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A USB hub is an external device that expands a single USB port on a computer into multiple ports, allowing you to connect several peripherals simultaneously. Acting as a traffic controller, an internal chipset manages the flow of both data and power between the computer and the connected devices.

How a USB hub works

Upstream port: The hub's single connection plugs into your computer. This becomes the "upstream" port, which sends data and receives power from the host computer.

Downstream ports: Each peripheral (like a keyboard or external drive) is plugged into one of the hub's multiple "downstream" ports.

Sequential data transfer: The hub's internal chip manages data traffic by polling each connected device sequentially, asking it to transmit data. This happens at such high speed that it appears to occur simultaneously.

Shared bandwidth: The total bandwidth of the single upstream connection is shared among all the connected downstream devices.

Powered (Active) hubs
Power source: Use an external AC power adapter to provide consistent, stable power to all connected devices.

Unpowered (Bus-powered) hubs
Power source: Draw all their power directly from the computer's USB port.