page_title: USB hub
hierarchical_section_title: USB hub
caption_attribution_description: An USB hub; upstream and downstream ports marked
context_page_description: A USB hub is a device that expands a single Universal Serial Bus port into several so that there are more ports available to connect devices to a host system, similar to a power strip.
  USB hubs are often built into equipment such as computer cases, keyboards, monitors, or printers. When such a device has many USB ports, they all usually stem from one or two internal USB ports rather than each port having independent USB circuitry.
  Physically separate USB hubs come in a wide variety of form factors: from external boxes connectable with a cable, to small designs that can be directly plugged into a USB port. In the middle case, there are "short cable" hubs which typically use an integral 6-inch cable to slightly distance a small hub away from physical port congestion and of course increase the number of available ports.
  Laptop/Notebook computers may be equipped with USB ports, but an external USB hub can consolidate several everyday devices into a single hub to enable one-step attachment and removal of all the devices.
context_section_description: A USB hub is a device that expands a single Universal Serial Bus (USB) port into several so that there are more ports available to connect devices to a host system, similar to a power strip.
  USB hubs are often built into equipment such as computer cases, keyboards, monitors, or printers. When such a device has many USB ports, they all usually stem from one or two internal USB ports rather than each port having independent USB circuitry.
  Physically separate USB hubs come in a wide variety of form factors: from external boxes (looking similar to an Ethernet or network hub) connectable with a cable, to small designs that can be directly plugged into a USB port (see the "compact design" picture). In the middle case, there are "short cable" hubs which typically use an integral 6-inch cable to slightly distance a small hub away from physical port congestion and of course increase the number of available ports.
  Laptop/Notebook computers may be equipped with USB ports, but an external USB hub can consolidate several everyday devices (like a mouse and a printer) into a single hub to enable one-step attachment and removal of all the devices.
  Some USB hubs may support power delivery (PD) and charging if they're self-powered and certified, though they may start to be referred to as a simple docking station at this point.
caption: A four-port "compact design" USB hub: upstream and downstream ports shown
exif: {}