USB Stuff

[countyfan52]

I am looking to get some more USB ports for my tower PC.
I want to get either a hub or some added to the front (floppy drive slots).
I also want to keep costs down (preferably under £20 if poss).
I've done a bit of looking around and seen some stuff but i don't really know what i am looking at.
I know i want it to be powered itself (if its a hub) and USB 2.0

What do people suggest?

Also how do USB Hubs connect to your computer?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Peter]

First thing to look is whether the mainboard has headers for more native USB ports. Most do. You can buy slot brackets that have two USB ports, and connect to those headers with cables internally.

Second best solution is to add more native ports via a PCI USB 2.0 card.

Hubs connect like ordinary devices.

 

[Bojangles139]

Originally posted by: Peter
First thing to look is whether the mainboard has headers for more native USB ports. Most do. You can buy slot brackets that have two USB ports, and connect to those headers with cables internally.

Second best solution is to add more native ports via a PCI USB 2.0 card.

Hubs connect like ordinary devices.

just to add... newer boards do have extra usb ports on the motherboard, if its more then 2 years old... don't hold your breath. if newer, check the manual. if you do the onboard usb ports, make sure you know what your doing. if you hook the heads up incorrectly, you can damage the port (or so i've been told, but i find it believable, the usb does have power...). personaly, i hate connecting the onboard usb ports, the pins and headers are usually individual (1 for power, 1 for ground, 1 or 2 for input) and never have the same names/labels and you have to guess, at least in my experiences.

if you get a USB external hub, be aware that most of them connect to a hub already on your computer and simply splits them (like a power strip). could run into performance issues depending on what they're used for (bandwith issues, with input coming from 4 ports funneled down to the single port on the computer could cause problems, but not very realisticly to be honest).

like Peter said, best option is a PCI hub and that would only be assecsable from the back though.

the front floppy drive hub/ports use the onboard usb ports.

brandon

 

[Peter]

Even two years ago, the then-current chipsets had at least four USB ports. Go look for them before anything else. We'll assist in wiring them up, then

Note that I meant PCI USB controller not hub. Big difference. Hubs fan out existing ports, controllers add new ones.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Peter
Even two years ago, the then-current chipsets had at least four USB ports. Go look for them before anything else. We'll assist in wiring them up, then

Note that I meant PCI USB controller not hub. Big difference. Hubs fan out existing ports, controllers add new ones.

Agreed. My abit KR7133-Raid (new shortly after AMD debuted PR ratings over 2 yrs ago (nearly 3 now?), had 6 ports IIRC.

 

[Cerb]

Newegg has 4-port powered USB 2 hubs for under $20 shipped that are smaller than a harmonica.
sub-$20 USB hub + velcro = perfection.