Simple question this time. I bought a 1 to 4 USB splitter 3-4 years ago for use with old machine with USB1.1 (?). Haven't needed a splitter lately, but need one now. I'm (almost) sure this is pre USB2 splitter, if there is such a thing. Do splitters need to be made specifically for USB2? All they do is split the signal, right? Or is there some electronics inside that needs to be different for USB2? This is a Targus PAUH210, tiny little thing, no power to it except what's in the cable. Also, related question, this splitter has a five foot cable and the hardware that I want to plug into it has a 7 foot cable. How long is too long for USB cables before bad stuff happens?

Should have put this in Hardware Forum, I apologize to the Moderator.

The following would indicate that it is USB 2.0:

Targus USB 2.0 Cable-Powered 4 Port Hub
http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=PAUH210U

Sixteen (16) feet is usually the limit for USB cables.

The problem with a cable powered USB hub is that is that the +5V connection from your system is only going to supply 500ma. If you attach more than one device that requires the +5V from the USB connection then you may not have enough power to run them or you will be drawing too much from the systems USB port.

If you have the occasion to buy another hub get one that has a +5V independent power supply.

The USB adapters in your computer if 2.0 should be backwards compatable anyway, so you can still use USB 1.0 accessories anyway.

What are you trying to attach it to?

Well just to say that they aren't expensive... and if you do decide to get a new one try to get one with a power adapter to give it a little extra boost.

Thanks for responses and info. Get USB splitter with power adapter, check. To answer Enthusiast's question, have 4 USB ports on computer. want to attach 6 devices at the moment: external HD, camera, external CD/DVD drive, headphones/mic, Flight Sim yoke, wireless mouse doohickey. May want to attach pedals for Flight Sim in future. Maybe my question should have been if and how to best add all this stuff.

The external HD and external CD/DVD drive have their own +5V power source so they should work through USB Hub without a problem and be the first things that you hook up to the Hub. I don't know about the other devices so it is hard to say for sure.

If you have a spare PCI slot in the PC you could also consider adding a four port USB 2.0 card to the system. $30 or so and $20 on sale (which are often at CompUSA others).

One problem is that, even though USB is backwards compatible, it isn't forwards compatible. So if you put a USB 2.0 device downstream of the 1.0 hub, it will either run slowly or not work at all. Some devices still work but not all. You can hook a USB 1.0 or 1.1 to a 2.0 connection, but you cannot always hook a 2.0 device to a 1.0 or 1.1 connection. If the 2.0 device works, it will work at about 1/40th the speed.

1.0 = 1.5 Mbps
1.1 = 12 Mbps
2.0 = 480 Mbps!