USB Hub Reviews
CD-R King USB Hubs
USB 1.1 HUB (http://www.cdrking.com/index.php?mod=products&type=view&sid=9477&main=140)
COST: PHP 50
This is my first USB hub, I bought this CD-R King USB 1.1 Hub years ago and I planned to use it for my mouse and keyboard but they did not work. The USB A4tech Keyboard gets disconnected everytime I press a key. It works for my a4tech mouse though.
There are two screws at the back, so you can open it and investigate the PCB.
There are few SMD components at the back, a capacitor and resistor for the green LED.
The board also has marking for a electrolytic capacitor but it was not installed, you can solder one if you want (6.3V 1000uF to 16V 1000uF). This USB Hub costs PHP 50 at the time I bought it.
I even tried to replace the cable and used a microUSB cable instead, it works for my Lineage-OS Tablet OTG.
STATUS: DEAD?
USB 2.0 PCI HUB
My third USB hub?
The USB 2.0 4+1 PORT PCI CARD costs PHP 140. You need to install it to your motherboard near the PCI-express (graphics slot). I had problems using this hub as it sometimes works then not work. It maybe because of the bloated capacitors of my motherboard (see my other blog for the removal and replacement of these capacitors).
STATUS: DEAD and disassembled (I got free USB female port by desoldering from this board)
Coaster USB 2.0 4 PORT USB Hub (True USB 2.0 MTT) (http://www.cdrking.com/index.php?mod=products&type=view&sid=16155&main=140)
The fourth USB hub is a CD-R King Coaster USB Hub, 4 USB port no cable just plug and play. This worked perfectly, it is a true USB 2.0 device. The only drawback is lack of cable. I somehow damage the fourth port and it no longer works, the other three ports works fine.
STATUS: DEAD?
axpro AXP816 (not in the website)
Latest USB hub.
I bought this for about PHP 180 (IIRC) and it says USB 2.0 but it is only a STT device not MTT, your bandwidth is limited by a USB 1.1 device. I have not disassembled this thing, now it appears to be dead. There are 4 USB female port and a red LED in th casing.
STATUS: DEAD (for no apparent reason)
NON-CD-R KING USB Hub
USB 2.0 High Speed Hub 4 PORTS and it costs Php 150. Sadly, this is a USB 1.1 Hub not a 2.0. I did not bother returning this to the store even if it has 1 week warranty. I used this for my a4tech keyboard and mouse. The design has 4 USB port with individual SPST switch, there are blue LED lit if you turn the switch on (Blue LED consume some current!) It has a DC Jack for 5V but there is no diode to protect the USB 5V from backfeeding to the DC 5V jack.
STATUS: FAILING (My mouse and keyboard suddenly gets disconnected all the time)
Using GNU+Linux you can get more information about a USB device by using the utilities, dmesg and lsusb -vvv. This should reveal the manufacturer and the capability of the device whether they are STT or MTT, 1.1 or 2.0. If you are using Windows, you can find more information by going to the Device Manager and browse the properties of the USB device. (But it is hard, I will try to create a program that will make this easier.)
Example:
Testing my 4 PORT USB HUB with switches
$ sudo dmesg|tail
[317527.184102] usb 1-2: new full-speed USB device number 66 using uhci_hcd
[317527.577190] usb 1-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0a05, idProduct=7211
[317527.577208] usb 1-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
[317527.577219] usb 1-2: Product: USB2.0 HUB
[317527.580288] hub 1-2:1.0: USB hub found
[317527.582192] hub 1-2:1.0: 4 ports detected
$ sudo lsusb
Bus 001 Device 066: ID 0a05:7211 Unknown Manufacturer hub
$ sudo lsusb -vvv
Bus 001 Device 066: ID 0a05:7211 Unknown Manufacturer hub
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 9 Hub
bDeviceSubClass 0 Unused
bDeviceProtocol 0 Full speed (or root) hub
bMaxPacketSize0 8
idVendor 0x0a05 Unknown Manufacturer
idProduct 0x7211 hub
bcdDevice 1.00
iManufacturer 0
iProduct 1 USB2.0 HUB
iSerial 0
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 25
bNumInterfaces 1
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 0
bmAttributes 0xe0
Self Powered
Remote Wakeup
MaxPower 100mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 9 Hub
bInterfaceSubClass 0 Unused
bInterfaceProtocol 0 Full speed (or root) hub
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0001 1x 1 bytes
bInterval 255
Hub Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 41
nNbrPorts 4
wHubCharacteristic 0x0009
Per-port power switching
Per-port overcurrent protection
bPwrOn2PwrGood 50 * 2 milli seconds
bHubContrCurrent 100 milli Ampere
DeviceRemovable 0x00
PortPwrCtrlMask 0xff
Hub Port Status:
Port 1: 0000.0100 power
Port 2: 0000.0100 power
Port 3: 0000.0100 power
Port 4: 0000.0100 power
Device Status: 0x0001
Self Powered
From the following commands we now know:
ID and manufacturer: 0a05:7211 Unknown Manufacturer hub
bDeviceProtocol is Full speed (12 megabits/sec USB 1.1 speed NOT 480 megabits/s)
Device is Self Powered (not externally powered)
Device maximum power is 100mA. (A 4 port USB port has maximum power of 500mA.)
CONCLUSION:
It is hard to find a true USB 2.0 hub, you need to bring your laptop and test the items before buying (if the store agrees).
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