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Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 8th 18, 06:57 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Yes[_2_]
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Posts: 105
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

I have an Antec 300 Illusion case. There are two USB 2.0 connector
ports on the front. I'm thinking that I may want to upgrade them to
USB 3.0.

Has anyone upgraded USB 2 ports on a chassis to USB 3? I'd like to get
some idea of what would need to be done. I could, of course, add a USB
3.0 hub instead, but it'd be nice to keep down the amount of clutter on
my desk.

Thanks,

John
  #2  
Old June 8th 18, 10:01 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Flasherly[_2_]
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Posts: 2,407
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

On Fri, 8 Jun 2018 17:57:32 -0000 (UTC), "Yes"
wrote:

I have an Antec 300 Illusion case. There are two USB 2.0 connector
ports on the front. I'm thinking that I may want to upgrade them to
USB 3.0.

Has anyone upgraded USB 2 ports on a chassis to USB 3? I'd like to get
some idea of what would need to be done. I could, of course, add a USB
3.0 hub instead, but it'd be nice to keep down the amount of clutter on
my desk.

Thanks,

John


An extension cable for the 4 more signal pins than USB2. Presuming
the KISS principle and a couple backplane ports.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-.../dp/B00NH12O5I

You'll need a MB equipped with USB3 headers to cable a similar setup,
similarly dangling out of where your case USB2 headers, if not a
replacement then presently used on front USB3 paneled cases.

I'd figured for the first but hadn't looked it up. For my purposes 3M
is far too long, suspecting Ebay may have something in my range for a
tenth the price.

Clutter as horror is subject to relevancy given peculiar viewpoint. I
personally like consoles, for instance, with a long gangway and a
chair to roll around Command Central. Nothing being no more secured
or tightened down than it really need be, most of all then for easy
accessibility plucking, of course, where one other than Maintenance
actually matters.
  #3  
Old June 8th 18, 10:31 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
VanguardLH[_2_]
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Posts: 1,453
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

Yes wrote:

I have an Antec 300 Illusion case. There are two USB 2.0 connector
ports on the front. I'm thinking that I may want to upgrade them to
USB 3.0.

Has anyone upgraded USB 2 ports on a chassis to USB 3? I'd like to get
some idea of what would need to be done. I could, of course, add a USB
3.0 hub instead, but it'd be nice to keep down the amount of clutter on
my desk.


The problem is getting the case mounting ports that fit that case. The
USB port may not have its own bracket with tangs to snap into a hole in
the case. Rather it will be soldered onto a PCB that is positioned
behind the case.

http://i53.tinypic.com/2ik886t.jpg
My guess (since I couldn't find an inside view of that spot inside the
case) is there is one PCB that has the USB ports, audio jacks, and LED
soldered onto it and the wires run from the PCB.

Do you have any spare drive bays? If so, you can get a drive bay hub
that has one, or more, USB3 ports, like:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16820223120
That adds 2 USB3 ports, 4 USB2 ports, an eSATA connection, and a card
reader. This one only had an average rating so you might want to hunt
around for other choices. If you have no spare SATA ports on the mobo
then the eSATA connector in this drive hub would be dead. Same if you
don't have any spare USB2 headers on the mobo.

Sometimes there are USB2 headers on the mobo that are unused. You could
connect those to this drive bay hub along with the USB3 header on the
mobo. If your mobo only has USB2 headers then the mobo has no USB3
support which means you'll have to add a USB3 daughtercard. Some USB3
cards have an internal USB3 connector you could use to go to the USB
drive hub; however, often the internal USB connector is shared with one
of the external USB ports on that card.

You mention the case but not the motherboard, so no idea what you'll
have to do to add USB3 support. No mention of what USB headers are
already used on the mobo. If the mobo has it, run an unused USB3 header
on the mobo to the USB drive hub. If not, you'll have to add a USB3
daughtercard which will already give you USB3 external ports on the
backside. If you get one with a USB3 internal port then you can move
one of the backside (shared) USB3 ports to the front-facing USB drive
hub.
  #4  
Old June 8th 18, 11:49 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Paul[_28_]
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Posts: 1,467
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

Yes wrote:
I have an Antec 300 Illusion case. There are two USB 2.0 connector
ports on the front. I'm thinking that I may want to upgrade them to
USB 3.0.

