Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

USB hubs

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • USB hubs

    I have a couple of USB hubs and don't know if they're 1.0 or 2.0. Is there anyway to tell short of watching the clock during, say, a back-up from my laptop to an external drive? I can't find any identifying mark on either hub.

    The Untechie Tutu strikes again!

  • #2
    Re: USB hubs

    I forget if a USB 2.0 cable/device can be used in a USB 1.1 hub or not.

    I know that if you use a USB 1.1 device on a USB 2.0 hub, then it'll work.

    *losing geek powers*
    How'd I get so white and nerdy?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: USB hubs

      I wanna know why powered USB hubs won't actually power anything.
      Burl Burlingame
      "Art is never finished, only abandoned." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
      honoluluagonizer.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: USB hubs

        Originally posted by tutusue View Post
        I can't find any identifying mark on either hub.
        By any chance is there a label on the hub that says what brand name and model number of the hub(s)?

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: USB hubs

          Originally posted by buzz1941 View Post
          I wanna know why powered USB hubs won't actually power anything.
          what kind of hub is it?
          How'd I get so white and nerdy?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: USB hubs

            Forgot to mention, my laptop has 2.0 ports and I've used both hubs (one powered!) successfully...in case that means anything! I can't remember what I've plugged into those hubs; various peripherals, tho'. I've just never paid attention to the 1.0/2.0 thingie and now I'm curious!

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: USB hubs

              How old is the hub? If you bought it before 2000, then it can't be USB 2.0 because the 2.0 spec wasn't released until that year.

              USB 2.0 gear works fine with USB 1.0 and 1.1 gear, it's just held back to whatever the lowest-speed link happens to be. So you can't tell just because the USB connection works. You may indeed need to time a file transfer to see.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: USB hubs

                Thanks, Glen. I'm fairly sure both hubs are post 2002. When I have time I'll play with them and see what happens. IIRC, I bought them on sale which tells me they're probably 1.x. Too bad the speed isn't marked on the hubs. I woulda done that if I was a manufacturer!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: USB hubs

                  Originally posted by buzz1941 View Post
                  I wanna know why powered USB hubs won't actually power anything.
                  What are you trying to power in particular? I don't believe those hubs put out a lot of power to begin with.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: USB hubs

                    Stuff like mice and keyboards. Why buy a "powered" hub?
                    Burl Burlingame
                    "Art is never finished, only abandoned." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
                    honoluluagonizer.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: USB hubs

                      It depends on the hub and the devices that you have. I don't know about USB V2 stuff but in the V1.1 days there are times when a device would work if it's plugged to a USB hub that drew it's power from the computer while another device would not work from such a hub but will work on a hub that had it's own seperate power supply.

                      Then again in the V1.1 days the computer only had 2 USB ports in the back.

                      Today systems there are more USB ports both on the front and in the back. I am not using hubs on my home desktop.

                      Since my home laptop has only two USB ports I am using a USB hub that is powered by the laptop and I am able to handle my wireless mouse, multi card reader and a USB flash drive with no problem (also to note that the laptop was powered by AC and not running on batteries).

                      My work desktop is also running the same type of hub and multi card reader, while the wireless mouse uses its own USB port. I have another hub that has it's own power supply in case I run into a situation that might require it.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: USB hubs

                        Hubs that have separate, transformer power supply, not powered through the USB cable itself --- what does the power do? It doesn't supply power to devices.
                        Burl Burlingame
                        "Art is never finished, only abandoned." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
                        honoluluagonizer.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: USB hubs

                          I think one USB port on a computer should be able to power one device on that port. If you hook up a hub to that same port it should be able to power at least one device. However it might not be able to power 3 or more devices attached to the hub from that one USB port at the same time, in which case it would be helpful if the hub was able to supply power to the attached devices.

                          USB thumb drives need to get power from the USB port, as well some cameras. Devices like printers and scanner shouldn't need to draw power from a USB port.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: USB hubs

                            Originally posted by buzz1941 View Post
                            I wanna know why powered USB hubs won't actually power anything.
                            Might try a different hub. Then again, you might try a different cable. Perhaps the cable you're using was intended for something else and doesn't support power signals. <shrug>

                            One hub I have won't power anything until it senses power on the computer's USB port, and then it will turn on.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: USB hubs

                              Originally posted by tutusue View Post
                              I have a couple of USB hubs and don't know if they're 1.0 or 2.0.
                              If they don't say, then I think the odds are that it's 1.x. But you'll have to test to be sure. Go ahead and try. You won't blow anything up.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X