External or Internal USB hub ?

[Big Dee]

Hi,

I have a desktop PC with four USB 2.0 ports at the rear and would like to add more USB ports - extra 4 ports should be fine.

What would be the better option -

(1) External hub (with psu)?, or

(2) Internal bay hub?
- what sort of connections does this have?
- does it connect to the motherboard or to one of the external USB ports?
- are there any links showing the installation instructions?

Any major advantages/disadvantages between the options?

Thanks

 

[dazz25]

Depends if you need them to be easily accessible or not? If your plugging things in and leaving them I would suggest an internal. Purely because it's tidier IMO!

An internal hub should simply slot into a spare PCI spot and plug into a USB header on the motherboard (check motherboard documentation to find these). Really easy to fit and should come with instructions.

hope this helped!

 

[Big Dee]

Hi dazz25,

Thanks for the info. Your suggestion is for adding USB ports at the rear, right?

What about installing a Hub BAY unit, so that the extra ports are at the front? I think Belkin do one. Any ideas what connections would a unit like this have?

I shall be plugging a USB Memory Stick and digital camera on occasions but want to avoid reaching to the back of the PC as much a possible - very inconvenient.

I will take a look at the Motherboard details on the web.

Thanks.

 

[dazz25]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I assumed you wanted them in the rear. I'm not to familiar with the front mouted ones. Do you mean mounted in one of the drive bays?

The internal connection would be exactly the same though whether it's front or back mounted.

 

[Skeeter]

You can get internal PCI cards that just plug into a spare PCI socket and give you 4 or so ports at the back. They dont touch the USB mobo headers, they run through the PCI port.

As for bay mouted ones, they will connect to the USB headers on the mobo, you should have atleast 2 spare. There are a lot of options that do more than just USB too, such as Fan controllers or media card readers with a couple of USB ports on.

 

[Big Dee]

Hi again dazz25,

That's no problem.

Yes, it's the one that would fit in one of the spare bays at the front.

Is there more than one way to get this connected, as in do all unit sof thsi kind connect the same way?

What is the USB "header" which you mentioned?
What does this look like and what if my mobo does not have it.
I have this mobo: Asus A8N-E nForce4 Ultra (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard.

Installing this unit into the bay is not a problem, it's not knowing the connectivity and I don't want to buy one and find out I can't accommodate it.

Are there any other advantages to having the USB ports at the front?

Cheers.

 

[dazz25]

Yes it will be a USB header. As mentioned above you should have at least 2 of them located at the bottom of the board. They will be shown in the manual.

This is the only connection it will have so there no worries about getting the wrong one/not fitting etc.

I can't really think of any other advantages for front mounted except accesibility for memory sticks etc.

 

[MTA99]

I recently bought a Silverstone FP-32

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=fp32&area=usa

But only because I couldn't justify the extra cost of the FP-34

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=fp34&area=usa

As the others have said there are loads of options out there for front mounted usb's

 

[Big Dee]

I'm going to open up my PC and take a look at the mobo.
I know what the USB header is meant to look like now.

I'll update you as soon as I've checked.

Thanks.