Linksys USBHUB4C ProConnect Compact USB 4-Port Hub Reviews

• Cheap. But there is a CATCH!

  
  By A13WNGIMC3PSXM on 2002-10-19
  I would recommend that if you are considering this product, you spend the extra [$] and get powered Linksys USB 4-Port Hub (ASIN: B00004Z6PI) instead.

  What does not appear on Amazon's description, but appears on the back of the packaging is a warning from Linksys that this product may not work with USB devices that draw power through the connection, unless you buy an optional AC adapter add-on ...

  You see, the USB socket provides both connectivity to other devices, and a low current power supply to those devices that need it -- like, for example, a mouse or a keyboard.

  If you are attaching only devices that also plug into the wall -- such as a printer or scanner -- this may be a great, cheap solution for you. But if you need to be able to add on other devices without worrying about whether they can draw power through this un-powered hub, you'd better step up and buy a powered hub.

  I hope this helps you avoid the mistake I made.
  
  

• The hub works, but...

  
  By A22S7D0LP8GRDH on 2003-09-10
  Like some reviews say, "You just plug it in and it works." Well that's a good start; that's what USB is supposed to do. But before you spent the money to buy this hub, consider the downsides.

  1. Unfortunately the USB cord is about five or six inches long. On my computer and many others that means that the hub is just hanging precariously of the back of the tower.
  2. Second, the hub is not compact. Its rectangular clunky design may take up a lot of very valuable area (especially since it may be hanging off the back of your desktop).
  3. Thirdly, and probably most frustrating for me: no power cord included! I've purchased Belkin hubs in the past. They are all powered so that they work with powered devices. Unforturnately, Linksys says that you may purchase one of these separately. But when I call Linksys technical support they say, "Oh we're sorry, we don't support that product anymore," and everywhere I've read says that the cord is no longer available for purchase. Maybe I'll have to do ebay.

  BUT this may be the hub for if:
  1. You don't mind the short cord (ie if you're using it for a laptop or if your tower setup is condusive to a hub with very short wires)
  2. You don't mind the awkward shape.
  3. You don't use any USB powered devices.

  The hub is definately inexpensive and it works well. Unfortunately, for me, the drawbacks made this an bad purchase.
  
  

• Desktop Users, Beware!

  
  By A2OBY6CQ8LJ4WA on 2002-05-20
  As a desktop user with limited space, enchanted with the simplicity of USB's plug-and-play capability, and thoroughly sick of getting on my knees to unplug a device from one of my two USB ports several times a week, I thought this hub would be ideal. After all, this has the same number of ports as other, larger hubs, but takes up a lot less space.

  There's just one problem: the cord on the hub also takes up a lot space-that is, it's incredibly short, barely six inches. If I were to hook this up in the back of my computer, I'd have more ports all right, but I'd STILL have to get on my hands and knees to reach those. And that, for me, defeats the purpose of buying this particular hub. I'd rather get a larger one and sacrifice the desk space.

  Now, if you're a laptop user or you just want more hubs, regardless of whether or not you have to get on your knees to get to them, this may be worth it. But if you're in it for the convenience of staying seated at your computer desk, I'd advise looking elsewhere.
  
  

• Fat and Clunky for "Compact", No USB Extension Included.

  
  By AV5KOCV62PJ9I on 2003-04-14
  This has to be the fattest "compact" USB adapter I have ever seen. I've had USB hubs that were a 1/4 of the USBHUB4C's size, and got the job done well. AND, those other hubs were FREE after mail-in rebate....

  It would have been nice if Linksys included an USB "A" extension cable with the USBHUB4C, since the cable itself is only about 5" long. It doesn't really benefit desktop users to have a short, stubby USB hub hanging off the back of the computer. If you have an extension cable, use it.

  For some reason, the DC power adapter, USBHUB4CP, that you supposedly can purchase separately to turn this USBHUB4C into a powered USB hub, doesn't exist anymore on the web.... So don't count on this hub for any USB device that draws power from the computer itself, unless you can figure out the DC rating for this hub.
  
  

• Reduce the clutter behind your desktop computer.

  
  By A8TZ88OM8YOLW on 2002-11-19
  I recently replaced my powered 4 port hub with this compact unit from Linksys. I was amazed by how much this simple change reduced the clutter behind my desktop computer.

  My previous 4 port unit had its own power supply (a brick-shaped AC adapter). But the messiness caused by the hub was exacerbated by 1) the lengthy cable which ran to it, and by 2) the need to route all of the other cables (much further) to reach it.

  With the Linksys hub, everthing is much more tidy. All of the cables flow neatly out from behind my CPU (as nature had originally intended), and the clutter behind my computer has been greatly reduced.

