The new USB 4-Port Hub from Linksys is the fastest way to connect Universal Serial Bus devices to your computer. Plug a modem or printer into your desktop. Attach a full-sized keyboard to your notebook. Hook up a scanner or digital camera in seconds. If your PC is equipped with a USB port, the 4-Port Hub makes connecting multiple USB devices to it a snap!Ready to run right out of the box, the 4-Port Hub lets you access up to four USB devices simultaneously from your computerås USB port, allowing you to take advantage of the latest high-speed, low-cost USB modems, keyboards, scanners, cameras, speakers, and more -- all in one easy step.
The USB four-port hub from Linksys is the fastest way to connect Universal Serial Bus devices to your computer. Plug a modem or printer into your desktop. Attach a full-size keyboard to your notebook. Hook up a scanner or digital camera in seconds. If your PC is equipped with a USB port, the Linksys four-port hub makes connecting multiple USB devices to it a snap.
Ready to run, right out of the box, the four-port hub lets you access up to four USB devices simultaneously from your computer's USB port, allowing you to take advantage of the latest high-speed, low-cost USB modems, keyboards, scanners, cameras, speakers, and more--all in one easy step.
The Linksys four-port hub offers blazing access rates of up to 12 million bits per second--the fastest in the industry--which makes it perfect for speed-hungry devices like USB modems and scanners.
Rugged and ready for the road, the Linksys four-port hub is conveniently portable, since it draws its power from your computer's USB port. Got a notebook PC? No problem--just plug in the provided AC power supply to help preserve your computer's battery life. And, as your needs grow, you can daisy-chain the hub to additional USB hubs--if your needs call for it, you can actually use up to 127 USB devices at the same time. Adding devices to your computer has never been easier.
1 MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT
I purchased the Linksys BEFSR41 Etherfast Cable/DSL Router, the Linksys 10/100 USB Network Adapter (Brought two at Techstore.com), and the Linksys ProConnect USB 4-Port Hub. All three devices failed miserably.
First, I install the 4-Port USB Hub. It appeared to have worked well; however, I was misled. The instruction booklet clearly stated that to preserve the power from your PC, plug in the adapter. That did not work at all. I had to remove the adapter from the hub and attach it to the USB port of my computer. This is what I found out. As long as I don't have more than one device attached to this hub, it runs well.
Secondly, I installed and reinstall the Network Adapter over seven times because for some strange reason, my computer would lose this driver. Installation for this device was a headache. On two computers, I spent four straight hours. The installation consistently crashed my computer. After reinstalling and configuring the network, the darn thing actually decided to behave. I learned that before shutting down the computer, you must remove this adapter.
Thirdly, I tried to install the router. After attaching the network cable to the modem and the router, the cable modem did not have access to the internet. Of course, I figure this would happen because I had to configure the router. Well, guess what, I could not configure the router because the cable modem no longer had internet access. I detached the cable modem and the router. At first, the cable modem could not gain internet access. After a while, it did. So I tried to work on the router one more time. What a waste of time. It did not work. I detached both devices, and from that point on, the cable modem could not connect to the internet.
I call Linksys technical support and waited for over an hour and a half before I got a hold of a representative. I explained to the representative what had happened. At first, I thought he would be helpful, but that was also a waste of time. We could not connect to the internet. I explained to him that the cable modem was not connecting. He advised me to call the cable modem's manufacturer to resolve the problem. I informed the representative about a dozen times that the cable modem was working properly before I attached it to the router. After wasting another hour, I thanked the representative and hung up the phone.
What I tried to do was remove the cable modem and reinstall it all over again. I could not do that at all. I went to the registry and removed all files associated with the modem. I used the file search feature to remove all files associated with the modem. I tried to reinstall it, and again, it failed. Now, I have to call the manufacturer and see if they can locate the problem.
All I wanted to do was create a network of three computers to gain internet access. I thought it would be wise to invest on Linksys products because their prices were cheap. I wasted over nine hours on a Saturday to achieve this task, but instead ended up frustrated, bitter, and angry. You know what they say, you get what you pay for. I will never purchase another product from Linksys again.
2 Does ok, seems reliable, but annoyingly tips
It's construction is fairly cheap and because it's size/weight, the hub tips when placed at the back edge of my desk or tower computer. Not a huge deal, but pretty much all the usb hubs are the same...though I'm going to try the Kensington that is weighted to prevent tipping, has a space-saving standing configuration, has 3 ports in the back of the hub and one in the front- a great idea!
