Belkin Network USB Hub gets official

Right on cue, Belkin has coughed up the official details surrounding the Network USB Hub that we saw last month. As expected, this five-port USB hub will "work with your existing WiFi router to give you wireless access to printers, media readers, and external hard drives by simulating a direct USB connection that makes your computer think that the devices on the network are directly attached to the computer." Moreover, we now know that "special caching techniques" will enable high-speed USB devices to be supported along with isochronous transfers at full speed. The F5L009 is still on track for a June release here in the US, with launches in Asia, Europe, and, Australia to "follow soon," and while Windows users won't have any qualms trying to best the purported "three minute setup time" that this thing promises, OS X users will be pouting 'til September waiting for drivers. Click on through for one last shot.

[steve @ May 15th 2007 9:21AM]

looks like a black apple TV to me

[jjkhg jkhk @ May 15th 2007 9:49AM]

Do you think a 3g usb device could work with this router?

[xxdesmus @ May 15th 2007 9:57AM]

I gotta admit this thing sounds quite useful, and it looks quite sexy (and totally nothing like the Apple TV).

[hmurchison @ May 15th 2007 10:19AM]

What are you blind? A square with rounded edges looks very much like an Apple TV.

[xxdesmus @ May 15th 2007 10:25AM]

clearly nothing else is square in shape. Apple must have "invented" the square now...how convenient.

[blueeyesm @ May 15th 2007 10:07AM]

I wonder how long it will take before it is modified at the firmware level, a la the Linksys NSLU2?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSLU2

[gary @ May 15th 2007 10:28AM]

yes, a slice of bread also resembles the apple tv

[Nick @ May 15th 2007 1:53PM]

obviously you are too blinded by your hatred of a company to realize it is similar in form especially with the similar placement of the little power light. Who cares it looks similar that doesnt mean its a bad product. Apple haters get so defensive over nothing.

Im definately looking forward to the release of this. Nice design and nice functionality. Hopefully it delivers what it promises.

[anonymous @ May 15th 2007 10:31AM]

HOLY CANALONIES! a toaster looks like 4 Apple TVs stacked...

[TusculumGolfer @ May 15th 2007 10:40AM]

I like the idea of the product, but i think that it should include the wireless router in it. I hate that you have to buy it and a router. I mean apple has there's all in the same type package, why can't they, especially for something more than $100.

[dub @ May 15th 2007 11:11AM]

I figure most folks who would be interested in something like this already have a wireless router...

What I'm interested in is if this thing can work on a regular wired network (looks like it should). Most of the rooms in my house are networked and I'd like to setup a USB webcam in our nursery, but all our PC's are in our office. So far the only network USB hubs I've found are in the $250-$300+ price range, but at $129 (or less) this Belkin unit could certainly fit the bill for what I'm wanting to do.

[hmurchison @ May 15th 2007 11:28AM]

No one is saying Apple invented the freaking rounded square . They're just amazed that you don't see the coincidence.

Back on topic I like the idea about networked USB. I need to see it working with %100 reliability before I spend the money to go untethered.

[William Heise @ May 18th 2007 3:08AM]

They advertise it as being the same footprint of the Mac Mini. So take it from there.

I also have been looking for a Network USB2 device like this that will work with a Mac. I guess I'll have to wait until September. That probably means that the needed drivers will be included with the new Mac OS 10.5.

I may need 2 of them because of the location of my USB equipment.

Bill the TaxMan

[Jean-Michel Decombe @ May 15th 2007 11:56AM]

Yes!!! I was just bitching on Macintouch the other day that I couldn't scan wirelessly through my Airport Network with a conventional scanner since it required direct USB connection. I'm buying...

[wargarurumon @ May 15th 2007 11:56AM]

without the top it looks very familiar to me

[Greenline @ May 15th 2007 11:59AM]

Why couldn't they make this work for OSX right away, someone will create a patch I am sure. What is the cost of it going to be? Anyone know? What about security?

[Stephan @ May 15th 2007 12:12PM]

Any idea on Linux, oh wait that would be once someone is able to hack the drivers, I am so sad.

[Jeff Foster @ May 15th 2007 12:51PM]

i do think it's funny that something that looks so distinctly like a black Apple TV (or airport extreme-n) wouldn't have drivers for the Mac until september.

i sort of fail to the the utility for this though... what scenario would make it useful? ...a home office? i mean how much better is it than just network-attached storage or a print server? these things are cheap... so, er, i just kinda don't see the benefit (but i don't have to share one scanner with 6 computers or anything silly like that.)

[elnino2783 @ May 15th 2007 1:13PM]

To Jeff Foster:

I'm, guessing you don't see the utility to a stationary computer like a desktop. For someone with a laptop, this means you can take your computer all around the house with out having to worry about carrying your printer/external harddrive/external burner, like I would. It also allows you to have control of any clutter that may arrise from having so many external components like I do when I have to print something. For the most part, I leave my printer in my closet because I'm not always using it, but with wireless access, I can place it in my bedroom and print from one of my other rooms that I spend more time in with my laptop.

