USB3 Hubs which actually power drives, run at full speed?

[AbRASiON]

Does such a thing exist?
I just purchased the most expensive 4 port USB3 hub I could find ($40 AUD) and confirmed it has a 4a power adapter (great!) - it spins all 4 of my USB3, 2.5" HDD's

HOWEVER, even with a single disk plugged in and with a short cable, the xfer speed is 36mbytes/s. If I unplug the USB3 cable from the back of the hub, into the same HDD, I get from 70 to 85mbytes/s and that's only one HDD.

The USB hub has a Renesas chip in it and it does identify as a USB 3 and USB 2 hub in Windows. This is so frustrating, I have such difficulty with USB devices.

I just found this article http://lifehacker.com/five-best-usb-hubs-1414094277 which is talking up "Anker" branded USB hubs, I get that it looks good but does anyone know if I can run more than 45mbytes/s through one of the ports? I could've just as well got a USB2 hub at this point.
I realise that a fully decked out hub would thrash the primary USB port or CPU even but it's apparently 5gbit, that's 625mbytes/s, even a pessimist could envision 60mbytes/s per port on a 4port hub, surely? (1.9gbits, a far cry from the quoted maximum of 5)

Any thoughts? I'm not happy.

 

[AbRASiON]

So scratch that, this is just shonky.

My particular onboard card is also a Renesas card and works fine with 5 different USB3 HDD's. I just checked device manager again and I confirmed the USB hub is detected as a USB 2 hub, despite having a USB3 rear input plug, coming with a USB3 cable being sold as USB3 - you would think a renesas hub would work well with a renesas onboard USB port?

Here's the ids if anyone finds this useful one day
(My onboard hub, this is just part of the driver on the system as I have USB 3 ports)

Renesas Electronics USB 3.0 Root Hub
NUSB3\ROOT_HUB30&VID_1033&PID_0194&REV_0003&SID_FFFFFFFF
NUSB3\ROOT_HUB30&VID_1033&PID_0194&REV_0003
NUSB3\ROOT_HUB30&VID_1033&PID_0194

(My onboard controller, this is also just part of the driver on the system as I have USB 3 ports)

Renesas Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller
PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_03
PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&SUBSYS_00000000
PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&REV_03
PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194
PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&CC_0C0330
PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&CC_0C03

The device which gets added when plugging in a $40 USB3 hub :/ I can't believe I specifically tried buying expensive with a high end power adapter :/

Renesas Electronics USB 2.0 Hub
USB\VID_174C&PID_2074&REV_0100

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Try a different cable between the port and hub. USB3 has 5 extra pins that need to make contact. Otherwise it will default to USB2 speeds as you describe.

 

[Charlie98]

Is there a driver that came with the hub? I just installed an USB3 expansion card and it didn't work correctly until the Renesas driver was installed.

 

[lexco]

Does such a thing exist?
I just purchased the most expensive 4 port USB3 hub I could find ($40 AUD) and confirmed it has a 4a power adapter (great!) - it spins all 4 of my USB3, 2.5" HDD's

HOWEVER, even with a single disk plugged in and with a short cable, the xfer speed is 36mbytes/s. If I unplug the USB3 cable from the back of the hub, into the same HDD, I get from 70 to 85mbytes/s and that's only one HDD.

The USB hub has a Renesas chip in it and it does identify as a USB 3 and USB 2 hub in Windows. This is so frustrating, I have such difficulty with USB devices.

I just found this article which is talking up "Anker" branded USB hubs, I get that it looks good but does anyone know if I can run more than 45mbytes/s through one of the ports? I could've just as well got a USB2 hub at this point.

Disabled USB ports from Windows registry. However, it is not solved.https://www.corenetworkz.com/2009/08/disableenable-usb-ports-from-registry.html
I realise that a fully decked out hub would thrash the primary USB port or CPU even but it's apparently 5gbit, that's 625mbytes/s, even a pessimist could envision 60mbytes/s per port on a 4port hub, surely? (1.9gbits, a far cry from the quoted maximum of 5)

Speed up the broadband up to 2X https://www.corenetworkz.com/2009/04/increase-speed-of-your-internet.html
Any thoughts? I'm not happy.

I too agree with Insert_Nickname about the USB cable you are using. If you are using USB2.0 cable it detect the USB3 device connected to your computer as a USB2 device only.