  Since all of my USB devices have their own power supplies, (scanner, printers and Palm cradle), the unpowered feature of this Linksys hub was not a problem.

  I had originally purchased this item assuming that I would use it on-the-road with my laptop PC. You could imagine my surprise when I ended up using it with my deskptop computer -- to make my house look more attractive! I highly recommend it.
  
  

• Excellent item - A must for laptop users
  By A1522TN5FVJL0Y on 2002-07-30
  The Linksys hub is small and stylish. It self installs itself on Win XP and is hot swappable as well as everything that is plugged into it. It is compatible with USB 1.0/1.1 devices (not 2.0) Another option available is a AC power adapter for it that will allow the hub to power the devices rather than the battery from your laptop (although the adapter does not appear to be sold on Amazon). I have a HP laptop with two USB ports and I have 4 USB devices to hook to it. I was constantly pulling off my scanner or digital camera cable to use my webcam or printer. The hub allows me to have all 4 connected all the time. Everything works great. Highly reccomend at the current low price point.
  
  
• underwhelmed...
  By on 2003-11-22
  It has a really short cord - but more annoying is the fact that the on-line description said it was USB 2.0, but upon delivery the package and booklet say it's USB 1.0 and 1.1 - nothing about 2.0.
  
  
• USB 1.1--NOT 2.0
  By A29FCGLZTH0MJC on 2004-10-18
  For those to whom it matters, note that these will be USB 1.1 connections, not the (much faster) USB 2.0 even if you plug this device into a 2.0 compatible port.
  
  
• One's man's ceiling is another man's floor
  By A7COM37TA1860 on 2004-02-23
  The warnings may be justified, but this device delivers exactly what I wanted. The short cord is ideal for my laptop setup. The lack of separate power is an asset, since all my USB devices (mouse, keyboard, printer, camera) can draw power from the USB connection itself. That means no additional power cord to snake through to an outlet. My desk appreciates the small form-factor. And of course it delivers the primary benefit of a hub: the necessity of unplugging just a single connection to get the laptop on the road.

  I do wish Linksys would market an identical-format hub with USB 2.0 speed.
  
  

• other reviewers missed the point completely....
  By AZ9MPFIFT6GSQ on 2002-06-17
  our fellow reviewer elonita, seems to have missed the pointonita. this device more or less dangles in back of your computer out of the way, while you plug up to four devices into it. if you need to reach in back of your computer while still having 5 usb ports, there are other options. this is a very nice, compact product and saves alot of pain associated with clunky hubs.
  
  
• It's an unpowered hub
  By on 2002-11-03
  Since this hub draws power frm the computer bus, it will be sharing the 500 mhz of one USB power over the 4 ports it allows. On high-power devices such as scanners, printers, cameras, video capture, etc... this hub will not be able to support multiple devices of this kind.

  It's fine for USB input devices (mice, keyboards, joysticks, etc). Nive form factor and price.
  
  

• Fast, simple and inexpensive expansion
  By A22BWYMWTU93NU on 2002-09-13
  Simple and effective. No drivers to install, no hassle. In my case, I just plugged it into my notebook and hooked up my USB gaming devices. I didn't even need to use an AC adapter, since the hub draws its power from the system. It supports USB 1 and 1.1, but goes for abouth a fifth of the price of USB 2 hubs which, frankly I still really don't need since I'm only connecting my gamepad, mouse and Palm craddle to it.
  
  
• Do you know why there's a 78% off???
  By A2U9B8PDM2KR52 on 2003-07-18
  Only works for USB1.1 so if you have USB2.0 devices you are at a disadvantage. There's no power adapter provided along with the device and its hard to purchase it separately. I was susprised to see that Amazon, which is well know for its detailed description of products, did not inform anything about the adapter or the USB type.

  Apart from these two disadvantages this is a very good buy for the price. With most of the systems being plug-and-play compatible installation is quite easy. This will be especially useful for older computers with limited number of USB outlets and allows for easy expansion. I believe one can connect upto 127 devices in daisy chain... hmmm... what would those 127 devices be?
  
  

• Oldie but Goodie
  By A2WL4XKMUHAO28 on 2003-10-03
  This is a nice piece of equipment that will promply improve the organization in your desk with three more USB connections for your peripherals.
  Installing it couldn't be any easier, just hook it up and go.
  One draw be is that this is a 1.0 USB compliant connector. You might want to consider the new 2.0 standard for faster speeds, and more value for your buck.
  
