USB Hubs
So what is
USB, aka a Universal Serial Bus, Hub? It is essentially like a power strip for your computer. If you have multiple devices that work through or with your
computer, such as a
printer,
desktop computer will not be enough to jack in all these peripherals.
!
Besides USB ports on your computers, there are also serial and parallel ports, which previously caused a conflict in the connection department. You may also have ports for a
FireWire,
modem/
ethernet, and Bluetooth. But USB ports are a universal method for connecting all types of devices. Usually your PC or
Firewire 1394 ports in addition, often with speeds at both 400 and 800 MBs.
Important Questions
* '''What price can I expect?'''
** USB ports are relatively inexpensive costing anywhere from $6USB'>Belkin ($130).
* '''How Many Ports Do I Need?'''
** This all depends on how many devices you have and how many of those you plan to run simultaneously. Usually, the standard USB hub comes with 4 ports, but there are some on the market that feature 7, 8, or even 16. If you buy one with 4 ports and realize that you need more, you can always buy another one and hook it up to the first one.
** Keep in mind that while USB hubs can theoretically support up to 127 different devices, that doesn't mean that your computer is capable of supporting all of them.
** If you are a MAC user, consider a USB port that has FireWire connections as well — which are great for digital cameras.
* '''Let's Talk About Speed'''
** There are two types of
MAC OS X, etc) and computer type (PC or MAC).
* '''Power'''
** USB hubs come either
Belkin is the most popular. Here are some others:
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*
Adaptec
*
CP technologies
*
ConnectGear
*
Micro Innovations
*
Targus
*
XHub
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