I have a DELL Latitude C640 laptop which has a single USB port as stand alone and 2 ports when in docking station. I require the use of several USB attached devices when docked, keyboard, mouse, printer, MP3 so bought a universal 4 port hub to expand capacity. This device works on my other laptop and 2 other PCs in the house but when I connect to the C640 I get the error message showing device not working. All USB devices (keyboard, mouse, printer, MP3) connect and work OK when connected directly to the ports in the docking station but not when the 4 port hub is attached. I have also tried to connect the USB mouse using a USB->PS2 adaptor and it does not function. When the USB hub is connected the indicator light comes on to show in use but Windows does not recognise it. I have checked the USB drivers for my C640 and compared them to the ones on one of the working PCs and they appear to be the same versions, although I do not know ALL the ones I should be looking for.

I am running Windows XP.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

What processor do you have? Some of these devices only work on a processor with a Pentium core. Check the manufacturer's specs on the hub. I recently checked out a Belkin and they specifically said it would only work with a Pentium, though sites selling the item did not mention it.

It is a Pentium processor. I have 2 DELL Latitude both with Pentium processors, it works on one but not the other. The only information I have on the hub is that it is a Universal Serial BUS USB 2.0 4 port 480 Mbps.

Any help?

Does the hub only NOT work when it is connected to the C640 via the docking station? If this is the case, it may be that the docking station is only rated at USB 1.0, as opposed to the hub, which is USB 2.0 (faster). Does the hub work when connected directly to the Latitude C640?

Does the HUB have it's own 5 volt, 2 amp power supply?

The hub does not work when connected to the laptop directly and also not when docked either, the 'in use' indicator light on the hub illuminates in both situations showing that the hub is drawing power but Windows gives an error on the DEVICE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. The hub is a USB2.0 but also states backward compatible to USB 1.1. It does not have a separate power supply.

The hub still works on at least 3 other PCs so it is not defective

The problem may be that the hub does not have an independent power supply. Have you tried the USB hub on another system with all four devices (keyboard, mouse, printer, MP3) plugged in at the same time?

USB ports are supposed to supply up to 500mA (milliamps) @ 5v to power devices that don’t have there own power supply. Without an independent power supply in the hub you may not be providing enough power from each of the four USB ports in the hub.

I agree with Just Me. Without power to the hub, the computer itself may lack the power to handle the peripherals.