Comments on: Belkin Network USB Hub Review

By: lwsmiser

lwsmiser — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:21:21 +0000

I am presently using the Belkin wireless usb network hub and have successfully connected my Logitech Orbit MP camera, Aiptek 1200U dizital pad, Epson Perfection 2480 Photo scanner, and HP Photosmart 510A printer and share them with three computers on my home network. However, I am the only one who uses them except on rare occasions and can easily switch to a different computer. This allows me to scan documents form any computer simply by releasing the device and access as required form another computer.
I see that this would be facilitated with multiple users if a protocol were set up to only connect when needed, relasing the device after completion of a task and minimizing the inconvience of a one user at a time limitation.
I have not yet tried using a usb hard drive. I would think that the speed of access to the hard drive would be facilitated by a gigabit network and wireless n speed. It seems that a direct wired network drive would be a better solution.
Newer printers have built-in wireless servers (HP J6480 for example) and do not need the hub to be shared. My other printer, HP8750, is hard wired and works without being assigned to a single user.

By: dipstick

dipstick — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:46:24 +0000

this is fine if you just use it with a printer.
dont event think about trying to backup your pc to it or try to copy large volumes of data - it just gives up and any connection to the pc drops. very poor would not recommend it.

By: P Reed

P Reed — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:30:47 +0000

The Wireless USB Hub? Check here:
http://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5U302&aid=9128&scid=0
As for the Network USB Hub discussed here, check:
http://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5L009&aid=8547&scid=0

As for me, I instead went with the SX-2000WG USB 2.0 High-Speed Wireless Device Server from Silex America. It’s been working great so far with my MAC Leopard and Vista OS’es. Synching my iPhone, TomTom GPS, and Logitech universal remote is too slow through the device, bit my HP printers and LaCie hard drives are working flawlessly.

By: eddie

eddie — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:59:34 +0000

Can someone help??
Hi I just purchased a basic laptop with no cd drive available.. and would like to know if anyone knows a website where I can download the program to install available download information for the belkin wireless usb hub to work on this new computer….??

By: P Reed

P Reed — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:10:08 +0000

Whew - I was just about to purchase this for my MacBook Air. Luckily I downloaded and tried running the install first, got that same error right off the bat, and then saw this post. So, are there any updates? The 10.5 driver out there on Belkin is dated 04/22/08 - more than 6 months old now, so should I just assume we’re all SOL?

By: Jo Dohl

Jo Dohl — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:38:54 +0000

A least there is some comfort seeing other people sharing my struggle. There is a Mac OSX 10.5 Driver on the Belkin Support download page. Does it work? Nope! The install crashes with the error message “Installation Failed: The following installation step failed: Run preinstall script for Belkin Network USB Hub Control Center”.

Does Belkin customer support respond within their stated 72 hours? Nope. Are there chances I will recommend Belkin products to my friends and dear ones? Make your guesses.

Anyone out there being able to squeeze some useful Mac OSX 10.5 information out of Belkin?

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:11:50 +0000

My Logiteck Orbit MP works fine from the Belkin USB Network Hub as well as my HP 512 photosmart printer and my Epson perfection 2480 PHOTO scanner. Had no problems running any of these devices from my tabletops running XP and Vista Ultimate or laptop with Vista Home.

By: Art

Art — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:45:39 +0000

Does is have drivers for Win 2000 Server? Control center won;t install and can’t get it to see any printers.

Also, like others, even though drivers installed won’t work on my Macbook OSX V4 over wireless connection.

Thanks for any suggestions.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:25:48 +0000

I had been using an F5L009 since October 2007. This product looks great and works well under Windows XP. I had been successfully sharing a printer over a WiFi network with the XP and a MacBook.

However, in June of 2008 I retired my XP and now have an iMac running OSX Leopard. Upon installing the latest Belkin Mac OSX 10.5 software dated 04/08, I get a note that mentions the file SXUPTP is not loaded! What? I can see it on my hard drive, but the software doesn’t.

The Belkin script-reading, different time zone, on the other side of the world tech support is useless. They suggest you uninstall the Belkin driver and download the latest driver for a Silex America SX-2000WG network USB hub! The Silex OSX 10.5 driver has not been updated since 10/07!

Belkin, get your act together and give us a Mac OSX 10.5 driver that works!

