Connecting additional USB ports on your computer. How to speed up a USB port, what reasons are hidden behind the low speed of their operation
So, if you decide to increase the number of USB ports, then you need to find out if there are free connectors for connecting a cable with USB ports. If these connectors are found, then everything is simple. You need to purchase a cable with ports. Such a device is inserted into the front panel of the computer case and connected to the connector on the motherboard (see figure). See the motherboard manual for the exact location of the connectors. There are also options for outputting ports to back panel housings. Cost from 5$
Step 2
If you don’t have free connectors, or you don’t want to bother with connecting them, then an external USB controller will help you. This device is a board that contains several USB ports, as well as a host controller. These devices come in two types. The first is inserted into the PCI slot on the motherboard, and the ports are output to the rear panel. The second type is inserted into the front of the case and the ports are output to the front panel of the PC. They're standing similar devices from 20$
Step 3
Another option involves using USB hubs. A hub is a device with multiple USB ports that connects to a free USB port. Speaking in simple language, A USB hub is an extension cord with a splitter. This method is the fastest and safest, because no need to go inside the computer. Such devices cost from 25$.
Everyone already knows what USB (Universal Serial Bus) is - a universal connector to which you can connect almost any device. Of course, everything to some extent modern laptops are equipped with this connector - as a rule, there are two of them, sometimes four. But what are two or four connectors compared to the multitude of devices that you so want to connect there? A banal mouse and printer, necessary for a good household, a camera and a flash drive - these are just flowers. There are USB fans in nature (not for the case - for humans!), USB boilers, USB air purifiers, what have you - even electric toothbrushes can now be connected to a USB port!
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| Unusual USB devices (we express our gratitude to the site HardwarePortal.ru for the photos provided) |
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For all this riot, the life of two or even four USB connectors is clearly not enough. Therefore, we begin to act.
A passive USB hub is absolutely necessary in such cases. From one USB port we get four. No hassle, no drivers, no additional food. Now you can simultaneously connect a mouse, printer, scanner and flash drive to one single laptop port.
Take advantage
Theoretically, no one forbids you to go further and connect four more to such a hub, multiplying the number of USB ports exponentially, but this is both ugly and inconvenient. If four ports are not enough for you, or you desperately need high-speed USB 2.0 (this hub does not support this specification), you need to go a different route.
Since time immemorial, every laptop has a PCMCIA connector (usually two of them) - an analogue of the universal PCI connector on desktop computers. But unlike PCI, where they stick in anything, PCMCIA often sits idle. A USB2.0 CardBus PC Card adapter for two (Fig. 4), or better yet four, ports will help you find a use for it.
Take advantage
An elegant record (not like the PCI freaks hiding in the clunky system units!) supports data transfer rates up to 480 Mbit/s, has an additional five-volt power connector for external devices. This allows you to work with almost any modern peripheral. Additional convenience - USB2.0 CardBus PC Card is firmly installed in the computer, and does not hang on a cord like a USB hub.
Installing the USB2.0 CardBus PC Card adapter is not difficult - we simply push our plate into the PCMCIA connector all the way, and then install the driver (on Windows XP - only if the operating system for some reason did not install the driver on its own). This can be done either through Windows Update, or from the included CD.
Even more versatile is the USB2.0+1394a CardBus PC Card. Here, two worst enemies are placed on one card - competing USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394a ports. The last one, creation Apple, is now the de facto standard for digital video cameras, and the owner of such a camera simply needs IEEE 1394a. It is noteworthy that in this map Both types of IEEE 1394a connector are built-in - four- and six-pin, that is, no additional adapters are definitely needed. Combined with two USB 2.0 ports, this makes the USB2.0+1394a CardBus PC Card the most convenient solution for equipping your laptop with modern high-speed ports. Although there is no place for a USB toothbrush here.
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Modern desktop computers are equipped with sufficient quantities for everyday work USB port ov(on some motherboard models there are up to 16 of them). But what if you have a laptop that has only 4 USB ports(some laptops and most netbooks only have 3)? The answer is simple - increase the number of USB ports.
