that can do 5 gbps can only use cables up to 3m in length. Meanwhile Ethernet uses a similar twisted pair copper cable, but can do 10 gbps over 100m.
What gives, why is USB so limited in terms of cable length?
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The kind of simple answer is, long USB cables generally are not needed, so the standard wasn’t developed with long cables in mind. So the goal of USB is to be fast and cheap. USB will acknowledge received messages. So if the cable is too long, you have a host expecting a response, but it hasn’t arrived because the long cable creates a delay. Its an easy way to handle it, with low processing power requirements.
Meanwhile, when developing ethernet, the cables have to be long. A 5-meter max would render ethernet useless, so the standards had to accommodate longer cables. It comes at a greater cost, in terms of equipment, and processing power. (And it tends to be slower, unless you are willing to spend a ton of money.)
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