cables - Why is USB Type-A to USB Type-A never used? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
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USB A Connections to Newer Products
What does a USB hub do?
A USB hub is a device that expands the number of USB ports available on a computer or other electronic device. It allows multiple USB devices to be connected to a single USB port on the host device. Essentially, a USB hub acts as a junction point, allowing users to connect various peripherals such as keyboards, mice, printers, external hard drives, and more to their computer or device. Many users look for the best USB hub to ensure reliability and compatibility. Here are some key functions and features of USB hubs:
1. Expansion of USB Ports: The primary function of a USB hub is to provide additional USB ports beyond what the host device offers. This allows users to connect multiple USB devices simultaneously.
2. Data Transfer: USB hubs facilitate data transfer between the connected devices and the host device. Data can be transferred at various speeds depending on the USB standard supported by the hub (e.g., USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, etc.).
3. Power Distribution: Some USB hubs also provide power to connected devices, particularly useful for devices that require power to operate, such as external hard drives or smartphones. These hubs often come with dedicated power adapters to supply sufficient power to all connected devices.
4. Plug-and-Play Convenience: USB hubs are typically plug-and-play devices, meaning they can be connected to the host device without requiring any additional software installation. Once connected, the host device should recognize the hub and any devices connected to it.
5. Portability: USB hubs come in various sizes and form factors, including compact and portable designs, making them convenient for use with laptops or other mobile devices that have limited built-in USB ports. Many users prefer a USB C Hub for modern laptops due to its versatility and compact design.
Can a USB-C hub charge my laptop while also connecting to other peripherals?
Yes, many USB-C hubs are equipped with Power Delivery (PD) functionality, which allows them to charge your laptop while also connecting to other peripherals. However, it's important to check the specifications of the USB-C hub to ensure that it supports the power requirements of your laptop and provides sufficient power output for charging while also supporting data transfer to connected peripherals. Additionally, the power output of the USB-C hub may vary depending on the number and types of peripherals connected, so it's advisable to confirm compatibility and functionality before making a purchase.
How do I determine if my devices are compatible with a USB-C hub?
Determining compatibility between your devices and a USB-C hub involves several steps:
1. Check Device Ports: Ensure that your devices have USB-C ports or are compatible with USB-C adapters. Devices with USB-A, Micro USB, or other types of ports will not directly connect to a USB-C hub without adapters.
2. Review Hub Specifications: Look at the specifications of the USB-C hub to see what devices it supports. Ensure it offers compatibility with your specific devices, including laptops, smartphones, tablets, or other peripherals.
3. Power Delivery (PD) Support: If your devices require power delivery (such as laptops or smartphones), verify that the USB-C hub supports PD and provides sufficient power output to charge your devices.
4. Data Transfer Speeds: Confirm that the USB-C hub supports the data transfer speeds needed for your devices. For example, if you plan to connect external SSDs or high-speed storage devices, ensure the hub supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 or higher for optimal performance.
5. Operating System Compatibility: Check if the USB-C hub is compatible with the operating systems of your devices, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS.
6. Read Reviews and Recommendations: Look for user reviews or recommendations online from others who have used the USB-C hub with similar devices. Their experiences can provide insights into compatibility and performance.
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USB-A male to USB-A female is fine. They exist, and are relatively common. They work just fine as USB extension cables, provided the overall length is not too long. For longer distances, active cables exist that contain an internal repeater or USB hub to regenerate the signal. However, you may run in to power delivery issues due to voltage drop.
USB-A male to USB-A male is dangerous. It is also not compliant with the USB specification*. They also exist, though I am not really sure why. Perhaps because the USB-A connector is shorter than the USB-B connector, so chinese external hard drive enclosure vendors decided to use it because it was a half a cent cheaper than the proper connector. A USB-A male to USB-A male cable is similar to a line cord with a male plug on both ends. You should never, ever use one of these. There are several problems. First of all, USB does not allow two USB hosts to be connected to each other. The software stack does not support it. You cannot simply connect two computers to each other via USB and have them talk to each other without inserting some component in the middle, such as two back-to-back USB to Ethernet converters or similar. USB on-the-go is a slightly different story as a USB OTG device will switch roles between host and device. USB OTG also uses a different connector entirely, an A/B variant that accepts both A and B type connectors, which only exists in the smaller sizes.
But this is not what makes USB-A to USB-A cables dangerous. What makes them dangerous is that the USB cable provides power, and USB hosts are in general not designed to accept power coming in the wrong way. If you connect two computers together with a USB-A to USB-A cable, their 5V supplies are almost certainly not at the same voltage, so one of them will power the other one through the USB cable. This in and of itself is not really a major problem, provided the source has appropriate current limiting to prevent the cable heating up and starting a fire. The problem really comes when one of the devices is turned off. Now, you have an external 5V supply coming in to a powered-off device that isn't designed to handle it. This can damage components on the motherboard in one or both devices. Also, USB devices are in general designed to draw less than 500 mA, but whatever is hanging off of the 5V rail inside a host could draw orders of magnitude more than that.
USB-C is a different story as is specifically designed to have identical connectors on both ends. Not only that, it is explicitly designed to support charging a host device via a USB C connector. As a result, USB C devices have to be designed to handle this situation appropriately.
*except for some extremely rare cables that you will most likely never come across that don't connect the 5V power, which are effectively indistinguishable from non-compliant cables unless you pull out a multimeter.
Because it's against the standard. The USB standard says that type A is for hosts, and type B is for devices.
In practical terms, a device with a type A connector is expected to provide power, so if you connect two of them together, they will attempt to power each other, leading most likely to Bad Things Happening. Type C gets around this by a negotiation mechanism.