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Apple Keyboard USB Ports

D

dotdotdot

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jan 23, 2005
2,391
44
OK, what is the point of having 2 USB ports on the Apple keyboards?

I purchased one and could not be happier with it except this problem just came up today.

I needed a USB port so I decided to try out the Apple keyboard's USB ports. It was a USB 1.1 device (wireless card reciever) so I plugged it in.

Internet stopped.

Windows gave me an alert that "USB Hub (Apple Keyboard) does not have enough power to power USB Linksys WUSB11"

All I have plugged into it is a USB 1.1 Mouse...

SO why would they put 2 USB 1.1 ports on the keyboard if it can only power ONE of them? Unless it is USB 1.0 - but that wouldn't even power a mouse, would it?
 
One reason

dotdotdot said:
OK, what is the point of having 2 USB ports on the Apple keyboards?
Click to expand...

One of our temps is left-handed: mouse goes in the other side of the keyboard.
 
The KB has almost no power at all to the USB ports. It can't power anything that takes more power than, say, a mouse or, apparently, a Shuffle. A wireless adapter sucks significant power. It isn't that the KB can only power one thing, it's that the total power is low.
 
dotdotdot said:
OK, what is the point of having 2 USB ports on the Apple keyboards?

I purchased one and could not be happier with it except this problem just came up today.

I needed a USB port so I decided to try out the Apple keyboard's USB ports. It was a USB 1.1 device (wireless card reciever) so I plugged it in.

Internet stopped.

Windows gave me an alert that "USB Hub (Apple Keyboard) does not have enough power to power USB Linksys WUSB11"

All I have plugged into it is a USB 1.1 Mouse...

SO why would they put 2 USB 1.1 ports on the keyboard if it can only power ONE of them? Unless it is USB 1.0 - but that wouldn't even power a mouse, would it?
Click to expand...


It can be used for self-powered devices, e.g. when downloading pictures from a digital camera, or a mouse that doesn't need much power, but can't provide enough power for devices that need to be powered, like a wireless receiver.

What bugs me about my setup (IBM T40p laptop connected to a Dell 17" LCD monitor with a 4 port USB hub) is that /all/ my USB sockets (laptop and monitor) are on the left, and I'm right handed, so my mouse lead has to run across in front of me - come on, give us righties a break!
 
plinden said:
It can be used for self-powered devices, e.g. when downloading pictures from a digital camera, or a mouse that doesn't need much power, but can't provide enough power for devices that need to be powered, like a wireless receiver.

What bugs me about my setup (IBM T40p laptop connected to a Dell 17" LCD monitor with a 4 port USB hub) is that /all/ my USB sockets (laptop and monitor) are on the left, and I'm right handed, so my mouse lead has to run across in front of me - come on, give us righties a break!
Click to expand...
You mean lefties, right?

I am left handed, but I use my right hand to use the mouse. :cool:
 
Its interesting I can plug in my Kingston 128mb key no problem but my 256mb key does not work
I got that this device need more power than is available...message
And since I am on a iMac G5 it really sucks moving the computer from the wall to plug the key in ...
 
i've noticed something weird with the kb. i have my mx510 plugged into the left port (right handed but a weirdish setup) and can plug my 128mb sandisk cruzer mini into the other one, but when i try my 256mb version of the same stick it says not enough power. what's up with that? im fine plugging it into my usb hub cause it's 2.0 but i'm still curious
 
ClarkeB said:
That may be your problem ;)
Click to expand...

lol I laughed at that...

---

So, it can power a digital camera? what about an iPod that is a 3G so it does not charge - would that work?
 
dotdotdot said:
is the apple keyboard USB 2.0, 1.1, or the slow 1.0?
Click to expand...

1.1

An iPod can in theory sync but I don't think it would charge too well and if the iPod tried to run off the USB port's power it would fail.

And its 1.1 so it would take a while for your songs to sync.
 
dotdotdot said:
So, it can power a digital camera?
Click to expand...
It depends. Most digital cameras will just use battery power when transferring images over USB, so they don't actually draw any power from the socket. Ones that draw power (the one I have does this) may cause problems.

This is the same situation as the iPod Shuffle; it runs off its battery when using the keyboard port to transfer music/data.
 
plinden said:
What bugs me about my setup (IBM T40p laptop connected to a Dell 17" LCD monitor with a 4 port USB hub) is that /all/ my USB sockets (laptop and monitor) are on the left, and I'm right handed, so my mouse lead has to run across in front of me - come on, give us righties a break!
Click to expand...

sjpetry said:
You mean lefties, right?

I am left handed, but I use my right hand to use the mouse. :cool:
Click to expand...

No, I was being ironic - in that it's apparently hard for lefties to find suitable setups for just about everything, but my setup is perfect for those who use their left hands for the mouse.

I /have/ been told that it's more productive to use the mouse with your nondominant hand, but I just can't make that switch.
 
I have an apple keyboard and the apple mouse is connected to it. However when i insert the ipod shuffle it also says that there is no power for the device and that i should connect it to the other usb ports. Can anyone help me to be able to transfer data from the shuffle to the imac and back.
 
marknicholls said:
When i plug my shuffle in the USB on the KB it will sync music, but wont charge it, will your USB on your KB charge your shuffle?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Same... At first, I thought mine was a defective unit because it wasn't charging... Then I figured it out...
 
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