"THis is a topic for this forum."
I agree with you Regina, I think this is an excellent question when you consider that a lot of people are having problems with their USB based equipment because they are using the wrong hub. I feel your frustration. First let me give you some definitions so that we are on the same page. Being 'passive' or 'active' applies to both USB hubs and crossovers. The passive style is basically a place where you can tap into the signal. The problem is that once you tap into it enough times, the signal quality starts to degrade. Hence the problems with passive equipment. Passive equipment is always less expensive than its active counterpoint. This is because the active equipment has more circuitry involved, as well as a separate power supply. It could be a 10 port USB active hub with all ports being used, and each and every one of them will receive the proper voltage and signal, just as if they were plugged directly into the computer. You should also be looking at high speed hubs rated at 2.0, not 1.1. The only USB active USB hub that I can't wholeheartedly recommend is this Belkin:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?MerchantId=&Section_Id=200433&pcount=&ProductId=158910
The reason is they tend to have a design flaw and overheat easily.
I did a search for you Regina and here are a couple of good quality active hubs. The IOGear is probably the best of the lot. You can find them all at Newegg.com.
http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GUH227
http://www.trendnet.com/products/TFU-430.htm
http://www.smc.com/index.cfm?event=viewProduct&localeCode=EN_USA&pid=1466
This active hub is especially nice because it also includes a few added Firewire ports, which will help prevent needing to run out and buy a hub just for Firewire at a later date.
http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GUH420
I will probably get rid of one of our Belkin hubs, and replace it with this active hub. I seems to solve a lot of problems. Hope that helps. Don't forget to click on the '
helpful/solved' points. We are saving up so we can buy a pair of American Idol ear plugs...