  
• nice and compact, but you might end up needing power
  By A1C3VGPM4KON7Y on 2003-01-20
  it's the perfect size if you need the ports for USB 1.0. be warned, however, that there's a tiny power input jack in the side (you can almost see it in the photo -- the little cutout on the left in the blue), but it doesn't come with a power adapter or any information about what to use. i use an optical mouse, a keyboard, and a webcam without problem, yet i've heard many usb devices need powered USB and there's clearly a jack, so i thought i should mention it.
  
  
• Good for a laptop
  By A3AKFDY9OZ2H4Q on 2005-02-04
  For the price, this hub is a steal.
  
  I've got a Dell laptop, so I've only got 2 USB ports to work with. This device is good for expanding a little bit, but you can't go overboard: the hub isn't powered. So far, I've had no problems with a printer/scanner/copier, optical mouse, and USB memory key all plugged in at the same time.
  
  Just think about what you're jacking into it before you buy it.
  
  
• Tiny and cheap, but be sure to get the separate power supply
  By A3LG1UIKCZ9SV5 on 2002-09-07
  Tiny, inexpensive, basic USB hub. Check, however, to make sure all your USB peripherals draw very little power, otherwise you will need to buy the separate power supply as well.
  
  
• Doesn't work
  By on 2003-03-03
  I tried to use the USB hub by Linksys and when I did the screen would freeze or my track ball or
  keyboard would not work properly. They work fine when disconnected from hub. I am using with
  Windows XP Professional on a Dell laptop. I called Linksys and was on hold for 25 minutes. I hung up.
  Again I called and was on hold for 15 minutes then when they transferred me I was disconnected.
  
  
• Perfect for my laptop
  By on 2004-06-28
  Before purchasing, I read the many reviews and noted how many folks were upset that they couldn't find an external power supply(!). This should not be looked upon as a full-blown hub for connectivity of a bazillion devices. Even though it's self-powered, I've never had a problem with the lack of a power supply. I feel that it's a great little convenience item that makes laptop computing that much more bearable. The device indeed does have a very short cord. This is actually a good attribute, if used as the item was designed. It's perfect for a laptop or a USB port on the front of a tower case. Because I lug my laptop to work and home each night, I just keep the hub connected to the cable of my optical mouse. That way I can connect the mouse, a camera or memory key (or all) at any time. I also do a lot of traveling and find it's small enough to use on a plane.
  
  
• Perfect hub for *LAPTOPS* equipped with one USB port!
  By AI3V7RDV8VXYP on 2004-04-01
  My laptop came equipped with only one USB port. And, for the past couple of years, I have been swapping wires in and out of that port in order to use my external CD burner, PDA cradle, and digital camera. Concerned that I was putting my only USB port through unnecessary "wear-and-tear", I began to shop for a USB hub.

  This particular Linksys hub is perhaps the best thing I have ever purchased for my LAPTOP computer! With it, it's as though my computer has four brand new USB ports, which can operate simultaneously!

  NOTE: I absolutely wouldn't recommend the hub for a desktop or a tower-style system; if you read one of the preceding reviews (titled "The hub works, but..."), you'll understand why.

  Nevertheless, this hub successfully allows me to download digital pictures, use my CD burner, and synchronize my PDA... all at the same time, with no glitches at all!

  [I should also mention that none of my USB devices draw power from my computer's USB port. As long as you don't have any devices that require power *from* the USB port, you won't need the optional adapter that can give supplemental power to the hub. (If you do have a USB device that draws power from your computer's USB port, you will need to also purchase the optional adapter.)]

  One final thing.. this hub is designed for USB ports that are 1.0 or 1.1. Be sure to check your USB devices for compliance before purchasing this hub.

  Otherwise, you can't go wrong with this hub! It's truly amazing!
  
  

• Works for what it is..
  By A35YJNZCUI13M9 on 2002-12-17
  It's a great non-powered USB hub. BEWARE if you are going to plug 4 power draining devices into it - it only has the power (100mA?) of on USB port, so if your optical mouse and scanner and camera all pull power it's not going to work!

  Would be nice if Linksys would give us the power adapter as an option since the plug in is on the side, but they don't. :-(
  
  

• Waste of money
  By A3NXPLOU870JAS on 2006-09-29
  This is a complete waste of money for a number of reasons.
  
  1. This hub will not work with any USB powered devices. So forget being able to charge your phone or running an unpowered external disk through this hub.
  
  2. Extremely slow USB 1.1. This device is NOT USB 2.0 compliant
  
  3. It is clunky
  
  4. Does not comke with a power adapter
  
  
• Good luck finding a power supply if you need one!
  By A3E9UMPF95VYSB on 2004-05-28
  When I started having more USB devices than ports, I decided that this little hub would be just the ticket to keep everything running and happy. It did that, until I found out what many other revewers found out: this item does not come with a power supply.

