It’s Done The Job Reliably and Inexpensively
Written: Mar 15 '01 (Updated Dec 30 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: adds USB ports, easy to hook up, no configuration problems, inexpensive
Cons: not stackable
The Bottom Line: If you want to get up to 4 additional USB ports, this is a low cost, effective solution
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| Saxguy's Full Review: D-Link DSB-H4 USB Hub |
About 6 months ago, I needed 2-3 additional USB ports. I was planning to get a digital camera, and I was tired of unplugging my scanner from the USB port every time I wanted to hotsync my Handspring Visor PDA, which also requires a USB port.
I was looking for additional ports, as a modest cost. Prices for 4-USB hubs at my local stores, including CompUSA, were raging from $35 and up. So, I checked buy.com, where it was under $25, with a reasonable shipping charge. I ordered it on a Sunday and it arrived on Tuesday.
Setup was easy. I plugged the device into one of my USB ports on the PC, and the Windows “Detect New Hardware” wizard appeared on screen and did a couple minutes of configuration. I did not have to reinstall the Palm software for the Visor or the scanner software.
The only choice, really, is whether I wanted to go solely with BUS power (low-level power is supplied to the linked devices through the hub) or whether to plug the USB hub into an outlet to supply additional power to the devices. I chose to go the additional power because my scanner worked better with the hub plugged in.
There have been no problems whatsoever with functionality. I had Windows 98 at the time and have since upgraded to Windows 2000 Professional. Windows 2000 easily recognized the hub, although I did have to reinstall the scanner and the Palm software. That’s because of Windows 2000, not the hub.
One con of this unit is that it is not stackable. In other words, I cannot attach another hub to it, I can only attach USB peripherals. That is not a problem for me. I’m currently using it for a scanner, the Visor cradle (for hotsync) and a trackball mouse. The digital camera went by the wayside. If needs be, I can plug the trackball into a serial port, although it seems to work better with the USB port.
I don’t really have the need for a lot more USB devices, but if you need a lot, you will need either a stackable hub or one with more ports.
This unit offered the additional ports easily and reliably at a great price. I highly recommend it.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 25
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