 

[Raduque]

Guys, I don't think it's the cable - he mentions in the first post he plugs the USB3 HDD directly into the PC using the same cable and it gives USB3 transfer speeds.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Guys, I don't think it's the cable - he mentions in the first post he plugs the USB3 HDD directly into the PC using the same cable and it gives USB3 transfer speeds.

The port on the PC might well be using a "different" socket type then the hub. There are a few variations of USB3 sockets/plugs (connectors "in front" vs "on top") on the market, and not every socket-cable/plug combination plays well together...

It can be a real pain in the you-know-what.

 

[Raduque]

The port on the PC might well be using a "different" socket type then the hub. There are a few variations of USB3 sockets/plugs (connectors "in front" vs "on top") on the market, and not every socket-cable/plug combination plays well together...

It can be a real pain in the you-know-what.

I was specifically referring to you mentioning a different cable between the hub and the PC's USB plug. The same cable without the hub between it and the drive gives proper speeds. Put the hub in between the drive and the cable and the speed drops.

Maybe he needs a new cable between the hub and the drive?

 

[AbRASiON]

Try a different cable between the port and hub. USB3 has 5 extra pins that need to make contact. Otherwise it will default to USB2 speeds as you describe.

The cable which used between the USB hub and the USB3 port on the board, is the same very cable which for testing produced 70 -> 80m/s reads when it was plugged direct to a HDD.

Guys, I don't think it's the cable - he mentions in the first post he plugs the USB3 HDD directly into the PC using the same cable and it gives USB3 transfer speeds.

Correct

Furthermore if you read my follow up reply, the hub is literally detecting as a USB 2.0 hub.........

 

[Charlie98]

... the hub is literally detecting as a USB 2.0 hub.........

I ask again...

Is there a driver that came with the hub? I just installed an USB3 expansion card and it didn't work correctly until the Renesas driver was installed.

 

[AbRASiON]

No driver and any hub which requires a driver is defective by design.

 

[Charlie98]

No driver and any hub which requires a driver is defective by design.

I don't know... it seems like every USB3.0 device has some sort of driver...

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I was specifically referring to you mentioning a different cable between the hub and the PC's USB plug. The same cable without the hub between it and the drive gives proper speeds. Put the hub in between the drive and the cable and the speed drops.

Maybe he needs a new cable between the hub and the drive?

The cable which used between the USB hub and the USB3 port on the board, is the same very cable which for testing produced 70 -> 80m/s reads when it was plugged direct to a HDD.

Perhaps I should have been more precise. You are correct, its between the hub and PC, that perhaps needs another cable.

Which type of connector does the hub use? USB 3.0 B or micro-B?

 

[AbRASiON]

I don't know... it seems like every USB3.0 device has some sort of driver...

It's standard as part of Windows, the USB3 PORT requires a driver, hubs will load on their own driver but it's built into Windows, you should not require a third party driver for a hub, I've never encountered this and I've been using USB since 1.0

 

[AbRASiON]

Perhaps I should have been more precise. You are correct, its between the hub and PC, that perhaps needs another cable.

Which type of connector does the hub use? USB 3.0 B or micro-B?

USB 3.0 SS B (far right bottom picture) - it's a "proper" USB 3 plug, which works fine in a HDD at full speed.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

USB 3.0 SS B (far right bottom picture) - it's a "proper" USB 3 plug, which works fine in a HDD at full speed.

I'm not questioning that, but the USB3 micro-B is by far the worst plug/socket design I have seen in years. Its without doubt your problem, you should make sure that the plug is inserted 100% and even then it might take a little wriggle to get to connect at USB3 speeds. Apply a tiny bit of force and twist to the right side of the plug when viewed top down and see if that solves the problem.

Again try a different cable, as due to tolerances the five pins to the right side of the plug might not make contact properly resulting in USB2 speeds.

The only other advice I can come up with is returning the HUB and getting another that uses a USB3 B-type plug. They're much more securely seated.

f.x.
http://www.lindy-international.com/4-Port-USB-3-0-Hub.htm?websale8=ld0101.ld020102&pi=43133&ci=5001

 

[AbRASiON]

I do like the B type suggestion and did spot a couple of hubs using that, so I may well investigate that route.
I was considering the Anker models - but they don't sell them to Australia through Amazon, because amazon is awful :/

 

[glugglug]

I have an Anker 7 port hub, and can confirm I routinely get 100-150MB/s on it.

 

[AbRASiON]

Hmm which one? I know Anker seem to make 2 USB3 hubs - also do you know what controller you're hooked into? - thanks.