Features:
- 3-port USB hub
- 3 type-A downstream ports
- 1 type-B upstream port
- Parallel port to attach a printer
- Serial port to connect modem, mouse, digital camera, or other compatible device
Description:
The only problem we've ever had with USB ports is not having enough of them. Theoretically, you should be able to connect dozens of devices to a single USB port, but manufacturers rarely make products with the requisite pass-through port that makes this possible. This means most computers that support USB are equipped with only enough ports to accommodate two measly USB devices. If you find yourself frequently swapping USB devices, consider investing in a USB hub such as D-Link's DSB-H3SP. As the name implies, this hub has three USB ports, although the device connects to a USB port on your PC, so it really is like adding two extra USB connections. Still, those extra ports are handy, letting you connect (for example) a USB mouse, USB modem, USB scanner without ever having to unplug one device to make room for another. D-Link doesn't stop there--it also sports a serial port and a parallel port. We attached a modem to the serial port and a printer to the parallel port, and both ran without a hitch, even when all the USB ports were filled. Status lights on the front of the device kept us appraised of the activity on each port. We had no trouble installing this product--not surprising, considering it is a USB device. The DSB-H3SP comes with a USB cable, a power supply unit, and a thin installation manual that we didn't even have to glance at during setup. We had only two small problems with the DSB-H3SP. The most annoying was that booting Windows took anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute longer when the device was active than when it was disconnected. This was likely due to the initialization of the serial and parallel ports, as few pure-USB hubs we've looked at exhibit this behavior. Our other quibble was with the power cord. The DSB-H3SP requires external power, but the plug from the power supply is tiny and easily detaches when jostled. There were a few occasions when we added or removed a USB device and inadvertently dislodged the plug from its socket. We were forced to reboot the computer but nothing more dramatic happened as a result. These minor issues aside, the device worked as expected, and going back to a two-port USB configuration was unthinkable after we'd tested the hub for a few weeks. --T. Byrl Baker Pros:
- Simple installation
- Serial and parallel ports are a nice touch
- All USB ports run at full speed
- Excellent configuration in a compact unit
Cons:
- External power-supply transformer is bulky
- Requires extra boot-up time to initialize
| 
