Which USB 3.0 Hub? [MERGED]

Cool.

I'm also looking for a USB Hub and was thinking about the (Ultra Aluminus USB 3.0 Hub - 4 Port, USB 3.0 5Gbps, Aluminum)

However, I really think I should wait for a 7 port hub instead.

Let me know if/when you find one.

Another Dave

RadDave said:

Well, just ordered a new iMac and also bought a new printer which has an USB 2.0 option (ethernet & wireless), so was curious about this topic - from the above and reading the Apple support document: 1) the USB port regardless of which specification is plugged (2.0 or 3.0) is NOT configured permanently for that device - if 2.0 is plugged and remove and a 3.0 item added then the faster protocol will be recognized; 2) if an USB 2.0 hub is plugged then regardless of what is attached to the hub, slower speed will be used.

OK - now onto finding a good & reliable 3.0 hub - Dave

Click to expand...

Just a word of note.

A few USB 3.0 hubs I have (Via chipsets) all seem to kill UASP (USB Attached SCSI). The OS will drop down to USBMassStorage on any USB 3.0 drive connected to a hub. The UASPKext will only load if you plug it directly into the mac's direct port.

This is something to ponder when researching USB 3.0 hubs. So basically 4 different via based hubs I have will do this.

The issue is that The USB organization has not approved any USB 3.0 hubs so people are just making hubs to see what stick similar to when wireless N came out. Router manufacturers were producing routers with wireless N draft which eventually became wireless N.

Lightning Bolt said:

Cool.

I'm also looking for a USB Hub and was thinking about the (Ultra Aluminus USB 3.0 Hub - 4 Port, USB 3.0 5Gbps, Aluminum)

However, I really think I should wait for a 7 port hub instead.

Let me know if/when you find one.

Click to expand...

Hi Dave - from a previous post, I visited the Satechi Website - plenty of 3.0 USB hubs available w/ the number of ports you want - I'm more interested in a 4-port model like the one shown below. A potential problem is that it is not 'powered' - so if devices are plugged in that require power from the USB port and multiple ones are attached, then the usual 900 milliamps (USB 3.0 spec) would be split between devices and may leave one or several 'under-powered' - of course, plugged ones w/ their own power (like a printer) would not be a problem.

So, just another consideration for those looking to extend their number of USB ports - I'll wait for some more responses (my new iMac was just ordered yesterday), look at the reviews, decide 'what' I need to plug in, AND try to avoid the power issues. Thanks - Dave

fortysomegeek said:

Just a word of note.

A few USB 3.0 hubs I have (Via chipsets) all seem to kill UASP (USB Attached SCSI). The OS will drop down to USBMassStorage on any USB 3.0 drive connected to a hub. The UASPKext will only load if you plug it directly into the mac's direct port.

This is something to ponder when researching USB 3.0 hubs. So basically 4 different via based hubs I have will do this.

Click to expand...

A good notice, and something that seems to be off the radar for many here

I updated my post a few posts up about my thoughts on the 7 port usb 3.0 Uspeed. Basically I got it working with my imac. There was one device that didnt work which was my western digital hard drive. Everything I plugged into it worked except that. After a massive hassle of updating the firmware that needs windows to do so it now recognizes the western digital drive. so the uspeed 7 port hub works good with the 2012 imac as long as you update the firmware.

This is interesting because that's exactly what I just bought to use as my Time Machine back up for my MacBook. It's the 2TB USB 3.0 "My Passport" external.

I assume you updated the firmware in the WD hard drive? If so, I wonder if I should (or will need to) update the firmware on this one.

If i need to use windows to update it, that's not going to be good.

Right now it's working just fine but that's plugging it directly into the MacBook's USB 3.0 port.

Acorn said:

I updated my post a few posts up about my thoughts on the 7 port usb 3.0 Uspeed. Basically I got it working with my imac. There was one device that didnt work which was my western digital hard drive. Everything I plugged into it worked except that. After a massive hassle of updating the firmware that needs windows to do so it now recognizes the western digital drive. so the uspeed 7 port hub works good with the 2012 imac as long as you update the firmware.

Click to expand...

