USB Hub does not work

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Level 1

5 points

USB Hub does not work

I recently purchased this USB hub.

http://www.jascoproducts.com/products/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=8&idcategory=13

My laptop cooler is able to be power through the USB hub.

However, my mouse, keyboard, and external harddrives are not working. For instance, the laser on the optical mouse is not even lighting up.

My mouse, Keyboard, and external hard drive works fine when it is connected directly to the USB pots on my macbook Pro.

Is this a compatibility issue? I mean, GE says that the hub works with mac os. And for a generic hub like this, there shouldn't be any issues right?

And there shouldn't be a problem with my USB ports or any Macbook Pro hardware since the keyboard, mouse, and harddrive work fine connected directly to the macbook pro.

Macbook Pro unibody 15.1", Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Nov 8, 2009 1:52 PM

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Answer 1

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 8, 2009 2:30 PM in response to wlfpck

Two things wlfpck.

Firstly the hub you link to is an old USB1.1 hub which operates at the slow USB ""full speed" rates of up to 12Mbps.

Your hard drive will need a much faster USB2 "High Speed" hub (which runs at up to 460 Mbps) to operate effectively.

Secondly , the hub appears to be "bus powered". With mouse, keyboard, laptop cooler and drives all connected the single USB port which feeds it is not going to be able to provide nearly enough power. Hence the failure to operate.

Look for a powered USB2 hub to do what you need.

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 2

wlfpck Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 8, 2009 3:07 PM in response to Rod Hagen

Yeah. I just realized that. The usb hub that I have is a 2.0

GE just seems to not have updated their website yet.

As for having the keyboard, mouse, and laptop cooler plugged in, It worked fine on my friend's laptop. Plus I've tried connecting just the keyboard to the hub to the macbook pro and the keyboard still doesn't work.

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Answer 3

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 8, 2009 3:23 PM in response to wlfpck

Do the mouse and other devices still work over the USB port on the computer, wlfpck? If so, then it sounds as if the keyboard itself is defective. In such a case the keyboard would probably prevent other devices working if it was plugged into the hub at the same time.

If not, then it is a USB port issue. Resetting PRAM and resetting the SMC are worth try in such a case.

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 4

wlfpck Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 8, 2009 3:34 PM in response to Rod Hagen

When I plug the mouse, keyboard, and external harddrive directly into the macbook pro, they all work fine. I've tested the hub with just a mouse, the hard drive, and just the keyboard and nothing seems to work when connected through the hub.

As for a USB port issue, I guess what would be the problem? Especially if the keyboard, mouse, and harddrive work fine when directly connected to the usb ports.

Thanks,

Jerry

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Answer 5

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Nov 8, 2009 3:35 PM in response to wlfpck

You'd be much better off with a powered USB2 hub like this: http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=159070

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Answer 6

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Nov 8, 2009 3:57 PM in response to wlfpck

Sorry, Jerry, I mis-read your previous post.

I guess you have tried it in both of the USB ports on the MBP?

If you head to Apple Menu/About This Mac/More info.../ and select Hardware/USB with the hub plugged in, does it recognise that it is there? If so, how does it describe it?

If it sees the hub, and you then plug a device into the hub and choose "refresh" from the "View" menu, does it see the device at all (it should appear on one of the "USB High-Speed Bus" entries)?

I'm beginning to suspect that trying a new hub is going to be the only solution, however.

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 7

wlfpck Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 9, 2009 5:23 PM in response to Rod Hagen

yeah. I just did that and the hub does not show up. I'm returning the hub and getting another one from the apple store. That should solve my problems.

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