MFi Certified USB Hub?

[fairlane32]

Does such a thing exist? Do I even need the usb hub to be MFi Certified if I want to use one for an iMac? (I need more than the given 4 ports)If it's recommended to get a certified one, who and where do you find one? Amazon turns up only lightning cables --- If I don't need an MFi Cert usb hub, I was looking at an Anker from amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-6-Port...4&sr=8-9&keywords=apple+mfi+certified+usb+hub

But if it's not MFi certified, what makes it specific for iMac use? Why couldn't I just use a regular black, Anker 4 or 7 port USB hub?

Thanks,

Philip

 

[steve62388]

I don't recall ever seeing a MFi hub, I don't think they're part of the program.

If you don't need the additional speed of USB3 (which you would typically want when you're connecting storage devices), you might want to consider a USB2 hub, 3 can interfere with the 2.4Ghz WiFi band and Bluetooth.

For example I use my USB2 hub for a game controller, my Logitech wireless receiver, charging my mouse and phone, sometimes a keyboard and on rare occasions a USB key when speed isn't an issue.

 

[cynics]

Does such a thing exist? Do I even need the usb hub to be MFi Certified if I want to use one for an iMac? (I need more than the given 4 ports)If it's recommended to get a certified one, who and where do you find one? Amazon turns up only lightning cables --- If I don't need an MFi Cert usb hub, I was looking at an Anker from amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-6-Port...4&sr=8-9&keywords=apple+mfi+certified+usb+hub

But if it's not MFi certified, what makes it specific for iMac use? Why couldn't I just use a regular black, Anker 4 or 7 port USB hub?

Thanks,

Philip

MFi = Made For iPhone/iPad/iPod. It's specific to their mobile products for their standards (name lightning cables but includes other Apple specific things too). They have no claim over USB, although they are doing an impressive job with USB-C dongles.

Also, and I could be wrong but that looks like a USB charger no a hub for data.

 

[fairlane32]

MFi = Made For iPhone/iPad/iPod. It's specific to their mobile products for their standards (name lightning cables but includes other Apple specific things too). They have no claim over USB, although they are doing an impressive job with USB-C dongles.

Also, and I could be wrong but that looks like a USB charger no a hub for data.

Well yes, it's a charger but I called it a hub because it can take up to 6 usb devices at a time. I understand the difference that not all hubs charge, sorry for that. My primary concern was, Apple is notorious for alerting you on your iphone if you plug it into a non MFi cable and a notification pops up when you do; But I guess I didn't realize that I'd be plugging the lightning cable into the phone and then into the Anker. (Duh) The iMac's only have 4 USB ports in the back, and I'll need more than that for my keyboard, wired microsoft mouse (for Bootcamp gaming), Superdrive, and headset, and iPhone (to charge). I thought at first that maybe I made a mistake by not getting their wireless keyboard but a friend of mine convinced me that the wired is the way to go - it's a PITA always switching out batteries. So hence, the Anker...

I'm not sure of what Steve means regarding the USB 3 spec interfering with the 2.4Ghz wireless band? How does it interfere? Aren't the enclosures shielded? For full disclosure, I don't use the iMac's built in wifi. It's on the wired LAN.

Thanks for your replies

P

 

[cynics]

Well yes, it's a charger but I called it a hub because it can take up to 6 usb devices at a time. I understand the difference that not all hubs charge, sorry for that. My primary concern was, Apple is notorious for alerting you on your iphone if you plug it into a non MFi cable and a notification pops up when you do; But I guess I didn't realize that I'd be plugging the lightning cable into the phone and then into the Anker. (Duh) The iMac's only have 4 USB ports in the back, and I'll need more than that for my keyboard, wired microsoft mouse (for Bootcamp gaming), Superdrive, and headset, and iPhone (to charge). I thought at first that maybe I made a mistake by not getting their wireless keyboard but a friend of mine convinced me that the wired is the way to go - it's a PITA always switching out batteries. So hence, the Anker...

I'm not sure of what Steve means regarding the USB 3 spec interfering with the 2.4Ghz wireless band? How does it interfere? Aren't the enclosures shielded? For full disclosure, I don't use the iMac's built in wifi. It's on the wired LAN.

Thanks for your replies

P

I havent researched what he's talking about. I havent personally noticed any degraded performance but I'm also not looking for it. I'm typically on the 5ghz band and my bluetooth things seem to work ok.

I have a Amazon basic hub with a command strip holding it onto my iMacs stand.



Its works "ok". I generally just charge from it and use a USB thumb drive for it. It has its own AC adaptor however I don't use it. It hasn't seemed to be needed yet.

 

[steve62388]

I'm not sure of what Steve means regarding the USB 3 spec interfering with the 2.4Ghz wireless band? How does it interfere? Aren't the enclosures shielded? For full disclosure, I don't use the iMac's built in wifi. It's on the wired LAN.

See Intel's white paper on interference here:- http://www.intel.com/content/dam/ww...-papers/usb3-frequency-interference-paper.pdf

You're onto the right idea when talking about shielding. To prevent the possibility of interference the port, cable, hub and device all should be shielded correctly. The problem is these days everybody is in a race to the bottom on price. With all these cheaply made imports from China the end user is left in the dark not knowing if the manufacturer has taken short cuts with sub-standard shielding, and some of them do.

That's why I say that if you're not using your hub for any high speed devices just buy USB2 and eliminate the possibility altogether.

 

[bartvk]

There's no certified hub, but the closest you can come, is by getting the one that Apple sells themselves:
http://www.apple.com/shop/mac/mac-accessories/networking?page=1&f=hub&fh=3703+45fd

And yes, it's only four ports. I had the same problem as you did, and I figured, "man, that Belkin thing is expensive, might as well get something bigger". But I regretted it, because in El Capitan (and in Sierra I think as well), Apple has been rewriting the USB drivers. I have tried 7-port USB hubs from multiple brands and they all had trouble with more than four devices on one hub. For instance, my time machine drive would randomly disconnect. The Hackintosh community also had some problems with this. So if you want to play safe, simply get two of the hubs that Apple sells. I wish I had.

That said, the problems do seem to be over. Since Sierra 10.12.2, I've had good luck with this one:
TP-Link UH700 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OTK16FK/?tag=usbctoday-20

And this one, which is 10 port. I know the brand name doesn't sound like much, but from what I've read, Orico is a manufacturer that makes hubs for other companies to rebrand. And lately, they sell it themselves. I've got it and it works great on both my 2013 MBA, as well as my 2016 MBP:
ORICO SuperSpeed 10 Port USB3.0 Hub P10-U3 https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-SuperSpeed-Adapter-Chipset-Windows/dp/B01835M74K

 

[steve62388]

And yes, it's only four ports. I had the same problem as you did, and I figured, "man, that Belkin thing is expensive, might as well get something bigger". But I regretted it, because in El Capitan (and in Sierra I think as well), Apple has been rewriting the USB drivers. I have tried 7-port USB hubs from multiple brands and they all had trouble with more than four devices on one hub. For instance, my time machine drive would randomly disconnect. The Hackintosh community also had some problems with this. So if you want to play safe, simply get two of the hubs that Apple sells. I wish I had.

Were you using a power supply?

 

[bartvk]

Were you using a power supply?

Yep, in all instances. I figured anything more than a keyboard and a mouse, and you'll quickly go through the 900 mA that USB 3 provides.