I did a lot of research too, and ended up buying a Plugable 7-port powered USB 3 hub (Amazon). They seem to actively test their hubs with Mac and OS X. At the same time, Apple has been addressing USB 3 issues with both firmware and OS updates (latest firmware for rMBP and 10.8.3 both address USB 3).

Anyway, it seems to work perfectly well with a USB 3 dock (StarTech), USB 3 bus-powered hard drives (Sabrent enclosure and WD 1 TB My Passport), USB 3 flash drives, USB 2 hub (it was convient due to physical location), and USB 2 audio and serial devices.

The USB 3 dock has dual slots and I tested copies between two 3.5" drives through the hub and obtained full speed on both (~115MB/s iirc). I also was getting 180MB/s reads from a Patriot RAGE XT 32GB USB 3 flash drive.

In other words, I haven't seen any issues - at least with the devices I have.

I also bought a USB 3 <> eSATA adapter that I haven't tested, yet, (StarTech), but I feel confident it'll be fine.

Lightning Bolt said:

This is interesting because that's exactly what I just bought to use as my Time Machine back up for my MacBook. It's the 2TB USB 3.0 "My Passport" external.

I assume you updated the firmware in the WD hard drive? If so, I wonder if I should (or will need to) update the firmware on this one.

If i need to use windows to update it, that's not going to be good.

Right now it's working just fine but that's plugging it directly into the MacBook's USB 3.0 port.

Click to expand...

no the western digital drive worked perfect in the standard mac usb 3.0 port but did not work plugged into the uspeed hub. the hub light would light up telling you it was plugged in but osx never saw it. I had to update the firmware on the usb uspeed hub to get the drive to work. The drive was a western digital passport drive.

To update the firmware on the usb hub I had to extract a zip then a bin file in osx. then move the the resulting file plus an install utility to windows and use a windows installer to install. You had to run the install which just installed the utility itself, delete the firmware the install came with that was in a directory, place the new firmware in the directory that you extracted in osx. then run the firmware utility in windows to install the firmware.

if you dont have the 7 port uspeed hub it should not be an issue for you

Thanks.

If I find a 7 port powered USB 3.0 hub, I'll have to verify that I won't have a problem using my WD Passport with it.

If so, I might just stick with a 4 port version.

Acorn said:

no the western digital drive worked perfect in the standard mac usb 3.0 port but did not work plugged into the uspeed hub. the hub light would light up telling you it was plugged in but osx never saw it. I had to update the firmware on the usb uspeed hub to get the drive to work. The drive was a western digital passport drive.

To update the firmware on the usb hub I had to extract a zip then a bin file in osx. then move the the resulting file plus an install utility to windows and use a windows installer to install. You had to run the install which just installed the utility itself, delete the firmware the install came with that was in a directory, place the new firmware in the directory that you extracted in osx. then run the firmware utility in windows to install the firmware.

if you dont have the 7 port uspeed hub it should not be an issue for you

Click to expand...

Lightning Bolt said:

Thanks.

If I find a 7 port powered USB 3.0 hub, I'll have to verify that I won't have a problem using my WD Passport with it.

If so, I might just stick with a 4 port version.

Click to expand...

The 7 port Plugable powered USB 3 hub works fine with the WD My Passport. I suspect there wouldn't be a problem with the Passport. See my post above.

Thanks all for the continual comments on these USB 3.0 hubs - still wanting a 4-port and have been looking on Amazon - a Sabrent USB 3.0 4-Port High Powered Hub with 4A Power adapter seems to be a nice choice for $20 at the moment - two 5* ratings and stated to be compatible w/ OS X, but that seems to be an issue w/ these USB 3.0 hubs - not buying yet but a consideration -

RadDave said:

Thanks all for the continual comments on these USB 3.0 hubs - still wanting a 4-port and have been looking on Amazon - a Sabrent USB 3.0 4-Port High Powered Hub with 4A Power adapter seems to be a nice choice for $20 at the moment - two 5* ratings and stated to be compatible w/ OS X, but that seems to be an issue w/ these USB 3.0 hubs - not buying yet but a consideration -

Click to expand...