By: Sher

Sher — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:50:38 +0000

I was wondering the same thing on this one. I have to find out which version of Linux put on but I need it for my PC. Right now, my laptop which is Windows XP is connected to a wireless number pad and my Epson all in one through the hub. I was hoping to attach my PC so I don’t have to connect/disconnect the printer all the time between laptop and PC.

By: bob

bob — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:33:51 +0000

actually i have returned it but it is also the only and “best” one the market so im going to go buy another one and hopefully i can get it to work. i would really like any solutions.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:15:53 +0000

@bob I would just return this thing. I tried and tried to get it to work with my printer and it just would not work. save yourself the hasle and just return it.

By: bob

bob — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:33:04 +0000

Hey I bought the belkin wireless usb hub for connecting my external hdd. Installed software no problems. Added it to live one cares exceptions list, so no firewalls in the way. Running vista btw. I hooked up my hdd it appeared in the little window, but would not connect. Only assistance provided by help was possible firewall blockage. Lame and weak support really needs improvement. Any other solutions. Don’t tell me to disable firewalls, because it is not that. It’s also not the hdd I have tried other usb devices same problem. Even thing as simple as a thumb drive. Any help would be appriciated.

By: mitch

mitch — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:23:38 +0000

I have just got,a belkin wireless usb hub 4-port and have two problems (1) webcam and headset wont work as any one got any ideas how to fix this problem
thanks MITCH

By: Lerrina

Lerrina — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:35:15 +0000

Hi,

I ran across your web page as I was searching for a way to print from my laptop without being connected to a printer. I have done this for the past three years via a wireless home network (printer connected to my desktop - laptop talked to desktop via wireless home computer network).

However, I have just installed a wireless (WRT54G) router for Internet access. It has effectively shut down my home wireless network - in other words I can no longer get the two computers to talk to each other but only to the new internet wireless router.

I called Linksys, but they said the problem is not related to the new router - directly. They told me to contact Microsoft. In other words - it sounds like a run-around.

So I decided to do a bit of searching on my own. In so doing, I ran across your review of the 5 port USB hub. Being someone computer illiterate (I only know enough to make me dangerous without good helpers), I must admit this sounds like it might be the answer to my problem. However, I am not sure.

If this could work, I would like to hook up two printers and an external hard drive to this USB hub. If I understand correctly, I would then be able to print (via wireless) to the printers which are connected and send / retrieve information from my external hard drive. Is this correct?

If so, I have one more challenge to overcome. I have an older (but excellent) Laser printer which has the old style plug in (not a USB). Do they make an adapter so I can plug this printer into a USB port? If so, would this hub handle this?

I REALLY appreciate your help on this. Obviously I am a bit puzzled. But, I need to overcome this unexpected problem so I can get on with business.

THANK YOU!

Lerrina

By: DT

DT — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:29:52 +0000

Help, bought the F5L009 last night. Hooked it up to my Belkin Pre-N router and ran the intallation software on my HP labtop. I’m trying to run my Epson R220 printer. The printer runs great directly plugged in the Labtop, but the hub nor the printer device shows up in the USB hub control center. I looked up the XP device manager and it is not listed. Odd thing is iI think it shows up in my local network under “My Network Places” listing “Network USB Hub (BK11CD0A)”, or is that my router?

I had a choice of staying with Belkin or purchasing a Linksys’s printer hub. Same price. Did I make a mistake?

By: Brewster

Brewster — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:17:48 +0000

I purchased the F5L009 Network USB Hub last weekend. No problem at all getting my Canon 8400F scanner to work but I cannot get my HP Photosmart 7550 to print.

The control center recognizes the printer. If I pause the print queue and then print a document from wordpad, it shows up in the queue. When I resume print the port column in the que is briefly populated with the port name for the printer, DOT4_001.

Then, everything clears as though it printed … but no output shows up in the printer

Can anyone here help me out?

By: Orangejelly

Orangejelly — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:14:20 +0000

can i run a webcam off it? my kids like dancing to music and seeing themselves on screen, i have the microsoft lifecam vx-1000

By: A_Liseinwonderland

A_Liseinwonderland — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:42:52 +0000

There is a driver available for MACs.
http://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5L009&aid=8547&scid=1

They currently do not support Leopard. The MAC driver supports up to Tiger 10.4.

By: Jeff Watts

Jeff Watts — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:29:26 +0000

I bought this last night at best buy. I installed everything on one of my pcs. But I am unable to get my external harddrive to connect to this hub. Am I doing something wrong? I see it on my wirless network but when I click on the device it shows the hd but says not connected. What dod I need to do to connect to the hard drive?