Powered USB hubs

cwoodham

I need a 4-port USB hub to plug in my printer, digital cameras, mobile phones (to download pictures). Dont have broadband or a wireless network. I've had a look online but see that some are powered and some are not. Why would I need a powered USP hub? Thanks.

Browntoa

powered hubs take the strain off the PC/Laptops motherboard as normally the devices are drawing power from there, sometimes with several devices plugged in the PC will freeze on a non powered hub

dk143

I got a cheap non-powered one from Ebay for a couple of quid.... and it works totally fine! The only exception being when I need to connect my digital camera to it.... it doesn't seem to like it, but it works when I disconnect some of the other things connected to the hub!

For a couple of quid, I can't complain, and don't think a powered hub is all that necessary, as I don't connect my camera all that often.

Dack

Worth mentioning that aldi still seem to have a few of the powered hubs in for 7.99 (IIRC).

After the fun I had solving an intermitent computer problem a few years ago that came down to having a non-powered hub in the system I never use the non-powered ones these days. (Computer wouldn't boot up at all when 2 of three devices were connected - but only occasionally)

closecut

Each USB-port on the computer can only give a certain amount of power, and if you have 4 devices connected via a hub that all require the maximum power from the port, the hub tries to distribute it, which ofcourse will result in some or all of the devices not functioning.

For some devices, non-powered hub would work perfect, for others not.

Go with a powered hub, you don't have to connect it to the outlet unless you've connected power-hungry devices

wolfman

A self powered usb hub can usually supply around 500mA of power (correct me if I'm wrong). I bought one myself, but found that hooking my Shuffle, or Apple Pro Keyboard up to it needed more power. In the end, so that the Shuffle would charge, and the Keyboard work I connected the hub up via the mains.

I guess it depends what you'll be plugging into the hub.

tigermatt

It definately depends on what will be plugged into the hub. Devices such as a printer don't draw very much power over the USB because they get it from the mains. They just use the USB port for data transfer.

However, for charging devices like iPods, mobile phones and other "power eating" devices over USB the computer's motherboard won't be able to supply enough power through the 1 USB port the hub is connected to so it needs a "boost" from the mains.

From what you say you are going to plug in it sounds like you probably wouldn't need a powered hub - digital camera has a built-in battery, mobile phones use their battery unless you are charging it over USB and printer like I mentioned before only transfers data. However it might be best to get a powered one so you have it there just in case your needs change.

Hintza

I had a non powered hub for a while...PC kept crashing. I would strongly advise a powered one however you might find a normal one works fine but if PC starts to play up that would be the first thing I would look at.


Unpowered hubs are dirt cheap so might be worth gving it a try initially.

John_Gray

You might need a powered hub for this USB device! Oh! It is a hub already...

John

PS A brilliant example of the adage that if a person has a fatuous idea, then someone is bound to implement it...

tigermatt

John_Gray wrote:

You might need a powered hub for this USB device! Oh! It is a hub already...

John

PS A brilliant example of the adage that if a person has a fatuous idea, then someone is bound to implement it...

I never knew they existed. What a brilliant idea but I think you would need to connect it to a powered hub on its own. :rolleyes:

Dack

wolfman wrote:

A self powered usb hub can usually supply around 500mA of power (correct me if I'm wrong). I bought one myself, but found that hooking my Shuffle, or Apple Pro Keyboard up to it needed more power. In the end, so that the Shuffle would charge, and the Keyboard work I connected the hub up via the mains.

I guess it depends what you'll be plugging into the hub.

Believe that USB specifies 500mA per port and the self powered hub will actually be using some of that for it's internal electronics, lowering what is available for the devices plugged into it (if you open up the device properties for the usb hub in Windows it tells you how much the port can supply and how much is currently (sic) being used).