3 This dog hunts
I read all the prior reviews here before buying this device, as one of my two USB ports had gotten burned out due to a lightning strike (don't ask). I was concerned as some people had experienced problems, but from my experience it was a snap to set up and worked right away without a problem. If you need more USB ports (or have a bizarre event like I did), this is the perfect solution, and at a price that won't kill you.
4 Best Ive had yet! Very Reliable
Although it does nothing remarkable. It does work even over the long period of time. I guess being in the age of electronics where everything has about a year lifespan that could be considered remarkable. Since it can run off your own computer for power leaves extra needed space on your surge protector. It does come with a AC adapter just in case you want to use it. Very nice. Get it
5 Makes life a lot easier
What can I say, it worked great right out of the box! Just plug it in and put it on your desktop and extra ports! No more unplugging! I had read that it looked fragile and yes it is not meant to shake, rattle and roll but it works great and does the job.
6 Thumbs Down
I purchased this item so I would't have to keep crawling on the floor to get to my USB ports on the back of my PC.
I have a printer, scanner, digital camera, all requiring USB ports.
MY PC recognised the hub when I plugged it in but when I tried to use my scanner it locked up, then my camera would't connect any more. After several reboots I was able to get one device working at a time, however it's pointless having a USB hub unless you can connect more than one thing to it!
Needless to say I have repackaged it and sent it back. I guess I just have to keep crawling around on the floor.
7 Nearly perfect.
USB is really plug-and-play, and this hub proves it. Run the USB cord out from your PC into the back of this well-made unit and a little LED confirms it is connected and Windows will set it up automatically. Then plug in up to 4 USB devices and they too will be instantly recognized by Windows. A little green LED will confirm their presence (one for each of its 4 ports). The unit ships with a power supply, which is needed when using this hub with a laptop, and probably when using it on your PC with devices that draw a lot of power (scanners, for example), though I haven't over-taxed it yet. My only complaint is that I prefer the power supply and USB "in" to be on the back, with the USB "outs" to be on the front, so the unit appears 'neater', but that's just a personal preference that does not affect functionality. Like all USB hubs, this one can be daisy-chained to more hubs as needed. Overall, it's a great deal.
8 My Wonder-Box
I don't know how I used to live prior to buying this wonderbox. It keeps my USB gadgets (PDA, camera, external CD-writer, keyboard, ...) connected to my laptop at all times. That way I only need to disconnect one USB cable from my laptop when I leave the house, and when I return reconnect that one cable and have all my gadgets connected immediately.
It is super easy to install (just connect it to the computer, connect the gadgets to it, plug into mains AC (optional, as it can feed off your computer's power)). I have had no problems with it since I bought four months ago.
Given its price and performance, I would say it is sweet deal for any techie with a host of USB gadgets.
9 Changed my life
I bought the Linksys USB 4 port because I need to plug my printer, MP3 thing, and mouse at the same time. After owning some of the Linksys PCMCIA LAN cards, I was a little apprehensive about buying another Linksys product. However, this really works! It changed my life. After 2 days, I got more friends, and even was asked out by this hot girl. Then, it got me a job at this law firm, where they were so impressed with this hot little number that they made me a partner on the spot. Buy this... This is second to none.
10 Good for Macs, too
I was a little concerned about the seemingly poor construction quality (very lightweight and it actually rattles when you gently shake it), but the Linksys hub does work, and I guess I won't be shaking it a lot anyway... Very puzzling that there's no mention anywhere of Macintosh compatibility. The description on the Amazon site is mum about it, and the packaging and the manual state the hub is compatible with various Windows systems -- no mention of Macs. Only the Linksys website states the link works with Macintoshes, too, and in my situation (G3 blue-and-white Yosemite tower), that's true. Plug and play, no hassles.
11 No problem
I had some doubts after reading some reviews here. Well, I don't see the concerns. You plug it into your USB connection, plug it into the wall, and that's it. I should say that I use XP which may be part of why it was so simple, I didn't try it on any other OS. My one complaint is that Linksys put the electrical outlet, and USB connection on the same side as the 4 ports, instead of the back, which is pretty poor design. Still, if what you need is easy desktop access to your USB ports, or maybe just a couple of extra ports this is the right choice.
12 Does not always work
It always worked great on my Thinkpad, but now I found it does not work on my new desktop with WinXP....
