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so i am running out of usb ports again...

M

Mday

Lifer
I have an internal usb2.0 hub that is mounted in a 3.5" adapter in a 5.25" bay. I also have an internal mounted in a 3.5" bay usb flash card reader. Both are being connected to my system via cables I routed to the back of my computer. Well, they get in the way, and add external clutter where there need not be. The case I have also has 2 usb ports which connect to the only usb header on my motherboard.

One solution would be to go with shorter cables. I have 6' cables now (regular A-B male), and thought, why wouldnt 3' or 18" cables work (probably from www.pccables.com). Then I few months ago, I ran into this from reading this forum most likely, or perhaps the arstechnica one. But $10 is a little steep. I can make this cable myself since I do have crimpers, but what to do with the 5th pin (which is actually connected to the shielding). But I digress. Now that I have nothing to do, I decided to go through with the venture. I googled, and was able to find this at less than half the price.

So the project is now this:
I will make the 3.5" usb2.0 hub completely internal. Using a different adapter, I will connect the usb hub into the usb headers on the motherboard. From there I will connect the case-built-in ports to the hub using the linked adapters. The internal hub is powered with a floppy connector, so there is no problem. I also have an external mini usb hub I can use, but the cable for that is the same type used for cameras, so I'd need another adapter, as well as a power adapter.

End result:
2 free external usb ports on the back of my computer
1 free internal usb port inside the computer (female A)
less cable clutter on the outside
a few dollars less in my account
perhaps a freed 5.25" bay
 
This is why I prefer motherboards that have/support up to 8 USB ports right off the bat... That way, chances are, you won't need to go through all that JUST to have enough USB ports. Also, the mobo's I'm using have 4 USB ports directly on it, come with another USB PCI slot item and then support the front items found on most cases. Use the front pair for items you only connect rarely, and then the 6 ports in the back of the case for everything else. Makes for no mod needed to make the front ports usable. You also don't need to install a USB card to get enough ports. I've yet to find anyone that can use more than 8 USB2 ports at the same time. Most that come close, have multiple devices that go to the front ports that are only connected when needed. Even then, it's rarely more than one at a time (almost never more than two).
 
I'm running with the MSI K8N Neo Platinum... I've also used the K8T NEO FIS2R board that has up to 8 USB ports too. I also like how the K8N Neo Platinum has one FireWire port on the back (where the second serial port usually goes) and has headers for up to two more FireWire connections on the board. Both boards are solid performers too. I HIGHLY recommend either for someone looking to jump into the 64-bit ocean (as opposed to the 32-bit pond).
 
my board is like 2 years old... and has an option of 6 total, 4 on board, 2 more via the header.

and having a total of 8 doesnt help me. I still need internal headers\ports to remove some of the cable clutter.
 
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