Most companies are product orientated, but StarTech.com centres the customers problems at the heart of what they do. They design at least one or two new products every day, working hard to solve hard-to-find solutions. This range of USB cables are made from the best quality materials and are all backed by a 2-year warranty to boot.

A USB hub is a device that features several USB ports to support multiple connections. They expand on the number of ports a typical host computer has and can connect directly to the host or be powered independently, usually via an AC outlet.

Users usually dont require any downloads or software set up to start using the device. Simply plug in the male USB into the host computer and youre up and running if its a bus-powered hub. For self-powered, plug in the power adapter.

What are USB Hubs used for?

In domestic settings, like a home office, USB hubs are used to provide further USB port connections beyond the original device, be it a PC or laptop. Other USB hubs are used in larger, more industrial environments. StarTech.com build these ones with steel housing to withstand the varied temperatures and physical conditions. These are normally powered USB hubs and connect at the wall or by a terminal block.

Are there different types of USB Hubs?

Most USB hubs exclusively support extra USB A connections, but there are other hubs that incorporate an ethernet port and other port types. No matter what ports are on the hub, USB hubs can be split into self-powered and bus-powered. Bus-powered USB hubs are normally more portable as they use power from its host.

How does a powered USB hub work?

Unlike bus powered USB hubs, where you would connect it to your laptop/desktop, drawing on the computers power to work, self-powered USB hubs provide their own supply of power independent of a computer. In this case, some StarTech.com hubs feature the option to use terminal block power, but all self-powered hubs come with an AC adapter. Either way provides power to any connected devices rather than draining your laptop battery.

How many USB hubs can you daisy chain?

This depends on the selected hub. This hub, 1963869, for example can be daisy chained, but there are limits with this type of sequencing. To daisy chain USB hubs, all hubs need to be active, i.e. have their own power source. Users must not exceed 127 USB ports in total or the maximum number of tiers, including the original hub.