When you purchase a USB HUB especially like mine 7 Port USB 3.0 you will need that extra power especially without addition power you will not be able to use all 7 Ports. The USB 3.0 Hub that I purchased is a NO name USB Hub. The box states that it is Win/Mac Compatible and that it supports windows 7. Note: No drivers or software are required for the USB hub to work with your operating system. The USB hub works independently of software and works with any operating system. When testing your USB peripherals, make sure that you do the following: If required, attach external power. Confirm that the peripheral works on a standard USB port.
Features
- 7-port USB 3.0 self powered hub with robust 25W (5V, 5A) UL certified power adapter (US/UK/EU AC wall outlet plug options, 100-240V 50/60Hz)
- Compatible with most Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, Mac OS X, Linux (kernels 3.0 and later), and Unix systems
- Fully plug and play, no drivers required (individual devices / USB 3.0 host controller may require drivers), devices can be hot-plugged
- Features two VIA VL812 Rev B2 hub chipsets with the latest v9095 firmware for maximum compatibility and performance with most USB 3.0 host controllers along with BC1.2 smart charging on ports 1 & 7. This firmware also allows the hub to be a stand-alone (not connected to host computer) smart USB charger (ports 1 & 7) able to select the best charging mechanism for the attached device.
- Sleek piano black glossy UV clear coat finish with all 7 ports on one side to minimize cable clutter and maximize accessibility
- Individual LED status indicators for each USB port and USB over-current protection supporting up to 900mA per port (up to 1.5A for BC 1.2 devices)
- Supports USB 3.0 SuperSpeed transfer rates up to 5Gbps (640MBps – transfer rates are device and USB host controller dependent)
- Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed devices and host systems (rates up to 480Mbps), and USB 1.1 Full/Low Speed device and host systems (rates 12/1.5 Mbps)
Product Description
Expand USB connectivity by connecting up to seven USB 3.0, 2.0, or 1.1 devices to any USB 2.0 or 3.0 capable desktop, laptop, or tablet computer. The hub supports USB 3.0 transfer rates up to 5Gbps (640MBps) to allow data to move quickly between devices, ideal for high-throughput devices such as USB hard drives, flash drives, and USB video adapters.
USB has become more than a way of connecting devices to a computer with plug and play ease and high performance, it has also become the method of choice to power and charge a range of battery-powered devices from headsets and controllers to phones and tablets. Some of those mobile devices have adopted proprietary mechanisms to draw more power than USB 3.0 was designed to allow, which has caused confusion about charging.
That is being solved by the Battery Charging (BC 1.2) Standard – when both the device and the hub/charger are BC Standard compliant, it can charge at a faster rate (up to 1.5A) in a standard way.
The Plugable USB3-HUB7-81X is among the first of USB 3.0 hubs that does everything existing USB hubs do, plus has support for the Battery Charging Standard (BC 1.2) on the two outer ports (1 & 7). So it’s a no-compromise solution for both gaining extra USB ports and for charging the newer generation of BC 1.2 compliant devices. Both charge and sync (CDP) and dedicated charging (DCP) are supported along with support for other proprietary charging signals when being used as a stand-alone charger if the phone or tablet also supports these modes.
Checkout our YouTube video of the hub in action while connected to 7 monitors with Plugable video adapters:
Compatibility
- Microsoft Windows systems should install latest manufacturer USB 3.0 host controller drivers and Windows Updates for best results. Apple Mac OS X and Linux / Unix systems require latest operating system updates for best compatibility.
- Not recommended for use with older Texas Instruments, Fresco Logic, Etron, or Wistron USB 3.0 host controllers.
- This hub can act as a standalone charger on ports 1 & 7 and can charge phones and tablets as it has special charging functionality for charging iPads, iPhones, and other tablets and smartphone devices. It is also BC 1.1 / 1.2 compatible.
- Some devices such as the Apple SuperDrive look for Apple-specific signaling and will not work when connected through any USB hub.
- We do not recommended this hub for use with USB 3.0 PCI-e add-on cards for older Apple Mac Pro systems because of limitations in their software support for USB 3.0 hubs.
- 2.4Ghz wireless devices such as wireless keyboard/mouse receivers, Bluetooth and WiFi adapters, may not work in close proximity to USB 3.0 devices or hubs. Connecting wireless devices to a USB 2.0 port is recommended for best results.
USB Charging
Battery charging over USB has become a standard practice but the actual charging behavior of different devices is often unpredictable and sometimes disappointing. The devices themselves decide how much current to draw and manufacturers haven’t settled on a single standard. We constantly test our products with as many different devices as possible and publish the results so it’s easy to determine the charging behavior to expect from your device on each of our USB products. These are the results for the devices we’ve tested on this charger so far.For hubs, 'Hosted' means the hub is attached to a host computer that is powered on. 'Unhosted' means just the opposite, that the hub isn't attached to a host computer, or that the host computer is turned off. This doesn't apply to stand-alone chargers that only plug in to a wall outlet.
