USB Hubs.

[Cranfield]

I have ample USB ports on my PC, but half of them are accessed from the front of the tower, which makes it messy with wires.

The solution could be a USB Hub.

 

One of the things that needs two USB ports specifically states, "do not use this item with USB Hub" , I assume this is because there is some sort of leakage/lower power via a Hub, as opposed to direct into the PC.

 

Is leakage/lower power an issue with Hubs and does the amount of ports on the Hub have any influence (ie. the less ports the less leakage) ?

[chesters1]

theres only a finite 5v available for all the usb ports ,you can get around this by buying a hub with its own PSU which will supply extra milliamps .

the biggest drain is printers that use the USB for power etc

 

hubs are also a great way not to wear out the PC ones if your continually pluging things in and out ,wear out the hubs connectors instead

Edited April 29, 2011 by chesters1

[Cranfield]

Thank you very much Sir, I will make sure to get one with a PSU.

[corydoras]

Thank you very much Sir, I will make sure to get one with a PSU.

Don't by a cheap crappy USB 2 Hub. They are a false economy. You'd be much better off getting one of these.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=149

[chesters1]

no psu so if your using usb powered devices you will quickly run out of power on a standard PC PSU

500mA for everything doesn't go far nowadays

Edited May 1, 2011 by chesters1

[Chris Goddard]

Does the card type have it's own PSU Chesters?? I have used mine with six for quite a while now and do have problems from time to time?? And never thought of the hub being a problem till now? Thanks, you got me thinking for the first time in a long time! DON'T it hurt eh?

[chesters1]

the card types if they slot into the motherboard "should" use the power from it ,i bought one a couple of years ago but removed it because it continually played up.

i bought a hub with a psu and had no problems but now my new pc psu has much more power to supply the motherboard so the psu isnt used.

it all depends on how much your mobo supplies generally if its a small pc psu its 500 milliamp's for all the usb things you have plugged into the machine.

if you use a usb powered printer or hard drive your using most of the current ,the reason its advised not to use hubs for certain things is its guessed your using a lot of usb things already.

if you unplug everything but the vital stuff (keyboard mouse etc) you can plug in more demanding stuff then use the hub for the less demanding stuff.

mines got hubs all over the place ,two sit in drive slots and use the power thats used for the drives (lots even on low powered machines) and two in the rear plus the 5 thats on the board (6 really but one has the first hub plugged into it) if you have a spare bay this is the best way to get a hub with the power as well ,second is a loose hub with its own psu

what is it thats warning you to not use a hub?

 

some say small is good in pc's the bigger the case the more you can put in it

Edited May 7, 2011 by chesters1