I know exactly how you feel. I was thinking about what to do myself, and luckily there are options. Got an empty PCI slot? Then you got room for plenty more USB ports. You can pick one up at any comp store (CompUSA). The run around $50 (for 4 extra ports), but its worth the investment. I believe they make another one that holds 5 as well.

Installation is a snap and Windows installs everything you need.

What would the world do without USB?

-skarplug

skarplug? Why suggest internal USB ports? You know they have usb hubs right? Im not banging on your post, I am just curious why you choose internal rather than external.

Try checking out www.belkin.com

click on the USB link and check out the USB Buststation. Lets you add 4, 4 port usb hubs. This is currently what I have, and also a USB to ethernet adapter, and a usb to Parrallel adapter. All in wich plug into the same Busstation.

So, from bottom to top, this is the configuration I have.

USB to ethernet port
USB to Parrallell port
4 USB Ports
4 USB Ports

Have a good one.

(yes, I know, a little expensive. But, its an easy way to add-on in the future)

Andrew.

I agree. Why take up a valuable PCI slot, when you already have USB ports. With the powered (make sure that they are) USB hubs, you can install many pieces of equipment, to the two original USB ports.

You will only need one 4 port hub, for now ($40-60). You can add later, as needed.

Also, look at Entrega products. Excellent quality, and the founders were in on the "ground floor" of USB, when it first was designed. Have a good one.

Tony Marquez

XPS T500 w/256MB ram Bios A10
Win98SE w/IE 5.01 SP1
Dell P991-V770D Ultra(165/220)6.34 drivers
STB TV-Tuner card
SB Live 1024 w/Altec Lansing ADA-880
Logitech Wingman F/F ("Only steel, can give you a feeling this real") & Wheelman
Hitachi GD-5000 DVD w/Cinemaster 3.0
HP 9300i RW w/Adaptec 3.5c & DirectCD 3.0
Epson Laser 1500 w/Entrega USB converter
Canon BJC-6000 color inkjet

Thanks for all your help. I'm checking out the info you provided me with and will let you know what I decide to do. Again, I am not too computer literate, so I will probably take the easy way out. Thanks again.

Thanks for the help. You're a little over my head with the terms. I don't know too much about computers. What would you suggest as the easiest and most effective way to go to get additional USB Ports? I just don't want to have to continue to disconnect my Cable Modem everytime I hook up my digital camera card reader. Can you give me direction as to where this external device would be connected and what type of cable (?) is used? I do know I have a few available PCI slots if going that route is a better option. Thanks again.

You have to be careful with the USB to Parrallel cables though. They don't work with all Periferals. The one I got from Belkin works with my HP4V printer but will not work with my scanner or my Lexmark Printer.
But I do agree, the way to go is with the USB HUB.

Best...

ARPY

I suggest, as several others already have, buying a powered USB hub. Its a small box that you connect to one of the 2 existing USB ports, and it gives you 4 more USB ports. It comes with a small power supply, to provide power to any device hooked to the hub (so it doesn't have to pull power from the PC power supply). You can daisy chain these hubs together to get a total of 120 (I think) USB ports, not that you'd ever want that many. They're not expensive, are fairly reliable, and extremly easy to install; just plug it in (it should come with a cable, one end with a type A connector and the other with a type B connector, but if not the computer store guy can sell you one) and its instantly recognized by Win98. You can then plug your camera into the hub and leave it there permanently.

Keep in mind that the hub takes up one of the original USB ports for itself, so you go from having 2 possible peripherals to having 5 peripherals when you add the hub. 2 + 4 does not equal 6 in this case.



Keith Hodges

Dimension XPS R450 256 MB RAM 16 Gig HD