13 Not too bad
According to the other reviews I was going to have this product up and running in 5 minutes. It took about 15 minutes. Everything is fine now, but I did have a problem getting all of the devices to work together. I have a Canon S630, Intel camera, and a Canon scanner. With all of them plugged into this hub, the computer was getting confused and the devices would work for a small interval of time and then stop working. Ends up that the printer was too much for this device. I did have one extra USB port in the computer, so I plugged the printer into the computer and left the camera and scanner in the hub. Now everything is fine! Regardless, I would recommend this product.
14 24 Hour Tech Support Line is a farce
Purchased this device based on an Amazon customer review. I was expecting a plug & play experience. No such luck, driver problems despite the fact my hardware & software meets minimum requirements.
The real rub, cannot get through to a person on the Linksys tech 24 hour a day support phone line. Attempts fail whether day, night, week day, or the weekend. No response via online either.
15 Their is only two words to describe this USB Hub> GET IT.
Fortunately their isn't a lot to say about the Linksys USB 4 Port Hub. Why? Because it is the simplest, and best solution to the problem of hooking up all of your USB gear to your computer. It comes with a separate power supply, which is a transformer, plugging into the hub. You can use it without the transformer, but single powering multiple USB devices, running just off of the power coming from the computer can cause problems, depending on the device. So it is self powered. Or you can use it by itself without the adapter hooked up, then it runs off of your computers power.
I am using mine without the AC adapter, because it causes the Smart Card Reader to stay on, even when the computer is shut off. If I turned off my power strip every time, this would not be a factor, but I don't, so I use it without the adapter. Then when I fire up the computer, the devices are powered. Some reports state that some digital camera smart card readers are prone to not working without a second power source. Mine works fine working off of the computer power alone. So that is the simplest for me. Anyhow, you have either option with this unit, they supply the ac adapter, and the instructions state that it works either way.
It also includes a single USB cable, which hooks the hub up to your computers USB port. Then you have 4 powered USB ports on the Linksys unit to hook up all of your gear. You can even daisy link these to get up to 127 devices hooked to one machine.
Having the hub easily reachable from your desk, instead of having to go plug hunting under your desk in your pc is worth the price of this unit alone. I looked at 4 port hubs at the local office supply, and the price was more by twenty percent, then this unit even including the shipping.
Nothing to load, nothing to configure. (I use W98 second edition) Just plug it in, boot up and Windows auto recognizes it, and uses standard windows drivers. It doesn't come with a disc, because it doesn't need one.
A few reviewers mentioned that all of the little lights come on when you power up. They thought that was a waste, wishing for it to light up only when each channel was in use. The instructions state that the lights flicker based on each channels use. Not that this is even important.
It's a great little hub. No nonsense. Works they way I wish everything worked. Great and simply. Buy it. I'm glad I did.
16 Doesn't Work
This unit does not work as described. It should be plug and play, with no messing around with software, etc. I plugged everything in according to directions (a Visor PDA, an Iomega CD-RW burner, a digital camera card reader and an HP scanner). At first, only the PDA worked, eventually I got the digital camera card reader to work, and sometimes the burner would work. The scanner never did. I could not reach Linksys customer service on the phone, and their web site was down every time I tried for support. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT! I returned it to Amazon (thank you Amazon for your terrific return policy) and subsequently bought an almost identical Belkin hub, which worked great the first time I plugged it in.
17 A must for people with multiple USB devices
I've had the Linksys USB 4-port hub for about a month and I am very very happy with it. My computer only had 2 USB ports and I was getting tired of unplugging my printer to plug in my camera and so I decided to buy this USB hub.
Installation was a snap -- I plug in the power supply, attach the USB hub to my computer via. the USB cable provided, plug in my devices into it and everything is good to go. I see all my devices and I don't need to unplug anything to use anything else. No additional software needed. Get it now if you've got too may USB devices like I did.
18 All USB products should be this easy to use
USB offers the promise of true "plug and play." Of being able to plug in a cable and simply use a product, without time-consuming configuration of multiple ports. Any Wintel PC user knows that by and large this picture is a fantasy. USB products do tend to misbehave, e.g., underpowered ports, strange failures to recognize devices, power saving modes conflicts, etc.
This hub, on the other hand, is an example of the way it should be. I installed this hub in my system in about two minutes and it worked perfectly. At once. No tweaking, configuring, or any messing around. And since that date, the hub has worked flawlessly. Kudos to Linksys for manufacturing a device whose reliability is truly ideal.
