USB EXTENSION NOT DOING IT

So normally I have this USB card reader in this USB extension cable. Today instead of plugging the passport drive into the front of the PC I plugged it into the extension. Well it lit the light up, but did not actually see the drive. For a moment I though "how can it be dead, I only use it once a month for 10 minutes". Then I plugged it into the front of the PC and it worked fine. So I'm guessing there is a lot of loss in the cable. It works quite fine for the card reader and none of the thousands of photos I've transferred with it where scrambled. But I guess there is just enough loss to not properly power the drive. I have to say though, it was the lowest priced one on the shelf when I got it one day at Staples. No idea what the brand is even - it does not say on it.