One way increasing the number of USB ports is USB purchase hub. We decided to test the model 10 port USB hub with its own power supply, allowing you to connect power-consuming devices (for example, an external HDD, modems, etc.).
At the heart of any work USB hub lies the principle of port branching. According to standard specification USB 2.0 one system can connect up to 127 USB devices, but in practice it actually turned out to connect 90 devices). So, our USB hub allows, through one USB port our laptop/netbook add 10 additional.
The device itself is a pencil case, on the main side of which there are 9 USB ports, above each of which there is an LED indicating the connected device. 10 USB port is located on bottom end hub, which is convenient when using a device that is rarely removed, such as an adapter wireless mouse or Bluetooth.
power unit 10 port USB hub outputs voltage 5 volts and designed for load 2 amps. Based on specification USB 2.0 maximum load port cannot exceed 0.5 ampere, so we have the ability to connect 4 powerful consumers, for example, external hard USB 2.0 powered drive.
Let's start testing the device. A 10-port USB hub connects to a laptop via a cord USB A - USB B(these are used to connect printers, scanners, etc. peripheral equipment). A USB hub can be connected to a laptop even without its own power supply, but with a limitation on connected devices - you can connect one keyboard, adapter wireless mouse and a USB flash drive. When connected additional equipment you will receive a warning that the power consumption of the USB port has been exceeded.
When connecting its own power supply, the device allowed you to connect USB flash drives in the amount of 4 pieces, two external hard drives powered by USB port, Yota modem 4G and Megafon modem 3G. All devices have been identified and are ready for use. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that the speed of our port to which we connected USB hub can't be anymore 400 Mbit, so that any actions with storage media (copying and moving files) connected via USB hub will affect overall speed. That is, devices that you plan to work with intensively must be connected directly to the laptop, and printers, modems and other low-speed devices must be connected to the 10-port USB hub.
It’s worth noting that the native power supply of our 10-port USB hub is only enough for 4 powerful consumers, i.e., if you want to connect 10 external hard drives, then the system will notify you about excess consumption USB power supply. For enhanced power supply, it is necessary to install a power supply designed for a load of at least 10 amperes (0.5 amperes per port).
Hello dear readers, Lately The high-speed USB 3.0 connector is becoming increasingly popular, gradually displacing its previous version, but not all motherboards are equipped with it. Many users no longer have enough standard USB speed 2.0 and I want something faster. Buy new motherboard it is often too expensive, so there is only one way out: installing an expansion card, which we will do in this review.
Externally, USB difference 3.0 from 2.0 is that the USB 3.0 connector of blue color, and also has large quantity contacts. USB 3.0 is also backwards compatible with devices designed for its previous version.
Benefits of USB 3.0
1) The USB 3.0 connector has 8 pins, and USB 2.0 only 4, this increases throughput up to 5 Gbit/s.
2) Also, the controller can simultaneously receive and send data, which increases the speed of operation.
3) USB 3.0 has a higher current rating. A hard drive that did not run on USB 2.0 will work quite stably. Also, those devices that normally lacked power current USB 2.0 will charge faster.
4) USB 3.0 is compatible with its previous versions. If you connect old USB 2.0 device, it will operate at the maximum speed possible for it.
Packaging and accessories
The controller comes in cardboard box red and white shades. All information on the box is at English language. The manufacturer assures us of the excellent quality of its product, which is written on the box 4 times. The box mistakenly depicts a controller that is different from the one included in the package.The controller is designed to be installed in a slot PCI Express x1
The package itself consists of:
1) USB controller 3.0
2) mini-CD disk with drivers
3) User manual
Installing the controller in a PC
First, remove the cover from the case
Now you need to remove the plug from the connector in which you are going to install the controller
Inside view
We “clear” the space for the controller (for example, I need to move the wires) and insert the card. The card inserted easily and smoothly
View of the controller from the back of the case
Now you need to find a screw to secure the controller. Unfortunately it is not included in the kit.
