2016 MacBook Pro USB C ports - check for faults

[croco_dile]

USB C connectors are reversible meaning they can be plugged into the port in any orientation, but I have just discovered that on my 2016 13" NTB, the second USB C port would only detect devices connected via a USB C hub when the hub is plugged in in one orientation, and not the other. The first USB C port works fine with the same USB C hub in both orientations, which suggests to me that the hub is fine and the USB C port is probably faulty.

I have tried SMC reset and PRAM reset, to no avail.

So make sure you test your USB C ports thoroughly - check that all of them can receive power and can detect your devices, in both orientations.

 

[DeltaMac]

Did you try more than one USB-C cable. or more than one device?

 

[croco_dile]

Its a Hootoo USB C hub I am using, which came with its own cable.

I have tried SD card, USB A drives, they would only get detected under one orientation, in the second USB C port.

The same hub and devices work fine (in both orientations) in the other USB C port.

 

[UnluckyXIII]

I think the question was have you tried another USB-C device in the port to confirm that it is not working correctly

 

[croco_dile]

I see... no, I only have the one USB C hub. But its a valid question, though I think given the same USB hub is working fine with the other USB C port, it confirms the hub is fine.

 

[Armendegga]

Test the original USB c Charging cable in that port in both directions.

 

[croco_dile]

Yes, have done that and charging is working in both ports and in both orientations, but that just proves that charging is operational, which is most likely using different to detecting and mounting devices.

 

[DeltaMac]

So, two different cables.
One works in both ports, either orientation, and the other cable, when attached to your hub, does not.
From what I have read, the USB-C port appears to be quite sensitive to cable type and condition, possibly due to the "multi-talented" characteristics of the bus used in the MBPro.
So, could be a software issue, or you should really try a different cable on your USB hub.
Although it is a nice idea to think so, not all cables are manufactured to the same standards, I think.

 

[croco_dile]

 

[DeltaMac]

Cool chart!

Where is the "USB hub connected via another cable" section?

 

[croco_dile]

Not sure what you meant, but the USB hub is connected directly to the mac.

 

[yillbs]

Might sound like a silly question, but some of your answering was confusing. Are you charging through the hub, while all of those other ports are being used? Based on the available bandwidth, i'd bet you're only getting about 2 / 3 watts of power that way. Download battery monitor 2 or something and see if you can see what your input is wattage wise ( just ... for the curious folks )

 

[DeltaMac]

Not sure what you meant, but the USB hub is connected directly to the mac.
...

Ah, I see what you mean.
I was not aware that the cable is permanently attached to the hub.
My "meaning" was to try a different cable between computer and hub. Well, you can't do that.
For that purpose, a poor design choice from hootoo.

Think it through, and decide where you think the problem might be possible.
The Apple-provided power cable works fully in both ports, both orientations.
The hub, apparently, does not.
Try a different device with a USB-C connector, both ports, both orientations.
(Another choice is to try a Thunderbolt 3 device, if you have access to one.)

And, you can also call Apple Care, describe what you have, what works, and what does not, and see what they can tell you.
Or, another thought - take your hootoo hub to an Apple Store, try it with a store MBPro. You should find out pretty quickly if the hub is faulty, or that it works on all ports on a display MBPro.

 

[zhenya]

It's certainly possible that your Mac has an issue, but it is much more likely that the off-brand hub has an issue. I'd want to see this issue repeated with a couple of different devices, preferably at least one of them made by Apple or another reputable manufacturer.

 

[croco_dile]

but some of your answering was confusing. Are you charging through the hub, while all of those other ports are being used?

I hope the table itself is self explainatory.

Whether I charge through the hub or not, the behaviour is the same. Again, refer to my table.
[doublepost=1479272572][/doublepost]

Or, another thought - take your hootoo hub to an Apple Store, try it with a store MBPro. You should find out pretty quickly if the hub is faulty, or that it works on all ports on a display MBPro.

This is a brilliant idea.

I do have a 13" TB on order, its on its way and hopefully will arrive this Friday, so I can test it on that machine.
[doublepost=1479272733][/doublepost]

It's certainly possible that your Mac has an issue, but it is much more likely that the off-brand hub has an issue.

Possible, but it doesn't explain what the same hub works perfectly in the other USB C port.

I hope the amount of stuff they have built into USB C did not make it prone to failures.

 

[DeltaMac]

...
... it doesn't explain what the same hub works perfectly in the other USB C port.

I hope the amount of stuff they have built into USB C did not make it prone to failures.

My thought is that you don't really know if the hootoo hub is fully compatible with the tech that is included in the ports on the MBPro.
The connection is fully functional in one port, but is slightly outside of specs for the second port, so you can't "flip" the connector.
And, sure, could be the second port on your MBPro. That's why you need to test that with a different device.

 

[croco_dile]

Ok this is really weird.

Got my 13" TB today, and guess what, the Hootoo USB hub would not work with any of the 4 USB C port! But the hub is definitely working on the 13" NTB, except for the issue described above.

I refuse to think my brand spanking new TB MBP has 4 faulty USB ports. Power charger is working via all 4 ports. What's going on?!

Does anyone else here use the Hootoo Shuttle USB C Hub?

 

[DeltaMac]

Or, you may have confirmed that your HooToo hub is faulty.

The Apple-supplied connection is 100% working.
Your choice for a third-party device: 25% working.
I'm thinking that you need to test a different device now.

 

[benz240]

The hub sounds like a piece of Chinese ****. I would return it and get something else.

 

[Mike84]

I bought the same hub and it doesn't work.

 

[anson42]

Try searching the forums to see if this could be another one of those Texas Instruments chipset compatibility issues.

 

[croco_dile]

I always knew USB C is probably too complex for its own good, hence why I purchased the Hootoo which got good and consistent reviews. What concerns me more than just a faulty HUB is the inconsistent behaviour - I still can't make logic sense why the hub would work in one port but not the other, or one machine and not the other - something I never experienced with USB A devices over the last decade.

 

[happyslayer]

I had a cheap USB-C to 3-port hub on my first 2015 MacBook that had a similar problem. It did turn out to be a bad device, not the port. Annoying, I know, but you might want to try another device from Amazon or wherever you bought it.

 

[cmaier]

Seems like the hub ain't designed right.

 

[Mike84]

Contacted hootoo support and was told that it was more than likely a faulty device. So, I reached out to amazon and another one will be delivered tomorrow. Hopefully, it works this time.