Belkin Network USB www.belkin.com
By now you probably know I have three PCs, one notebook and two netbooks at home.
There only three of us living here, so for sure not all of them are powered up at the same time (environmentalists need not worry). All of them are networked, either wired or wirelessly.
In addition, I have a scanner and a laser printer. Both were connected to my work PC via USB cables. I did not have a printer server, so I was not able to share these peripherals with my wife (my daughter has her own all-in-one printer). So, for many years my wife would have to interrupt me in my work each time she needed to print out an invitation to a prayer gathering. She has been active in the neighborhood Catholic community.
Then, I came across a Belkin Network USB Hub at a store in Dusit, Mangga Dua. I read the box and learned that this hub would allow me to share USB devices across a network. The price was pretty hefty — Rp 850,000, but I still decided to buy it, thinking it would be a great gadget to write about.
Installation of the hardware was as simple as it could be. I had to connect it with a UTP cable to a router on my home network and then plug the USB cables from the scanner and the printer. Then I had to install the software on each of the machines. I also had to install the software dri-ver for the scanner and the printer on them all.
What this hub cleverly does is connect and disconnect the USB devices from any PC or notebook on the network.
So, for example, each time I want to print a document from my desktop PC, the software will automatically connect the printer to it and let me send out the file to be printed. After that, it will release the connection so my wife can use the same printer.
The software is smart enough to know that my HP ScanJet 3015 is a shared printer, and there is an option to have it connect and disconnect automatically before and after a print job.
Unfortunately, it does not work automatically for all USB devices. My CanoScan 5000, for example, is not automatically connected to my PC when I run CanoScan Toolbox.
I first have to call up the Belkin Command Center, click on the scanner’s tab with the right mouse button and then click on Connect. When I am done with my scanning job, the connection will stay.
If my wife wants to use the scanner, she will have to request the use first. A message will pop up on my screen showing the request. I will then have to disconnect the scanner manually through the Command Center. This can be a small speed bump for productivity.
In addition to scanners and printers, the hub can also help us share media reader, digital cameras and external hard disks across the network.
Some adjustment to our Firewall is required to enable the USB devices to attach to the computers, and there is a wizard to help us.
As mentioned above, this hub must be hardwired to a router. If you have a wireless access point, you can print your documents from your bedroom.
There are other limitations, however. First, it can connect only up to five USB devices, although we
can extend it to up to 15 using four-port hubs.
It does not support high-speed and high bandwidth USB applications such as High Definition streaming or live webcams. Although we can play MP3 music from a different PC or notebook, the
hub will not work with a USB TV tuner, though.
Wait until the Gigabit version is released if that is what you want to do.
The box’ design is rather unattractive. It is black all over. There are two USB ports in front, three in the back. I wish Belkin had put all five of them at the back. The green LED lamp is very small you can hardly tell whether it is on or off. I also wish it supported more USB devices for the price.
Belkin has been a strong name in accessories, network gears and cabling. Speaking about cabling, if you are tired of the dusty cables from your computer to your home theater system, try using Belkin’s Gigabit Powerline HD starter kit. It will send HD movies directly from the Internet to your AV system.
Generally, the prices of Belkin products are on the high end, unfortunately.
However, this Network USB Hub is arguably the first of its kind. If you want to share USB devices over your network, this is a great solution to consider.
But, before you rush to Mangga Dua, check out the reports on the web to find out whether the software for Windows 7 is already available. If you use a Mac, Belkin promised to make the software available last September. And, if you are thinking of USB 3.0, this is a USB 2.0 device.
