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USB port replicator - enhancing laptopUSB Port Replicator?! Sound like a scary word? Don't be scared, using a port replicator is even simpler then installing a docking station! It's the hottest thing around now. The cheapest laptop is the cheapest laptop. It doesn't come with many options. But by using a USB replicator you could enhance it with additional ports and features, and make it look like a $2000 laptop. I can show you how to do it the cheapest way around ... Interested? Then read on. What is a Port Replicator?A piece of hardware that stays on your desk while you travel with your laptop.
When The Replicator is a scaled down version of a Laptop Docking Station (see my guide). But you don't snap your laptop into it; instead it connects to the USB port on your laptop by its USB connector. Then you connect peripherals to the replicator. How will a port replicator help to enhance your laptop?The essential purpose of the USB Replicator is to create many 'replicas' of your laptop's USB port - as it says in its name. Then you, in turn, use these 'replicas' to plug in multiple peripherals that support a USB connection. In order to connect the USB port replicator itself, all you need is one USB port on your laptop. Even the cheapest laptops come with at least one USB port. An average replicator has multiple USB ports built-in, and it allows you connect all or most of your USB devices which was not possible if you had only one USB port on your laptop. You can connect your printer, your scanner, your handheld, your digital camera, a joystick, an external CD or CDRW or DVD drive, any other drive that support a USB connection, a flash memory drive, a flat panel monitor, an Internet modem, and, of course, a keyboard and a mouse. So, as you can see a USB port replicator can be used similarly to the docking station to turn your laptop into a mobile system for convenience and portability. If you need to take your laptop with you then just unplug the replicator from your laptop... when you come back home just plug it back in. You'll never have to connect or disconnect all of those devices again. Most importantly, you can connect many more devices, and all at the same time. A USB port replicator often called USB Hub. One USB hub is different from another; some stock up from 4 to 7 USB ports, some also carry other types of ports. Some can even be joined to each other to multiply the number of ports available. Here is an example from TigerDirect.com:
Iogear's 4-port USB Hub allows you to expand a single USB port to 4 ports, and yet it is small enough to fit into any tight space. One USB cable that can be easily tucked away is included, for your convenience. It supports data transfer rates of up to 12Mbps (1.5MB/sec). Do I need to worry about comparability between different versions of USB replicators - USB 1.0, 1.1, 2.0?Not really. If your USB replicator is of version 2.0 than it'll support all previous versions. The USB 2.0 devices support all three data-transfer rates: 1.5 Mb/s (v. 1.0), 12 Mb/s (v. 1.1) and 480 Mb/s (v. 2.0), meaning that they are fully backward compatible with earlier versions for consumers’ investment protection. The USB 1.1 devices support both the 1.5 Mb/s and 12 Mb/s rates. So, for example, if your USB 2.0 digital camera connected to your laptop through the USB 1.1 replicator it'll work but with a lower transfer rate of 12 Mb/s. Which peripherals are designed to work best with the latest USB 2.0 replicators?Most of the following USB devices are now available with the highest USB transfer rate (v 2.0) of 480 Mb/s (or at least with 12 Mb/s):
Which peripherals are designed to work with slow USB transfer rates?These peripherals operate at slower speeds because they do not need fast data-transfer rates. (And if they supported such performance, it would add considerably to their cost to the consumer.) These include:
They operate at the two lower data-transfer rates of either 1.5 Mb/s or 12 Mb/s. Contact Us: infogate@comcast.net |
Tip-1Build your own home mobile system with a laptop docking station Tip-2Upgrade your laptop to wireless internet laptop Tip-3Build your own laptop gaming system |
you return, you can plug the
replicator into your laptop and at the same time connect
all the devices that you want your laptop to support.
Iogear - GUH174 - 4-port USB Slimline MicroHub