[elnino2783 @ May 15th 2007 1:16PM]

To Jeff Foster:
I'm, guessing you don't see the utility to a stationary computer like a desktop. For someone with a laptop, this means you can take your computer all around the house without having to worry about carrying your printer/external harddrive/external burner, like I would. It also allows you to have control of any clutter that may arise from having so many external components like I do when I have to print something. For the most part, I leave my printer in my closet because I'm not always using it, but with wireless access, I can place it in my bedroom and print from one of my other rooms that I spend more time in with my laptop.

[Jeff Foster @ May 15th 2007 1:35PM]

I have an old G4 sitting in my livingroom with all my accessories attached (DVD burners, extra HDs, printer, etc.) and all are already accessible via the wireless network... i suppose people who only have a laptop, and no other computers, or no office, or something... may need this. I guess it just has no utility for me, but i also don't really know anyone else who would really benefit from it.

whatever. as far as i'm concerned, all devices that have any utility for anyone (no matter how limited the audience) has its place somewhere in the market. :)

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

I have 2 locations for my USB2 equipment. I can use the more distant one much easier by connecting with an Ethernet connection, then attaching the USB device to the USB2 hub part of the device. My printers are already all Ethernet. I have a NAS drive also. So this just is one more part of the system. Now to do the same thing with FireWire.

Bill the TaxMan

[DaveTheWave @ May 15th 2007 3:00PM]

If I can use this with my plextor video capture hardware, that would be GREAT!!!

[PunkRokAdrenalin @ May 15th 2007 3:48PM]

I don't see why people are complaining that it looks like an Apple TV. I mean at least this way my living room will have som uniformity and not just a bunch of randome shaped equipment towering over me. haha it is what it is no use in crying about it

[JayK @ May 15th 2007 4:14PM]

Crud - I put my appleTV in my toaster.

[Tracey @ May 16th 2007 3:19AM]

I just hope it arrives in Australia soon. I can't wait to "cut" the cables to my external drives and printer. My cats will have less to chew too!

As for what it looks like, I could care less - it's not like it's going to be a centrepiece or anything. If it works, I'm happy.

[Galley @ May 16th 2007 9:22AM]

This would make a very nice addition to my Belkin N1 802.11n router (pictured above).

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

But why did they just use a 10/100 BT ethernet connection. Since they are marketing it with their 902.11n wireless router, it seems the the added speed would be needed? This is just my question.

[Crispin @ May 19th 2007 4:55AM]

I'm looking for something like this because the fumes given off by electronic equipment (laptop etc) make me ill. So I want to put all my gear (printer, pc, hdd) in a box with a digital projector & sit where I like in the room with just keyboard, mouse, USB Wacom graphics tablet, microphone & possibly my USB DVD drive & USB webcam. Net access is fixed at the moment. Any suggestions?

[Evan @ May 21st 2007 9:08PM]

How many Wi-fi routers (consumer grade or otherwise) exist that can sustain 480Mbps, let alone at any distance?

This seems wishful. I hope I am proven wrong, but then again this is Belkin.

[Yolee @ Jun 16th 2007 6:13AM]

what I am looking for is a Network USB hub that will work as a standalone to add external hard drives without needing to have my computer connected. I have a Dlink 520 media lounge and am wondering if it would work through it in order to access my movies and music wihtout my laptop.

[DaPhatty @ Jun 21st 2007 5:25PM]

I picked this up yesterday at a Circuit City in Daly City CA (Near Serramonte Mall). They only had two of them and the boxes didn't even have a sign. In fact, they were off to the side below some generic USB/Firewire cards.

Anyhow, I've only been able to test this device a little bit and I have to say the results are mixed. Dropping it on the network and configuring was fairly easy with the included software. However, my first disappointment was its inability to work with a Western Digital 2.5" Passport USB Drive. These drives receive their power via the USB cable. Unfortunately, the Belkin device immediately disconnected the WD Passport when I attempted to access it. The Belkin software claimed "too much power" was being used by the Passport.

Another annoyance I've found is a claim in the Belkin's manual that only one connection per device can be made at a time. This makes me quite nervous since the whole point of the device is to SHARE printers and drives on a network. What is the point if I can't have two computers sending a print job to the same printer? Admittedly, I still have more testing to do but the fact that Belkin included this info as a warning in their manual doesn't make me confident

[Pedro @ Jun 25th 2007 9:53AM]

After trying many different print servers, this one seems to me to be the best. I just hooked it up to my home network, installed the software and in a matter of minutes I was printing and accessing my NAS drives. Extremely cool. All this with a single device. Can't get any better than this.

I highly recommend it.

[thejMull @ Jun 20th 2007 11:18AM]

So this is out now? Where did you get it? I can't find it anywhere.

[Pedro @ Jun 25th 2007 9:57AM]

I purchased it at Best Buys.

[Eric @ Jul 10th 2007 2:39PM]

I see that only XP and Vista are officially supported. Has anyone tried to get this working with a Windows 2000 system?

[Abhishek Shrivastava @ Jul 23rd 2007 12:50AM]

I brought this device today, it worked just fine with my VISTA laptops & XP. I dint realize it wont work with my MAC PRO. Damn, the whole purpose of having this device look useless. I wanted to share my External storage and Printer with Apple & Windows in the network. This devices looked very promising. If any of you are using Boot Camp knows the pain of sharing file with NTFS file system. I think Belkin SHOULD release the MAC Driver ASAP.

for now the search continues to find other reliable product.. may be linksys router with storage link or some wifi printer hub...what ever works with Apple + Windows...