USB Ports and USB Hubs?

[Kerry C.]

This question is about using USB Ports and USB Hubs.
My laptop has 3 USB ports. I use all 3 of them hooking up my camera, my mount, and my guide camera.
It seems as though the only one that is port specific is the one connected to my mount for recognizing where it is for ASCOM and EQMOD set up and such. Soon I will be adding a dew heater and perhaps other users as well.
Can I connect my other end users to a USB Hub and then run a single USB cable to the laptop? Thus only using two of the three USB Ports on my laptop.
Thanks,
Kerry

[AntennaGuy]

For most usb devices, you can have them share ports (and use a hub), i.e., you can use just one port in principle, if it can handle both the power and data rates. Regardless, you might want to check if all 3 ports on your laptop are the same class of USB. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB for way, way, too much info. Note that you may want to pay attention to the power capabilities of those ports, in addition to their data capabilities.
Note: by "end users" I presume you are referring to other usb-controllable devices, not other people's computers. The latter would be very different.

[JayTee]

I don't like USB hubs (powered or otherwise), too many problems. So what I did instead was to purchase a "docking" station for my Dell laptop which gave me another 5 USB ports and all of them are hooked directly to my laptop so no glitches.

Cheers,
JT

[KathyNS]

Most people find that it helps with cable management to have a powered hub at the mount. That way, you only need a single USB cable from the laptop to the mount. Use a powered hub to minimize the electrical load on the computer.

Cheap hubs can be flakey. Don’t expect them to last more than 2 years.

[mbocca]

Kerry,

I use a USB3.0 powered hub on my mount. Everything runs to the hub, and one 2 meter USB3.0 cable (Amazon brand) runs to the laptop. The StarTech USB hubs run from 12 Volt so it is compatible with the rest of the power on the scope. It has a metal case and a mounting flange with room for screws. I use a velcro strap to hold it to the mount, not the screws.

A lot of people note problems with USB cables/connections, but with a good hub and quality cables you should be good. Kathy mentioned 2 years, but I am over 3 on this one.

Mike

[Kerry C.]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll do dome shopping.

[KathyNS]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll do dome shopping.

Now there's a freudian slip if I ever saw one!

[Kerry C.]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll do dome shopping.

Now there's a freudian slip if I ever saw one!

Oops!!
Not my first...not my last.