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It is possible to use some USB hubs without a power supply, however, doing so may prevent the USB hub or certain high-power USB peripherals from operating.  It is always recommended to use an included power supply with a USB hub when possible.

When a power adapter is not used on a hub that comes with a power adapter, power is drawn from the USB port on the computer and then divided between the ports on the hub. This reduces the power delivery to individual ports and high-powered USB peripherals, such as external hard drives, may not start.

On USB hubs that can use a power adapter, more power can be supplied to USB ports than what is possible with a single USB port.

If your USB peripherals require power adapters, they probably do not require power from the USB port and can be used on a USB hub without a power adapter. With USB peripherals that use power adapters, the USB ports on the hub are only used for data transfer and do not draw power from the hub.

USB peripherals that require low power (for example, keyboards and mice) can be used on hubs without a power adapter, in conjunction with other low-power USB peripherals. In this case, power is drawn from the computer's USB port, as described above.

USB-C is a type of USB connector that is capable of supporting the following:

• Data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, if you use USB 3.1.
• Bi-directional power delivery up to 100W, if both the USB host connection and the device support it.
• Alternate modes, which deliver different types of data at different speeds. For example, DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode).

If using Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C, the connection is capable of additional features. For example, Thunderbolt 3 is capable of 40Gbps of total bandwidth. For more information, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-port-capabilities.

Not all USB-C ports or devices are capable of supporting all of the features listed above, or all of the features at the maximum capabilities. If you require a specific USB-C feature, your USB host connection, cables, and device must all support the feature that you require. For more information about whether your components support specific USB-C features, refer to the information provided by the manufacturers. 

When you troubleshoot issues with a USB hub, 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 A-to-B cable

• Computer USB port

• USB peripheral(s)

To test your setup components, try the following:

• Use the USB cable and USB peripheral(s) in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.

• Use a different USB cable, USB port, and USB peripheral 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 hub, make sure that you do the following:

• If a power adapter is included, provide power to the USB hub.

• Attach a USB peripheral. The USB hub will not appear in any hardware listings on your system, but USB devices do appear when they are connected.

• Install the drivers for the USB peripheral.

• Install the latest drivers for the USB controller and motherboard chipset.

Note: No drivers or software are required for the USB hub to work with your operating system. The USB hub works independently of software and works with any operating system.

When testing your USB peripherals, make sure that you do the following:

• If required, attach external power.

• Confirm that the peripheral works on a standard USB port.

If the USB peripheral(s) can be detected on a standard USB port and not on the hub, do the following:

• Use a new USB A-to-B cable.

• Test your setup using basic USB peripherals, such as a keyboard or mouse.

• Test using another USB port.

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

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows key + X and select Control Panel.
2. Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.
3. Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.
4. Click Change advanced power settings.
5. Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.
6. Click OK to apply the setting.

Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.

Windows 7 / Vista

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel.
2. Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.
3. Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.
4. Click Change advanced power settings.
5. Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.
6. Click OK to apply the setting.

Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.

Windows XP

1. On your desktop, right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties.
2. Click the Device Manager tab.
3. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers by clicking the arrow to the left of it.
4. Right-click the first USB Root Hub device and select Properties.
5. Click the Power Management tab.
6. Clear the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
7. Click OK to apply the setting.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 for any remaining devices in the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section with “Root Hub” in the name.

Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.