Belkin's 802.11n Network USB Hub provides wireless access to accessories

Belkin's well-versed in both the 802.11n and wireless hub arena, so it's about time the firm's engineers put one and one together and cranked out a Network USB Hub. The all black device looks awfully similar to another newfangled 802.11n device floating around, but does manage to take its WiFi abilities to another level by adding in five USB 2.0 ports (two in the front, a trio in the back) so consumers can attach their DAPs, PMPs, iPods, printers, heating devices external storage, and whatever else they feel like accessing remotely. Essentially, the Linux-based device will purportedly allow users to access the connected peripherals sans wires thanks to a software suite that will come bundled in, and for those wondering about a release date, a Windows-compatible version should hit US shelves around June for $130, while UK / OS X users must wait a few extra months to get in on the fun.

[Joe @ Apr 16th 2007 6:34PM]

Because that doesn't look anything like a certain fruit companys wireless pre-n router just painted black.

[Edward K. @ Apr 16th 2007 7:40PM]

my thoughts precisely.

[Josef F @ Apr 16th 2007 11:46PM]

OMG!! It's got rounded corners! Copy-cat! Copy-cat!

[William Heise @ May 18th 2007 3:09AM]

Just look at the general shape. It says Apple all over it. Use either the Mac Mini, or the mentioned 802.11n wireless router. Like Apple's router, it has a clean exterior. Apple' router: no external antennas. Belkin's 802.11n router has a group of 3 external antennas. Even though NetGear does not follow the shap, they followed the no external antennas.

[Steve Shickles @ Apr 16th 2007 6:40PM]

This is nice... Belkin is making some good things.

[Keaton @ Apr 16th 2007 7:47PM]

If this thing could share a scanner I might have to smack myself and get one....

[Gene @ Apr 16th 2007 8:23PM]

You can connect a USB hub to the Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station and connect several printers, usb enclosures, and such as well.

[bobartig @ Apr 17th 2007 12:51AM]

This is distinctly different from the Airport Extreme in that this is a USB extender, as opposed to a USB server.

The Airport Extreme accepts USB hard drives and printers. The airport communicates with the drives and printer, making them available by running services on the airport itself. If you plug in a device that the airport doesn't understand (that is anything besides a USB hard drive, printer, or hub), nothing happens.

This belkin device (presumably) works just like plugging a USB device into your computer. You plug in any device that your computer can comprehend, and it talks directly to it as if it were plugged in.

[William Heise @ May 18th 2007 3:33AM]

But no scanner.

[TusculumGolfer @ Apr 16th 2007 11:02PM]

the main advantage this has over the airport extreme is the fact it might have version 2 of n. The airport extreme is running on draft-n and there is no guarantee that it will work with the final version release.

[fm @ Apr 17th 2007 12:17AM]

The price is just ridiculous! $80 sounds like a good price for this. Ofcourse $130 is msrp so I'll have to wait and see the actual retail price. But if the price is palatable I'll def get it.

[johnny @ Apr 17th 2007 1:59AM]

thats cool, but if you go through the effort of plugging it in the hub why not your computer? i guess some laptop and desktop set-ups would benefit but... not to mention who has wireless n? and with the style of todays laptops no one will want to have some bulky light-up thing hanging off the side. as negative as this sound that is so cool, and if i didn't have those reasons i might spend some bday money on it, maybe.


that is so cool and this the right direction, i hate using the stupid usb ports, never are two the same, always flipped and rotated, very annoying.

[murray @ Apr 17th 2007 4:05PM]

"but if you go through the effort of plugging it in the hub why not your computer?"

Because this means you can get devices and cables away from your workstation. For example, I would use this to move my printer and maybe my external drives to another table in my office, thus making my desk less cluttered. It would make access to the drives slow, though.

[Naveen @ Apr 17th 2007 3:01AM]

nice.

Anyone know of alternatives to belkins offering that they've tried or seen. Something more price competitive maybe.

[mattclarkie @ Apr 17th 2007 4:49AM]

So if I plug my Windows printer into this thing it will recognise it as a networked printer the same as if it was connected to a second PC on my network.

If it does great, but I wish it was Netgear, never had anything but problems with Belkin devices. But hey, if it is the same price as a wireless print server £60 then I may get it, I am tired of my USB devices snaking behind my pc(well there's 1, but if I convince myself there are loads I can justify the cost of this thing)

[William Heise @ May 18th 2007 3:33AM]

Also if you have more than one computer system, this sounds like the best idea to connect all USB devices to the network, making them all useful to the whole system.

[glennr @ Apr 19th 2007 5:59PM]

You can plug anything in to the hub and all the computers on your network can connect to it like they are wired to that computer. Yes! scanners and multi-function printers will work too. There is a little software program that makes the computers think the devices are plugged into the computer. They use the devices drivers. They are not "network devices".

Think of it this way, If you have a laptop and a desktop computer you can share all devices plugged into this hub wirelessly from any where in the house. No more emailing documents to you desktop to print. Also, these devices are plugged into the router, they are not shared through another computer. So another computer doesn't need to be on to use the devices.

I hope that helps!

[Danolo @ Jun 11th 2007 5:11PM]

Will this little box support my external sound card? I have an in-car setup where my 5.1 external card does all the processing for my 3500 watt system...

I'd use one of Linksys' solutions, but I don't want to add on an external 5.1 processor.

I'm looking for something that will support that kind of consistent data stream...