Author Topic: Max number of USB ports (Read 393 times)

Tarmac · « **on:** April 07, 2004, 04:07:01 PM »

A friend's computer has 2 usb ports. He's already got a USB2.0 PCI card in there (4 more). He needs more USB ports, and he'd prefer to have them internal (doesn't want a hub cluttering things up). Someone told him that six is the max number of USB ports that a system can have, and for that reason, he thinks a hub is the only way to get more.

If the new USB ports are on a PCI card, it should work just fine... right? I don't have the knowledge to explain this to him in technospeak... could someone help out?

Nashwan · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2004, 06:29:07 PM »

I've got 11 and they all work fine. 6 on the motherboard, 2 on a pci card and 3 on a front panel supplied by the card.

bloom25 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2004, 11:24:51 PM »

I don't know what the limit is for ports, but for devices it is 128. I do know that the limit for ports is higher than 6, as some motherboards now come with 8 USB ports.

Eagler · « **Reply #3 on:** April 09, 2004, 05:36:21 AM »

I think voltage becomes an issue and is why I suggest a powered external hub

Wilbus · « **Reply #4 on:** April 09, 2004, 05:46:15 AM »

I have 8 on my mainboard so the thing about 6 is max is probarly just BS.

Could be a power issue as Eagler said though, may depend on how strong his power supply is.

qts · « **Reply #5 on:** April 09, 2004, 11:42:12 AM »

As I recall, the limit is 127 USB devices (=something with a USB ID).

Chairboy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2004, 12:31:39 PM »

QTS is correct. 127 (128 is the host controller) devices, and you're limited only by power. If you have a good power supply, your friend should be able to run 8 ports off the motherboard fine.