USB PCI Card: Good Idea? (And what's that "internal/shared" port?)

Rawan AbuSalman

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Hey guys,

New mobo might have fewer USB ports than I'd like, so I'm looking into my options.

Came across PCI USB cards... Anyone has any experience with them? Transfer speeds?

I don't get what "4 External ports & 1 Internal port sharing with an external port" means, though.

Here's an example: Amazon.com: Syba SD-VIA-5U 5-port (4+1) USB 2.0 PCI Card, VIA Chip: Electronics

Pic seems to show an actual USB port on the card itself. What's that for?

Thanks!
 
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For plugging a cases front port in, sort of how some cases have the front USB 3 port plug in to the back. That is what the shared internal port is for.

Speeds are fine, but will you be using more than 6 devices at once?
 
Hey guys,

New mobo might have fewer USB ports than I'd like, so I'm looking into my options.

Came across PCI USB cards... Anyone has any experience with them? Transfer speeds?

I don't get what "4 External ports & 1 Internal port sharing with an external port" means, though.


Pic seems to show an actual USB port on the card itself. What's that for?

Thanks!

what motherboard are you getting?
if you didn't get a "budget" board, it should at least come with 1 usb expansion thing with internal usb header connector. to use with the board's internal usb headers. for example

4 external 1 internal shared means it has 4 externally accessible ports, 1 internal (internal being it will be inside your PC case and not as accessible as external ports) port. shared meaning the internal port's circuit (or whatever, I am no engineer) is being shared with one of the external ports.

let's say external port #4 is shared with the internal port. when port #4 is in used, the internal port can't be used. or if the internal port is in used, external port #4 won't work when you plug in a usb device.

what's the internal usb port for? that's up to your imagination.
 
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what motherboard are you getting?
if you didn't get a "budget" board, it should at least come with 1 usb expansion thing with internal usb header connector. to use with the board's internal usb headers. for example

4 external 1 internal shared means it has 4 externally accessible ports, 1 internal (internal being it will be inside your PC case and not as accessible as external ports) port. shared meaning the internal port's circuit (or whatever, I am no engineer) is being shared with one of the external ports.

let's say external port #4 is shared with the internal port. when port #4 is in used, the internal port can't be used. or if the internal port is in used, external port #4 won't work when you plug in a usb device.

what's the internal usb port for? that's up to your imagination.

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, that's what I initially assumed after I read "4 + 1 shared". Wasn't sure what my "imagination" could find as a use for that internal port though. Using it for front case USB makes sense.

As for my board, probably going with this ASUS - Motherboards- ASUS P8B75-V.

It does have internal USB headers, and I was initially looking for something like what you suggested, but couldn't find any locally available. That's when I came across the PCI card.

What I was wondering is if there is any advantage for using the board's internal headers versus a PCI card?
 
Something to keep in mind..... what case are you going with? The only reason I ask, is that the motherboard you linked has internal headers for an additional 4x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.0 ports, for a total of 12 ports, so really, you shouldn't need an add-in card for that.


Personally, I just migrated my desktop rig to an Antec P280, and I absolutely LOVE it. (With the praise I give it, you would think I work for the Antec PR department, but that honestly isn't true). I used the same case for my brothers build, which is what lead me to get one. It has 2x USB 2.0 and 2 USB 3.0 front ports on the case which are nice. My only issue is that my motherboard isn't native USB 3.0 (which doesn't MATTER, as I don't have any USB 3.0 devices which would necessitate the ports. If I did, I would just look to get a PCI Express x1 card with a few ports, and an internal header for the front case ports.
 
Yup, it does. The case I'm probably going with has 2 front USB ports, only one of them is USB 3.0, and connects to the back of my the case with a cable, thus using one of the 2 USB 3.0 ports the motherboard has. So technically, the case is giving me 1 extra USB port. I thought I'd find a PCI card that can connect to the board headers. Turns out these cards aren't very popular where I'm at.

That's the case I'm thinking of getting: Thermaltakeusa » Chassis » V Series » V9 BlacX Edition with Docking Station : V9 BlacX Edition with Docking Station VM400M1W2Z

Love the fact that your case has 4 front USB ports, btw. Haven't seen many with 4.
 
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