D-Link DSB-H3SP 3-Port USB 1.1 Hub, 1-Parallel Port, 1-Serial Port

by D-Link

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 3.5 x 1.5 inches ; 5.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000023VUJ
• Item model number: DSB-H3SP
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,398 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 29, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The only problem we've ever had with USB ports is not having enough of them. Theoretically, you should be able to connect dozens of devices to a single USB port, but manufacturers rarely make products with the requisite pass-through port that makes this possible. This means most computers that support USB are equipped with only enough ports to accommodate two measly USB devices. If you find yourself frequently swapping USB devices, consider investing in a USB hub such as D-Link's DSB-H3SP.

As the name implies, this hub has three USB ports, although the device connects to a USB port on your PC, so it really is like adding two extra USB connections. Still, those extra ports are handy, letting you connect (for example) a USB mouse, USB modem, USB scanner without ever having to unplug one device to make room for another.

D-Link doesn't stop there--it also sports a serial port and a parallel port. We attached a modem to the serial port and a printer to the parallel port, and both ran without a hitch, even when all the USB ports were filled. Status lights on the front of the device kept us appraised of the activity on each port.

We had no trouble installing this product--not surprising, considering it is a USB device. The DSB-H3SP comes with a USB cable, a power supply unit, and a thin installation manual that we didn't even have to glance at during setup.

We had only two small problems with the DSB-H3SP. The most annoying was that booting Windows took anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute longer when the device was active than when it was disconnected. This was likely due to the initialization of the serial and parallel ports, as few pure-USB hubs we've looked at exhibit this behavior. Our other quibble was with the power cord. The DSB-H3SP requires external power, but the plug from the power supply is tiny and easily detaches when jostled. There were a few occasions when we added or removed a USB device and inadvertently dislodged the plug from its socket. We were forced to reboot the computer but nothing more dramatic happened as a result. These minor issues aside, the device worked as expected, and going back to a two-port USB configuration was unthinkable after we'd tested the hub for a few weeks. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Simple installation
• Serial and parallel ports are a nice touch
• All USB ports run at full speed
• Excellent configuration in a compact unit

Cons:

• External power-supply transformer is bulky
• Requires extra boot-up time to initialize

Product Description

D-LINK SYSTEMS (DSB-H3SP) 3-Port USB Hub w/1-Parrallel Port & 1-Se

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars D-Link does it again!, August 19, 2000

By 

Burton Frammistatz (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Link DSB-H3SP 3-Port USB 1.1 Hub, 1-Parallel Port, 1-Serial Port (Personal Computers)

The DSP-H3SP is a great device for providing more elbow room on the USB bus. The serial and parallel ports install automatically and provide transparent support for any device you can connect. I had trouble with a Palm Pilot on my mainboard COM port; I plugged it into the H3SP and it worked perfectly! It has been used with two OKIDATA parallel printers, and a SONY memory stick reader/writer with no problems!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars dissatisfied, January 18, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: D-Link DSB-H3SP 3-Port USB 1.1 Hub, 1-Parallel Port, 1-Serial Port (Personal Computers)

Doesn't work with Win 2000...I'm returning.

1.0 out of 5 stars No support!, February 8, 2003

By 

"mjk49" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Link DSB-H3SP 3-Port USB 1.1 Hub, 1-Parallel Port, 1-Serial Port (Personal Computers)

I found that the DSB-H3SP HUB was not very easy to install. I found installation problematic. This is the fourth time I tried to install unit and was unsuccessful. I can not find any information on the D-Link web site related to the DSB-H3SP. A search of the web site in fact did not find a single item. A call to D-Link tech support was of little help!