That's it, the screw is in place, installation of the controller in the PC is complete.
Installing drivers
After installing the controller and turning on the computer, operating system I couldn't install the drivers myself...
...so we'll use the CD that was included.
There are 6 folders on the disk, among which we need VL800
We go to this folder, run the installation (setup.exe), then successively click the next button.
Note: if you don't have Local disk C, then the installation will give an error until you insert any USB storage device. However, the drivers will still be installed on the system disk.
Installation completed.
Let's check if everything is in order. To do this, go to the device manager.
Now you can see that the drivers were installed correctly and the device was detected.
The user manual contained separate sheet dedicated to installing drivers on Windows 7 x64, containing many complex actions for the average user. It suggested opening special file, intended for editing drivers manually, but no such file was found on the entire disk with drivers. I had to install Windows 7 x64 specifically for the test and test it on it. Were held similar actions, written above, and the drivers were installed without problems. Accordingly, the instructions in the user manual can simply be ignored.
Let's also check new version drivers downloaded from via-labs.com
The installer successfully detected the device and installed the drivers. However, after rebooting the computer at its request, we see this:
When connecting any USB devices There was no response to the controller. There were attempts to install drivers over old ones, as well as when complete removal previous version drivers. Changing PC didn't help. Hence the conclusion: new drivers are not always better than old ones; the main thing in them is not newness, but stability of operation.
How often has a situation arisen in our lives when the ports on a laptop are sorely lacking, or the ports we need are missing altogether. However, few people know that this situation, in most cases, is easily fixable.
There are several ways to increase the number of USB ports and add missing useful interfaces to your laptop. Below we will talk about the most accessible of them.
To increase the quantity USB connectors you can use USB-Hub
The essence of the device is to make several USB ports out of one. Using a USB-Hub, which, when connected, will take up only one USB port, we will get from 2 to 16 ports. The hub connects normally USB cord, included in the kit, and takes power from the USB port on the laptop.
However, for correct operation equipment with high power consumption ( external HDD, phone charging from a USB connector) You may need a hub with an additional, external power supply.
Using a USB-Hub, you will save yourself from situations where you have to pull out a flash drive or mouse to instead connect an external hard drive or phone for charging.
On older laptop models, you can use expansion cards for the PCMCIA slot.
Unlike USB-Hub, with these cards you can not only increase the number of USB ports, but also add interfaces and devices missing from the factory without purchasing new laptop. The PCMCIA connector is located inside the laptop case and is usually closed with plastic “curtains” or a rectangular-shaped plug. 
Nearby there is a button that helps you remove the plug or card from the slot. The card is inserted into the slot and protrudes slightly from the laptop body.
PCMCIA cards come with different interfaces. Here is a list of the most popular ones: 
PCMCIA on LAN (RJ-45 connector) 
PCMCIA to COM (RS-232 connector) 
PCMCIA to LPT (printer connector)
PCMCIA on 1394 (firewire) 
…and others
For modern laptops, expansion cards are used for the EXPRESSCARD slot.
The slot cover is also rectangular in shape, but narrower than that of PCMCIA. Or the same width, but one of its corners has a cutout.
Their difference from PCMCIA is the form, a more expanded range of ports and devices, as well as more high speed data transmission.
The main advantage of EXPRESCARD is its support for more modern ports and devices. Here is a small list of the most popular:
EXPRESSCARD on USB ports version 2.0 and version 3.0
EXPRESSCARD on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
EXPRESSCARD to COM (RS-232 connector)
EXPRESSCARD SSD drives and flash drives
EXPRESSCARD sound cards
EXPRESSCARD modems and cards for SIM
… and others
ATTENTION! PCMCIA and EXPRESSCARD ports and devices for them are physically incompatible!
Our company is pleased to offer you a range of the devices listed above. Our managers will help you with selection, installation and configuration.
You can find prices in ours, or.