The 'Estimated Charging Time' column is the minimum amount of time that the device would take to charge if it was fully drained. This is just an estimate! We provided this to give a general idea of the expected charge time. If this column is blank for a device, that means that the device indicated that it wasn't charging. In this case, even if the device is drawing power, it will likely either 'tread water' keeping the battery at a constant level, or slowly lose ground.
FAQ
Q: I connected my hub but nothing is happening. No LED lights are turning on.
A: Double check that the power adapter has a green LED light, if not double check your AC outlet is working. Also please note that 7 blue LED per-port status lights only turn on when the hub is attached to a running host computer and a USB data device is connected. Charge-only devices will draw power, but will not trigger a light.
If the hub is getting power and a USB data device is attached to the hub but no LED is turning on for that port, try connecting the device to a different port, or try connecting a different USB device to the hub. A simple device like a mouse or keyboard is a good test. If there is still no light and the device is not detected, fully unplug the hub from all devices, power, and USB cable to the host computer. Then reconnect the power cable first, USB host cable next, and USB devices last.
Q: Ports 1-4 have stopped working. Ports 5-7 work fine.
A: Fully unplug the hub from all devices, power, and USB cable to the host computer. Then reconnect the power cable first, USB host cable next, and USB devices last. If that does not resolve the issue, please contact our support.
Q: Do I need a firmware update for my hub?
A: See our firmware update page here.
Q: Is the AC power adapter required?
A: Yes. The hub is not capable of running in bus power mode (from the host PC).
Q: I accidentally connected a 12V power supply instead of the included 5V power supply and damaged my hub. My devices attached to the hub may have also been damaged. What can I do?
A: Unfortunately as this is considered user error, we cannot repair or replace any damaged items.
Q: What do the blue LED lights indicate?
A: There is a blue led for each of the downstream USB ports on the hub. The LEDs turn on when a USB device is connected and recognized by the operating system. These lights may turn off even though a device is connected when the host computer operating system puts the device to sleep to conserve power. There is no master light to indicate the hub is receiving power.
Q: Can the hub’s charging ports charge and sync iPods/iPads and other smartphones?
A: Yes, on the two outer ports (1 & 7). Only Apple devices that use the Lightning connector support BC 1.2 charge and sync. Apple 30-pin dock connector devices that require special signaling such as the original iPad go into data only (sync) mode when attached to this hub. Most Android and Windows phones and tablets support charge and sync functionality.
Q: Can the hub’s charging ports be used for regular USB devices? Will these ports damage my devices?
A: The charging ports function just as any other regular non-charging port for standard USB devices that do not require charging functionality. There should be no issues connecting a standard device to a charging port.
Q: Can the hub support 7 devices which use the full 900mA current allowed by the USB 3.0 power specification? (with up to 1.5A on the BC 1.2 charging ports)
A: Technically no, the supplied power adapter delivers 5A of available current across all USB ports which leaves us 2.5A short (5 * 900mA + 2 * 1500mA = 7.5A). In the real world however, it will be hard to find 7 USB devices that will use the full 900mA. So you can be confident that you can use all the 7 available ports at the same time.
Please note that there are edge case scenarios where this will not be true. Taking external USB bus powered hard drives for example. Often these drives require 500mA to 900mA of power. This hub in theory should be able to power at least 4 at the same time but may not have enough power left for other devices.
Belkin 7 Port Usb Hub Driver
Q: Does the power supply switch for different regions or is it tied to US voltage and frequency?
A: The switching power adapter with our 7 port hub supports inputs of 100-240V at 50/60 Hz. Output is at 5V 5A.
Q: Why does my wireless mouse or keyboard appear sluggish or not work properly when used with the hub?
A: Most USB receivers for wireless mice and keyboards operate in the 2.4Ghz band. When connecting the receiver to any USB 3.0 port there is potential for interference that can affect the devices performance. The most effective method is to add a short USB 2.0 extension cable between the hub and the receiver to mitigate the effect, and many wireless keyboards and mice come with such a cable for this reason.
Q: Is this hub a good match for my Raspberry Pi?
A: Because the Raspberry Pi is a USB 2.0 device and can’t take advantage of USB 3.0 functionality as well as mixed results from users, we do not recommend this hub for use the Raspberry Pi. The hub we do recommend is our 7 port USB 2.0 hub
Here’s a link with more details: A USB Hub that Works Well with the Raspberry Pi.
In The Box
USB 3.0 7-port Hub, 5V 5A 20W UL certified AC desktop-style power adapter with 6+ foot hub to wall extension cord and 3 foot USB 3.0 Cable.
7 Port Usb 2.0 Hub Driver
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