USB Hub vs USB ports on an iMac

I have a limited number of USB ports on my iMac. I've been using a USB hub however some peripherals are not supposed to be plugged into a hub. How do I get around that problem?

Your 27" iMac has 4 USB ports. Let's say you have a 3-5 port USB hub plugged into one of them. This would give you a total of 6-8 USB ports (3 of them non-hub)…how many USB ports do you need?

- Nick

Nick has provided a solution, but I would also add and consider using a powered hub and preferably one that distributes any needed power requirements properly and as needed.

And unless the manufacturer of the USB device says NOT to use a hub with a Mac, and even though they often say not to use a hub, that is usually due to the fact that the Windows OS often does not like or work well with hubs. Macs have most USB compatibility built-in since OS 9!!!

So, if you have a USB hub and need a port for your USB device, I'd just plug it in and it will probably work just fine.

pm-r said:

...I would also add and consider using a powered hub and preferably one that distributes any needed power requirements properly and as needed.

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My wife has a 10 port powered USB hub that she uses for all her electronic devices. On a 27" iMac this would mean 13 USB ports (3 of them with no hub).

Surely this would be a solution.

- Nick

I'd say that should cover her needs Nick and makes my small Belkin 4 port powered USB hub seem tiny. And I keep a short USB extension cable plugged directly into my 27" iMac just for convenience.

And hey, your wife has excellent taste regarding her iMac. Very nice!!

I use and prefer a wired extended Apple keyboard and I still have a USB port spare at the back of my iMac.

Great. That answers my question. I'll just plug the "no hub" peripherals into my hub. I thought the hub issue might also be why I get a message "Your iPad is not charging" when I plug it into the hub to synch it to the computer.

That message is just letting you know that your iPad isn't charging when connected to your hub. It will still sync, and if you want it to sync and charge, use a powered USB hub or your Mac's USB port.

May I just add a comment to that last posting about "iPad not charging".

Even if the iPad or iPhone syncs okay, the one situation where a mishap could occur is if you connect your device in order to get a software update. In that circumstance, I strongly suggest the device should be connected directly to the Mac.

I learnt this lesson the hard way, found I had to wipe the (iPhone in my case) and restore. Apple's "official" advice is to connect directly, at least for software updates.

Ian

hudriver said:

I have a limited number of USB ports on my iMac. I've been using a USB hub however some peripherals are not supposed to be plugged into a hub. How do I get around that problem?

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Well, as already stated - a powered USB hub will provide the extra wattage needed to run some of your peripherals (assuming those are not also powered) - keep in mind that Apple USB 3 ports provide only about 5 Watts of power (see quote below from HERE) - this amount of power would be enough to charge an iPad Mini or iPhone but NOT a regular iPad, so a non-powered hub will give you the 'non-charging' message for that reason.

Now, even w/ a powered USB hub (and these vary tremendously in their specs, quality, and pricing), some peripherals may not work properly, so for critical tasks such as backups/clones and iDevice updates, I like to directly plug into a Mac USB port - have one dedicated w/ an extension cable that runs to the front of our iMac, so an easy task to plug in a peripheral. Dave

Apple computers with USB 3 ports provide:

Up to 900 mA (milliamps) at 5 V (Volts) to most Apple USB peripherals and all USB peripherals not made by Apple in compliance with USB specifications.

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Now, even w/ a powered USB hub (and these vary tremendously in their specs, quality, and pricing), some peripherals may not work properly, so for critical tasks such as backups/clones and iDevice updates, I like to directly plug into a Mac USB port - have one dedicated w/ an extension cable that runs to the front of our iMac, so an easy task to plug in a peripheral.

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Maybe you've had better luck than me when it comes to using a USB 3 extension cable or a non powered hub. I've used a USB 3 extension cable and the results are unpredictable. My USB 3 non powered hub likewise is spotty but works great for USB 2 devices. As a matter of fact, when I used the USB 3 non powered hub with my USB 3 Toshiba drive, it dismounted the drive several times with the last time sending it to la la land forever.

chscag said:

Maybe you've had better luck than me when it comes to using a USB 3 extension cable or a non powered hub. I've used a USB 3 extension cable and the results are unpredictable. My USB 3 non powered hub likewise is spotty but works great for USB 2 devices. As a matter of fact, when I used the USB 3 non powered hub with my USB 3 Toshiba drive, it dismounted the drive several times with the last time sending it to la la land forever.

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Hi Chscag - I don't know how many USB 3 powered hubs that I've gone through but they are bothersome! I tried my CCC cloner HDs & my Apple SuperDrive w/o much success (and don't want to screw up a CCC session!). Bought a 3' male-female USB 3 extension cord which has worked fine for me for those purposes. BUT, I've used these USB hubs for years and have often been disappointed - not sure the number that have ended up in the garbage (felt bad to even consider a Goodwill donation - ) - Dave