Is an 8 port USB hub too much?

**Startingline13** · 02-08-2010, 10:04 PM

Hello Everyone,

I'm currently using a Rosewill 8 port USB hub which I have powered through a 5v inverter in my car.

It wasn't until recently that I began to think that perhaps I have too much going through this hub at once, and that could be causing problem for my system.

I have:

- GPS dongle
-External 500g Hard Drive w/ music and movies
- bluetooth dongle (though it's not being used at the moment)
- touch screen interface for my motorized in dash screen (which has been acting on and off lately)
-External wireless keyboard/mouse
-USB soundcard

All plugged into my hub at once, and only 1 USB B wire being run out to my PC. Am I using too many items at once to only have 1 USB B wire being run into my PC? Should I try plugging my hard drive and GPS into my laptop directly to preserve bandwidth?

**bratnetwork** · 02-08-2010, 10:29 PM

If it works fine without too much lag, being slow for your liking, or errors then I wouldn't worry about it.

**trader007** · 02-08-2010, 11:02 PM

i dont think gps uses much bandwidth, but i would for sure put the harddrive on its own port.

**TheDrake** · 02-09-2010, 12:29 AM

In my last setup I used two 7 port USB hubs, one powered, one not, never had any trouble with all slots full. I had much more plugged up to mine than you have too.

**justchat_1** · 02-09-2010, 12:40 AM

Power:
A regular laptop hard drive is going to use about 1/2 of your available power. An SSD will use about 1/3.

GPS, Sound Card, bluetooth and touch screen will use about 1/10 of available power combined. So yea your fine in the power department (I know that wasn't the question).
Bandwidth:
Bandwidth usage is also fine. Hard Drive (unless your talkin $500+) will use 80% of available bandwidth max (more likely 20%). Audio another 2% and all the rest <1%.