Need PCI USB expansion card

[Polishwonder74]

Howdy, guys.

This is gonna sound funny at first, but go with me on this one: I ran out of USB plugs on my motherboard. The case I'm using actually has more USB plugs than the motherboard has jumper-looking-thingies.

I thought for sure I could solve the problem by putting in a USB PCI card, thinking that if they've got external USB sockets, they probably have a few internal ones like the motherboard has. But it seems that they actually put fill size external sockets inside.

Example at Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815104216

Does anyone know of a USB PCI card (preferably of good quality so I don't have to get another one in a year) that has USB hook-ups like you find on a motherboard internally?

Also, maybe there is a converter harness that converts the internal to external so that I could use one of these run-o-the-mill USB PCI cards.

Anyone know of anything that could help me out?

Thanks fellas!

:beer:

 

[Zepper]

In most cases you'll have to go to a site that has good pix of the cards (like the Egg) so you can see for yourself as the descriptions are almost never all-inclusive. See this one here. It has a mounting for a 10-pin header for that type of connection, but it's not populated. Radio Shack sometimes carries dual-row headers that you can break off to the proper length for your purposes and you can just solder it in... And here is one that has the header - you can find more, just go down the list and look at the pix. Looks like many have places for header pins but just don't install them to save a few cents...

Oh and the Koutech card that you linked (which I wouldn't consider a "reputable brand that I can rely on") does have one row of the header pins. But it is hard to see them as they are right near the back of the USB socket.

.bh.

 

[nweaver]

USB Hub ftw

 

[mchammer]

http://www.frontx.com/store/order_a.html

 

[mchammer]

Also make sure to get a card with a NEC chipset. Look on the biggest chip on the card and make sure it says NEC on it.

 

[Polishwonder74]

Thanks for your suggestions, fellas!

 

[Polishwonder74]

It's not looking so good for me. So far this is the only one I've seen with the USB headers already soldered in.

SIIG USB 2.0 5-Port PCI Card Model JU-P50212-S5 - Retail

Bummer.

 

[corkyg]

You will be better served by an external powered hub - 7 or 4 port. Why put additional stress on your system power supply? If you are determined to go the PCI route, then I would suggest a combo card that also gives you a couple of good 6-pin Firewire ports. For external drives, they are better than USB.