USB question

[taurusowner]

I have a PC with 7 USB 2.0 ports.  I tried connecting a USB 2.0 hub to one of the ports, but everything that is then connected to that hub gives me a "this device can perform faster" notification and there is a ! over it in the device manager.  Is that supposed to happen?  I did specifically purchase the hub because it claimed to be USB 2.0.

I am thinking of purchasing another USB 2.0 card for permanent attachment to my PC to avoid this problem.  Just our of curiosity, what is the point of an internal USB port?  I can't think of a single thing that I would put inside my PC box that runs off USB.

[RocketMan]

You may have gotten a mislabled hub.  It happens.
Why the internal ports?  Many memory card readers and other accessories attach to internal USB 2.0 headers and/or ports.  Plus, front panel USB ports usually connect to internal headers on the motherboard.

[taurusowner]

So ideally, a USB 2 hub connected to a USB 2 port should show no data transfer speed loss?  Would just getting another hub solve this problem?  I'm hesitant to go that route as this is the second USB hub I've tried.  Granted the first one was old and I'm not sure if it was 2.0 compatible.  But I still don't want to end up with 3 worthless hubs sitting around.  Would you recommend just getting another 2.0 card to directly install?

[Bogie]

Most of the USB 2.0 hubs that really run that fast have external power supplies.
 
I usually use the "slow" USB ports for things like dongles/security keys, or slower printers/devices. Your mouse and keyboard will probably work just fine on a slow-speed hub.
 
Now, don't buy a USB 2.0 card.
 
Buy a USB 3.0 card. The hard drives are starting to come out, and they're scary fast...
 
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=usb+3&srkey=usb%203.0

[taurusowner]

It's odd, the supposedly USB 2.0 hub I'm using now and getting problems with has an external power source.

I'll have to look into 3.0

[KPT]

I don't think its a power issue. My HTPC has a USB hub around 15 feet from the computer. The USB keyboard will work fine without the powersupply plugged in but the wireless mouse receiver and bluetooth radio won't work. I've never seen the device can perform faster message when the hub is not plugged in.

FYI the power issue is each USB port can only supply 500 mA at 5V. Cheap hubs try to split that, good hubs have external powersupplys so each port can have 500 mA.

[lee n. field]

Just our of curiosity, what is the point of an internal USB port?  I can't think of a single thing that I would put inside my PC box that runs off USB.

Some tape drives use it.  It's a heck of a lot cheaper than SCSI.

[Brad Johnson]

Some cheapo USB 2.0 hubs, especially no-names or wierd-named hubs, are really leftover 1.0 hubs relabled as 2.0 to sell. I got one I thought was a screaming deal.  Wasn't.

Brad

[sanglant]

sorry for the threadjack, but i have been wanting to post this thing for days.

check out this behemoth 

or this one.

the ufo usb

[Bogie]

Uh... I've gotten messages before that only four hard drives can run off any given computer port. So I'm wondering just what those suckers could be used for.

[Regolith]

Uh... I've gotten messages before that only four hard drives can run off any given computer port. So I'm wondering just what those suckers could be used for.

Lots of USB gadgets.  Theoretically, you can get 127 devices on a single host controller.

[Doggy Daddy]

Uh... I've gotten messages before that only four hard drives can run off any given computer port. So I'm wondering just what those suckers could be used for.

Really?  I've run at least 5 off of one usb hub before.

DD