19 All USB products should be this easy to use
USB offers the promise of true "plug and play." Of being able to plug in a cable and simply use a product, without time-consuming configuration of multiple ports. Any Wintel PC user knows that by and large this picture is a fantasy. USB products do tend to misbehave, e.g., underpowered ports, strange failures to recognize devices, power saving modes conflicts, etc.
This hub, on the other hand, is an example of the way it should be. I installed this hub in my system in about two minutes and it worked perfectly. At once. No tweaking, configuring, or any messing around. And since that date, the hub has worked flawlessly. Kudos to Linksys for manufacturing a device whose reliability is truly ideal.
20 Great Hub
Simple setup - Couldn't be easier - No complaints
21 Good device
I plugged it in, and it worked from the beginning. It is very easy to use, and it is so small I am considering taking it on trips with my USB printer and cdrw.
22 Easy to set up and truly Plug N Play
After struggling with a USB controller card and discovering that my system didn't have enough power to support a second one, I bought this great little USB hub with its own power supply. The installation instructions were clear and easy to understand. This hub is really plug and play. It came right up and all the USB devices I plugged into it worked immediately including my PDA cradle and compact flash card reader. I'm very happy to have expanded the number of USB ports on my system and happy that I didn't have any installation problems.
23 Excellent Performance
The Linksys USB hub has worked without incident with several devices attatched. It is small enough to even pack in my briefcase if needed, nice rubber feet on the bottom to ensure it stays where you want it, even with a little pull.
As another user commented, the LEDs are a bit confusing, I don't really pay attention to them, but nonetheless, confusing. Other than this, I found no annoying issues with the product.
Installation was a breeze, as with most USB devices, no extra software needed, and the user's guide was very straightforward.
Overall, I rate the Linksys USB hub 4 stars, because of it's simplicity and excellent performance, along with it's confusing LEDs.
24 Very good choice
This hub/router was a snap to setup and get working with my Win 2K. After reading several reviews I had some doubts but after I installed it and used it I can tell you that this was a very good choice.
25 Works great, less filling
So far this USB hub has performed flawlessly. It is small, unobtrusive, and less expensive than many comparable devices. It is holding up well with my video camera and DSL modem plugged into it, both of which suck down a fair amount of bandwidth.
It may seems like a small thing, but the rubber feet on this USB hub are a big help. It stays right where you put it, even when you tug a bit on the wires. I have a "Fellowes" USB hub that also works fine, but costs more than the Linksys and does not have rubber feet. It slides all over the place, and has slid right off my desk before, which is pretty irritating.
26 Worked right out of the box for a Mac
I have a Mac 2000 G3 powerbook. After reading a few reviews on this site and visiting my local computer store, I purchased this hub. It is cheap and worked right out of the box. I only have a palm, Iomega Zip and microsoft mouse plugged in. So far so good!
27 Good Product !
No non-sense product. Installation is a breeze (doesn't require a CD. The OS detects and chooses the driver by itself) and works well. Not sure why they have 4 green LEDs. They all lit up when the computer starts and shut off when the computer switches off...irrespective of how many devices are connected or not. They could have very well replaced it with just one LED.
28 USB 4-PORT HUB as an extended SOLUTION
The Linksys USB 4 Port Hub Universal Serial Bus = B00004Z6PI = was working just 10 minutes after I got the package open. Now I'm able to have my USB devices like Scanner, printer, WebCam etc. on a table quiet far away from my PC - AND - may "travel" with my WebCam (HomeConnect PC Digital Camera = ASIN B00000JDHV =) as far as 31 feet away from my computer. The USB 4-port Hub serves as a "cable extension adapter" thanks external power supply which makes cable lengths possible beyond USB norms (limited cable lengths). I liked the packing and the well designed device. Need more USB ports? Buy this Hub by Linksys. Need a A-B to A-B "cable extension adapter"? ProConnect USB 4-Port Hub will serve you even here and - last but not least - it's affordable. Therefore: BUY IT!
29 Get a *powered* hub, like this one
When you buy a USB hub, it's important to get one (like this), which has its own power supply. Many USB devices (such as flash card readers and the iPaq PocketPC) do not work properly through an unpowered hub.
This Linksys hub ranks well among powered hubs. It's stylish, compact, and reliable. It's also a good buy, typically priced lower than peer products from other manufacturers.