I've had good luck with Sabrent products (I recently bought one of their USB 3 2.5" HD enclosures for my Seagate XT 500GB drive). As mentioned, 10.8.3 does address USB 3.0, so if you're up-to-date, their hub probably will be fine. (And, of course, Amazon is easy to deal with if there is a problem.)

THANKS!!! That hub looks like it received mostly great reviews too.

I will probably order it this week.

gr8tfly said:

The 7 port Plugable powered USB 3 hub works fine with the WD My Passport. I suspect there wouldn't be a problem with the Passport. See my post above.

Click to expand...

USpeed 7 Port USB Hub 3.0 Conflict with OS X 10.8.3

I am having problems getting all 7 ports to recognize my MacBook Pro Retina Middle 2012. Only three ports, 5, 6, and 7 will communicate with my Mac. AnkerDirect Customer Support advises they have a firmware update that will fix OS X 10.8.2 but OS X 10.8.3 negates the fix. AnkerDirect says they have not fixed the bug as of this date.

Lightning Bolt said:

THANKS!!! That hub looks like it received mostly great reviews too.

I will probably order it this week.

Click to expand...

Hope that we'll be happy! I put in an order last night for the 4-port hub discussed above - price was right & reviews excellent (although limited) -

Just another 10c worth, I bought a four port D-Link USB 3 hub for my iMac...works fine...I really wanted a larger one, ut as yet they have not brought one out. Four is okay and I hate fiddling around behind my mac. As far as compatibly goes, it's worked with everything I have connected to it, my cameras, my flight sim yoke and pedals, all work without a glitch...Not super expensive either, but If the Belkin had been on sale I would have gone for it.

Phillie86 said:

I recently purchased a Belkin Superspeed USB 3.0 4-Port Hub and it's not USB 3.0 compatible with the brand new 27" iMac

Image

Product page: http://www.belkin.com/us/F4U058-Belkin/p/P-F4U058

Click to expand...

And that product page says, "This item is coming soon". How did you get one??

sparklight said:

And that product page says, "This item is coming soon". How did you get one??

Click to expand...

I saw the Belkin 4-port USB 3.0 Hub in the Apple store last week in Las Vegas. It had new packaging. Would be strange if this did not work with the iMac.

Belkin seemed to have a lot of newly packaged products in the Apple Store racks.

oxfordguy said:

hi - i need a usb 3.0 hub for my 2012 mba, and am unsure which one to get, as it sounds like some are partially incompatible with macs! I'm running os x 10.8.1 mountain lion, if it makes any difference. A 4-port hub would probably be fine, so i've been considering:

trendnet tu3 h4

or
d-link usb 3.0 4 port hub

there's also these ones:

uspeed usb 3.0 4 port hub

and

startech.com 4 port black superspeed usb 3.0 hub


which would be best? I'm currently thinking the d-link might be the one to go for, but would value input from anyone who's had experience of any of these! Thanks

Click to expand...

u2713hm

IGregory said:

I am having problems getting all 7 ports to recognize my MacBook Pro Retina Middle 2012. Only three ports, 5, 6, and 7 will communicate with my Mac. AnkerDirect Customer Support advises they have a firmware update that will fix OS X 10.8.2 but OS X 10.8.3 negates the fix. AnkerDirect says they have not fixed the bug as of this date.

Click to expand...

strange. I have the uspeed also and I didnt have problems with ports working either before or after firmware update on my imac. all ports work fine. I wonder if its specific to retinas. I wonder if the plugable
brand is very different. the hubs look identical except the name.

Acorn said:

strange. I have the uspeed also and I didnt have problems with ports working either before or after firmware update on my imac. all ports work fine. I wonder if its specific to retinas. I wonder if the plugable
brand is very different. the hubs look identical except the name.

Click to expand...

I wondered the same thing as most, like yourself, are not having a problem. I returned it and decided to go with the Belkin 4 port 3.0 Hub since the Apple Store is selling that one. I figured, I should not have a software conflict at least.

bumping this as i anticipate the release of that satechi 3.0 usb hub!
i Wonder when it will get released i cant find any more news on it. Seems like there is nothing but problems from usb hubs, hopefully this one is a gem

I'm using Anker Uspeed USB 3.0. Small, compact, good performance... just look at the reviews on Amazon you will see.

and you havent had any problems with that?