What else can the USB Hub do for me

[kwfine]

Some days ago, I have posted a topic asking for help because of my Flash drive of 128MB capacity didn't work when I plugged it to my PC (XP SP2).

I have been searching for some ways to solve the problem.
And just as  what I have guessed it, the flash drive didn't work because my PSU is of low power output, which maximum value is 350W. Now the data on the flash drive can be read and written after I plug it to the USB Hub instead of the PC's USB port directly.
(this afternoon, I purchased a USB Hub with an external power supply home.
There are 7 USB ports on it BTW.)

There were six free ports left on the USB Hub, so I unplugged my keyboard and Mouse from my PC, and then plugged them to the USB Hub.
Actually, I thought by doing that I could save some power or at least lower the work load of my PSU. But I was wrong. Later on, I found that the pointer moved so slowly and the characters appeared a few seconds later after I have typed in.
One reason I can think of offhand for the problems are that Mouse and Keyword shouldn't be plugged to USB Hub, because there is only one connection to the PC. With more and more USB devices plugged to the USB Hub, that means there are more and more data coming from and sending toward along the same PC's USB port.
That's what I could think of.

Comments please, gentlemen!

[patio]

I would go back to hooking up the keyboard and mouse the way they were.
There are power considerations and bandwidth considerations with a USB port.
The old setup had keyboard and mouse data traveling in seperate ports...the new setup has them all going thru 1 port plus whatever else you have hooked up to the Hub.

[soybean]

You're still talking about the Win 98 computer discussed in http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1168754392/4#4 , right?  You never responded to GX1_MAN's comment there about drivers.  Is your OS Win 98 or Win 98SE?  

Your PSU rating of 350 Watts has nothing to do with this; if the USB ports don't provide enough power, that's a function of your motherboard, not the PSU.  What matters here are mainly your OS and motherboard and, with Win 98 or 98SE, whether you necessary drivers installed.  

Edit: I believe you would have been better off getting an add-on PCI card to provide USB ports.  But, you need at least Win 98SE for most cards.  Here's one:  StarTech Value 4 Port USB 2.0 PCI Card Model PCI425USB - Retail

[uesquebeathus]

another thing to take into account is the age and specification of the motherboard, if it only has USB 1.1 and you connect a usb2.0 to a usb 1.1 port it will still only pass through at usb 1.1 data transfer speed (Slow 12mbits per second maximum), you would ideally have to install a usb pci board to bring it up to usb 2.o rate of data transfer 480Mbits per second again maximum.
they are maximum attainable speeds, not truelly achievable speeds

[kwfine]

...
The old setup had keyboard and mouse data traveling in seperate ports...the new setup has them all going thru 1 port plus whatever else you have hooked up to the Hub.

I totally agree with you, patio!

[kwfine]

You're still talking about the Win 98 computer discussed in http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1168754392/4#4 , right?  You never responded to GX1_MAN's comment there about drivers.  Is your OS Win 98 or Win 98SE?  

Oh, thanks for reminding me that, soybean.
I am using XP SP2.

[kwfine]

So, except keyboard and mouse, what can be plugged to the USB Hub?
There are now six free ports left on the USB Hub, and I have no idea what to do with them.

[patio]

You can use any device you need that runs on a USB connection in that Hub...
However it doesn't neccessarily need to be filled up for you to get your money's worth...

[kwfine]

...
However it doesn't neccessarily need to be filled up for you to get your money's worth...

Oh, I see!
Many thanks to your help, patio!