  Now, in many cases, this is in no way problematic. Many external devices like printers, mice, digital cameras, etc. can use either the minimal power supplied through the hub from the PC or their own power supply to operate. If you get power-hungry devices, however, you run into problems. There are some devices that require a full-power connection from the PC, not the split-down version that this offers. In that case, this item is completely useless.

  When this happened, I noticed that it apparently supported a power supply, so I tried to find one both in stores and online. I could not find one ANYWHERE. I tried direct from Linksys and using just about every other online sales site I could think of. Apparently they decided not to make one. In addition to that, I found that between the product, the packaging, and the manual not a SINGLE ONE listed the voltage and amperage requirements of the device so that I could buy a 3rd party power supply.

  Finally I just gave up and bought a 4-port powered desktop hub. I gave this thing to my roommate.

  In short: if you have a desktop, I HIGHLY recommend spending a few extra dollars and get a powered USB hub. If you're using a laptop, this is about ideal if you're running out of space.
  
  

• Really reliable usb hub
  By A2UP6LFNO3KF30 on 2004-10-26
  This has got to be one of the best purchases I have ever made for my laptop. I have a t22 thinkpad and as anyone would know, 1 usb port in this modern world is like a horse and carriage in formula one! I got myself this hub since I had several usb device to use. These include my printer, my pocket pc, usb drives, bluetooth adapter and so on. This hub worked right out the box. It 'plugged and played' very well and I had no conflicting issues. Files transferred in a seamless manner albeit USB 1.1,there wasn't too much of a noticeable effect. Additionally, the conection cord is very short and unlike other USB hubs it is very, very convenient and confortable to take along with you. This feature also alows you to manage the cords better.
  If feels sturdy and it has a nice colour.
  Great buy.
  
  
• awful-- don't buy
  By A1ZBJ7Z9QHS1YL on 2004-06-03
  I bought this because the USB ports on my laptop are right on top of each other. I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, however they are so close together, I can't have both ports filled at the same time. No device I've plugged into it works properly.

  My wireless mouse works at about 20% its normal responsivenes. My USB key does is not recognized when I plug it in. Don't bother.
  
  

• A solution for the Power Supply Issue.
  By A3SAFIB7BKIRX3 on 2004-09-24
  I have had a wonderful experience with this product!
  
  The experience I had was, even though I could not buy online the power supply, I found that I simply needed to call up the Sales Department for Linksys (1-800-LINKSYS[546-5797] PRESS #1 when you get to the menu prompts). I explained that I needed the power supply for this item and I mentioned the Part Number - USBHUB4CP - and the cost, with free shipping, was just under $13. So, I do not see what the big deal some people are making about this problem. I, also, just wanted to let people know that there is an easy solution to this problem.
  
  
• Great little hub for the price!
  By AMQIV58H7YZR3 on 2004-11-22
  I bought this little guy so I could plug my Palm Tungsten T2 and 128 Megabyte Flash Drive on my DELL L400's single USB port. Works great! I did not have to install an external power supply for the Linksys four port hub. The cost/benefit ratio and quality is excellent. That is why I give it five stars.
  
  
• Not USB 2.0
  By A35KF7NX7OYZ9Z on 2006-05-22
  Wasted my money for this SLOW hub...
  Be aware that if you want to connect your printer, scanner, ipod etc. to this device, think again!
  
  
• compact, slow
  By A3KC7752U0EW2U on 2005-08-16
  This unit is compact, I thought it was USB 2.0, it is just 1.1 so very slow
  
  
• Review of Linksys USBHUB4C ProConnect Compact USB 4-Port Hub
  By A1NJSLH0NW0KIK on 2006-03-20
  If you're working with an older model pc or laptop that is equipped with 1.0 or 1.1 USB ports, then this is the hub for you. However, if like myself, your pc or laptop is equipped with 2.0 USB ports, then this is NOT the hub for you. I didn't realize it was not a 2.0 device when I purchased it (I assumed it was since it was offered as part of a special with a 2.0 USB cable). When I plugged the hub in to my laptop, I kept getting an error message referring to the speed of this newly installed device - only then did I realize that the hub was not a high-speed 2.0 device. I didn't bother returning it, as it was only a few dollars, but I'm a little disappointed that the product description didn't mention the speed of the device (it only refers to it as 'high-speed'). Oh well. I have since ordered a D-Link 7-port high-speed (2.0) hub (...) that I'm sure I'll be happy with.
  
  

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