USB Hub works then doesn't

This is a strange one. I was helping a friend with her Mac. She doesn't know as much about Macs as I do, so she asked me to help her upload some photos from her camera because she said it doesn't always seem to work. She has a USB hub. I think it's Logitec but I can't remember for certain if it was that brand. It has 7 ports. She has her mouse and keyboard in it, as well as the printer. But when we put the camera to it, nothing worked. It's like the port cancelled out. We had to plug the camera into the back of the Mac directly. Even unplugging the printer doesn't help.

My friend asked me why this was, and I couldn't answer. I am assuming that the camera consumes too much power to go through the hub, but I wasn't entirely sure. Can anyone tell me why this is? And what's the point of having a hub that has 7 ports if it's not powerful enough to cope with them all.

Thanks.

I'd always recommend a card reader for getting photos off a memory card.

It may not solve your friend's problem with her USB hub, but downloading from a camera directly use up a lot of camera battery power.

I don't know the "official" answer to your question, but I have found countless times that some cameras need to be powered directly from the Mac.

Another recognised example is the iPhone if you are downloading a software update - indeed Apple officially advise a direct connection to the USB port in these circumstances.

Even mains-powered USB Hubs often fail to deliver and your friend's one has 7 ports.

Message: USB Hubs fine for most printers, keyboards, Mouses, that sort of thing; but connect directly to the Mac for the "heavy duty" stuff.

Ian

I have a 7 port Macally powered USB hub I use with my MBP. Of those seven ports only 2 (more widely spaced than the others) provide sufficient power to charge, sync, or transfer pictures from my iPhone. Even when using those ports if I plug in a couple of thumb drives and an XBox 360 controller it no longer provides sufficient power for the phone. The Logitech hub you mentioned, if it did not come with an ac adapter, probably has a port for one. But since connecting the hub to its own power supply may or may not fix the issue your best bet is to connect the phone directly to the Mac as advised above.