Product ID: PEXUSB311EI
This USB 3.1 Gen 2 card prepares you for the next generation of USB performance, on the inside and outside of your computer. The 2-port card adds one internal Type-A connector as well as one external Type-A connector to your desktop computer, with a combined bandwidth of up to 10Gbps. For power-hungry devices, the card also has an internal SATA power connector, enabling you to use your computer’s power supply to add more power to the ports.
With greater bandwidth, you can save time and avoid the performance bottlenecks that are often associated with other connectivity technologies.
With an internal port, you can connect internal devices that use a USB Type-A connector, such as a front-bay SD card reader. Plus, you can use the internal port to keep peripherals safely inside your computer case — perfect for high-capacity USB flash drives or interface devices used for external wireless peripherals such as keyboards and mice or Bluetooth® adapters.
The card also features an external port that can be used for any USB Type-A device, like your external hard drive or any wired peripheral.
By adding 10Gbps USB ports to your computer, you can harness the speed of USB 3.1 Gen 2 and rest assured that you’re ready for both current and future high-bandwidth USB-A devices.
With higher data throughput, this PCI Express USB 3.1 card is a necessity for external hard drives, hard drive enclosures, and many other USB 3.1 peripherals. Plus, the USB card integrates a SATA power connector to support high-powered devices, making it ideal for use with large external storage solutions.
For more flexibility, you can couple the card with a USB-C to USB-A cable (USB31AC1M) and connect your USB Type-C™ devices.
Connecting your older peripherals isn’t a problem. This versatile USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps) card is backward compatible with legacy USB 3.0 and 2.0 devices that use the common USB Type-A port, so you can eliminate the added expense and aggravation of purchasing new devices.
For a hassle-free installation with no additional software or drivers required, the card is natively supported by most operating systems, and interfaces with the PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot on your computer. Plus, the high-quality card includes both standard-profile and low-profile (half-height) brackets, making it easy to install in full or small form-factor PCs or servers.
The PEXUSB311EI is backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Warranty Information | Warranty | 2 Years |
---|---|---|
Connector(s) | 1 - Connector Type(s) | PCI Express x4 |
1 - Internal Ports | USB 3.1 USB Type-A (9 pin, Gen 2, 10 Gbps) | |
1 - External Ports | USB 3.1 USB Type-A (9 pin, Gen 2, 10 Gbps) | |
1 - Internal Ports | SATA Power (15 pin) | |
Environmental | Operating Temperature | 5°C to 50°C (41°F to 122°F) |
Storage Temperature | -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F) | |
Humidity | 20~80% RH (Non-condensing) | |
Hardware | Ports | 2 |
Interface | USB 3.1 Gen 2 | |
Bus Type | PCI Express | |
Card Type | Standard Profile (LP bracket incl.) | |
Port Style | Integrated on Card | |
Industry Standards | USB 3.1 Specification Rev. 1.0 USB Specification Rev. 2.0 PCI Express Base Specification Rev. 3.0 Intel xHCI Specification Rev. 1.1 UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) Rev. 1.0 |
|
Chipset ID | ASMedia - ASM1142 | |
Packaging Information | Package Height | 1.2 in [30 mm] |
Package Length | 5.6 in [14.3 cm] | |
Shipping (Package) Weight | 4.3 oz [121 g] | |
Package Width | 6.7 in [17 cm] | |
Performance | Maximum Data Transfer Rate | 10Gbps |
Type and Rate | USB 3.1 Gen 2 - 10 Gbit/s | |
UASP Support | Yes | |
Physical Characteristics | Weight of Product | 1.8 oz [51 g] |
Material | Steel | |
Product Length | 3.5 in [90 mm] | |
Product Width | 0.7 in [18 mm] | |
Product Height | 4.7 in [12 cm] | |
Software | OS Compatibility | Windows® 7, 8, 8.1, 10 Windows Server® 2008 R2, 2012, 2016, 2019 Mac OS X® 10.9 to 10.10 Linux® 3.5 to 4.11.x LTS version only |
Special Notes / Requirements | System and Cable Requirements | PCI Express enabled computer or server with a PCI Express x4 slot or higher (x8, x16) |
SATA power connector | ||
Note | The maximum throughput of this card is limited by the bus interface. PCI Express Gen 1.0 max throughput is 2.5Gbps. PCI Express Gen 2.0 max throughput is 5Gbps. PCI Express Gen 3.0 max throughput is 10Gbps. | |
The available bandwidth (10Gbps) is shared equally between the two ports. | ||
What's in the Box | 1 - Included in Package | 2-port USB 3.1 (10Gbps) card - 1 ext, 1 int |
low-profile bracket | ||
instruction manual |
USB-A to USB-C™ Cable | USB-IF Certified | USB 3.1 (10Gbps)
Power a Serial ATA hard drive from a conventional LP4 power supply connection
Get the faster speed of USB 3.1 Gen 2 in a lightweight and portable storage solution
The high-speed, high-capacity data storage solution you’ve been waiting for – with USB 3.1 Gen 2
Get ready for ultra-fast USB 3.1 Gen 2 data storage using your 2.5” SSD or HDD
Connect a USB 3.0 Micro USB External Hard drive to your computer
Position your USB 3.0 Micro devices near your desktop or laptop computer easily, with a thin, more flexible cable
