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Suggestions for getting USB ports to front panel?

kranky

kranky

Elite Member
My old Asus P2B-F mobo has just two USB ports (on the back of the case), and my full-tower case has available bays. I was looking at either frontx.com or this $35 item from Koutech Systems as possible ways to get more USB ports available at the front of the PC. But it looks like either way I have to get a cable from the front panel device to one of the existing USB ports. That would mean a cable coming out of the case into one of the USB ports - not a really clean way to do it. The whole frontx concept is kind of neat but is too expensive to use to add 4 USB ports.

I guess I could add a USB card which provides an internal USB port, which would eliminate the need to run the cable out of the case, but that seems kind of a waste. Any other ideas?
 
I'm not familiar with your motherboard. Does it not have front USB connectors on it?

There are plenty of add ons designed to use the internal four-pin USB headers that most boards have.
 
gotta love the P2B 😀
I have a p2b abd a p2b-L, best boards ever!

you could do the frontx method, it'd be better to get a USB pci card, heck might as well get USB2.0. get one that has an intenal USB connector, keeps everything nice and neat.
 
sechs, the P2B-F has no front USB connectors, nor does it have one of those 4-pin internal USB headers (which would make things much easier). The two USB connectors are mounted directly on the mobo, and the way it works is that that edge of the mobo mounts directly against the outside of the case - no cables between the mobo and the connectors.

mcveigh, the internal USB PCI card would solve the cable-outside-the-case problem. I was hoping not to spend $65 ($30 for an USB PCI card + $35 for the Koutech device to bring 4 USB ports to the front panel). But maybe that's the best option. I'm really glad I got the P2B-F - it's got 5 PCI slots, and with a full-tower case and my new 1.2Ghz Celeron I'm going to be able to use that for a long time to come.
 
microsoft has a keyboard with usb ports in the back might be a easier solution and you get a nice ergonomic keyboard to boot.
the keyboard has two plugs one ps2 and one usb that plugs to your back usb port.

good luck
 
The keyboard is an interesting idea, but I'd only get one more USB port out of it so that's probably not a good solution for me. I'd like to get 4 USB ports to the front.
 
Is there any reason why you dont want a USB hub? I have the D-Link 7-port hub thats a little expensive, but 4-ports are reasonable. I'd look for USB 2.0 compatible hubs though if your motherboard supports it. A hub isnt as nicely integrated into the case as you apparently want, but you can move it out of the way like your UPS/surge protector.

The frontx is interesting, but will probably get expensive with a specific configuration. Also, the audio/game cables need to go from the rear of the case, back into the case, and then connected to the frontx...messy.
 
A hub is always an option, but I have too much separate crap laying around the PC already.

That Soyo device that XBoxLPU linked looks pretty appealing! The info on Soyo's site is crap, I'm going to look for some more detailed information on it.
 
Hey question about the FrontX that maybe someone here could answer. I would really love to have one of those things for the front headphone jacks. They say that you can have the speakers connected in the back and then when you plug in the headphones in the front it automatically cuts off the speakers...how would that be wired? Right now I have my headphones plugged into the speaker-out on the sound card (Santa Cruz)...just doesn't seem possible with that configuration. Has anyone been able to do this?
 
Well i did a little search and this is the coolest one I could find, by far Abit Model. Even has card reader capabilities, but requires an AT7/IT7 mobo unfortunately...although I have to say I am tempted to make my next mobo purchase an Abit just to get this thing!
 
Try the items on this page: newegg

I think the second and fourth items are the most interesting. Combine w/ a cheap USB card w/ an internal USB port to keep things clean, and you should be all set. Item #4 4 external+1 internal @ $18 looks pretty good.
 
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