Add 7 external, USB 3.0 ports to a computer from a single USB connection
Connect 7 high-performance devices to your computer or Mac with this compact and rugged hub
We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
Live Chat (opens in new window)We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
Live Chat (opens in new window)Before you install the device, make sure that your operating system is current (for example, the most recent service pack is installed).
Note: Windows usually saves the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, C:\Users\your_name\Downloads).
Note: If the Run as Administrator option is not available, you might be attempting to run the installer from within the zipped file. Complete the instructions in step 2 to extract the files.
Your device should be ready to use.
If the USB device does not work after your computer has been in extended hibernation, it is likely that Windows has automatically turned off the USB Root hub to save power.
The steps below outline how to configure the USB root hub to stay on during hibernation, to prevent this from happening.
Windows 10 / 8
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows 7 / Vista
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows XP
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
When you troubleshoot issues with a USB controller card, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
USB cables
USB devices
USB controller card
To test your setup components, try the following:
Use the USB cable, device, and controller card in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
Use a different USB cable, device, and controller card in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
Test each cable individually.
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the USB device and controller card, it is recommended that you do the following:
Press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open Device Manager. Check to see if your device is listed under Universal Serial Bus controllers.
If you do not see the USB controller card listed in Device Manager please see this FAQ: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#pci-pcie-cannot-boot-os-or-detect-windows.
If the device is listed with an error, follow the instructions on the website to reinstall the drivers.
Some USB-C controller cards do not support the reversibility of the USB-C connector, which means that some cable and host controller combinations only receive USB 3.1 speeds in one orientation. To determine if this is the cause of your issue, unplug your USB-C cable and flip the cable upside down and plug it back into the USB controller card.
Although USB-C supports transfer speeds up to 10 Gbps, all of the devices in your setup must support USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) in order to transfer data at that speed. The maximum data transfer speed you will experience is the fastest transfer speed that the slowest device in your setup supports.
If your setup components support USB 3.1 but you are experiencing slower transfer speeds than you expected, consider the following:
To confirm the functionality of your USB host connection, its ports, and any other devices in your setup, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer.
Note: USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). Devices that support USB 3.1 should have the USB 3.1 symbol on them. If the USB 3.1 symbol does not appear on your USB source or device, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm whether the USB source or device support USB 3.1.
To confirm that Windows detects your expansion card, complete the following:
Your expansion card is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your expansion card, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
To confirm that the Mac OS detects your expansion card, complete the following:
Your expansion card is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your expansion card, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
USB 3.1 is the most recent version of the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard for connecting computers and electronic devices. It is capable of data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, and while it can use the USB-C connector type, it can also use a variety of other connector types. To achieve USB 3.1 transfer speeds, your USB host connection, cables, and device must all support USB 3.1. USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps).
USB 3.0 is capable of data transfer speeds up to 5Gbps. USB 3.0 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps).
USB 3.1 is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, except in the following scenarios:
For products related to this article, click here.
To transfer data at speeds of 10Gbps, you need to confirm that the following components in your setup support USB 3.1:
Note: USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). Devices that support USB 3.1 should have the USB 3.1 symbol on them. If the USB 3.1 symbol does not appear on your USB source or device, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm whether the USB source or device support USB 3.1.
Check out our review guidelines.