Has anyone upgraded USB 2 ports on a chassis to USB 3? I'd like to get
some idea of what would need to be done. I could, of course, add a USB
3.0 hub instead, but it'd be nice to keep down the amount of clutter on
my desk.

Thanks,

John


Since you want your new USB3 ports on the
front, you will need a USB 5.25" tray for the
front of the computer, plus the extension cable
that leads to a 20 pin header on a USB3 add-in
PCI Express card.

This is a picture of a USB3 card and chip, where
the chip supports four USB3 ports. The bandwidth
is shared, so if all ports are used at the same
time, the bandwidth on each is 1/4 of 5Gbits/sec.
They refuse to make all the ports internal ones,
and by buying a four port card, we get two
internal ports to use.

https://cc.cnetcontent.com/inlinecon...f/original.jpg

Now, on the part facing you, are two connectors.

The SATA 15p on the left, optionally provides
+5V power to the ports. Even though a PCIe card
has 3.3V and 12V pins on the edge card, it's still
able to deliver a small amount of DC power as +5V
to the ports on its own. Adding the SATA 15p increases
the total amps available. Most likely, you could
only "charge stuff" via this port, while the
computer is running. If you plan on running
really heavy loads on the ports, connect up
a SATA 15p for additional power.

The connector on the right, is the internal
wiring header. The USB3 defacto standard is a
20 pin header carrying two USB3 ports. The
actual USB3 connector has 9 contacts, and the
tenth contact could be an extra ground or something.
The 20 pin "pin header" has room for two USB3
interfaces. The normal practice in the industry,
is to use one pin location as a "key" so the
connector cannot be installed wrong. So if one
pin is missing or blocked, that's its purpose,
to provide keying for alignment.

Now, on the front of the computer, we need something
like this, only the "tray version".

https://www.amazon.com/Kingwin-Split.../dp/B010NTIGNU

That's a female USB3 20 pin internal, to two USB3
nine pin connectors. The cable on that one,
is delightfully short.

One problem is, the "extra margin" designs. They want
to throw a hub chip into the tray, so they can raise the
price. So as soon as you see four ports on a tray, there's
an extra hub in the path. It uses one of the ports on
the 20 pin, and forks that to four connectors.

https://www.amazon.com/4-Ports-Metal...dp/B013QSTWIS/

This one is cheap, but still isn't a tray mount. This looks
like "good starting materials" for a home-brew tray design.

https://www.amazon.com/MMNNE-20-pin-.../dp/B01MXGQZFI

I'd probably make a fake tray with a chunk of plywood
and a couple computer case sliders, then bolt that
crap bracket to the front of it.

Note that the bracket in that case, does have two
screws. And if you remove the bracket, you'll find
an assembly that can be bolted to a sheet metal
tray you assemble yourself. For example, I have
a metalwork "nibbling tool" I got at RadioShack
years ago, which can be used to cut nice clean
rectangular holes in bodywork aluminum. So I could
make a clean looking tray solution with stuff in
the shop.

Paul
  #5  
Old June 9th 18, 07:54 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Peter Johnson[_5_]
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Posts: 19
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

On Fri, 08 Jun 2018 18:49:18 -0400, Paul
wrote:

Yes wrote:
I have an Antec 300 Illusion case. There are two USB 2.0 connector
ports on the front. I'm thinking that I may want to upgrade them to
USB 3.0.

Has anyone upgraded USB 2 ports on a chassis to USB 3? I'd like to get
some idea of what would need to be done. I could, of course, add a USB
3.0 hub instead, but it'd be nice to keep down the amount of clutter on
my desk.

Thanks,

John


Since you want your new USB3 ports on the
front, you will need a USB 5.25" tray for the
front of the computer, plus the extension cable
that leads to a 20 pin header on a USB3 add-in
PCI Express card.


Or you could get something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Mailiya-Expan...dp/B01G86538S/
and have the ports at the back.
  #6  
Old June 9th 18, 09:33 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Paul[_28_]
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Posts: 1,467
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

Peter Johnson wrote:
On Fri, 08 Jun 2018 18:49:18 -0400, Paul
wrote:

Yes wrote:
I have an Antec 300 Illusion case. There are two USB 2.0 connector
ports on the front. I'm thinking that I may want to upgrade them to
USB 3.0.

Has anyone upgraded USB 2 ports on a chassis to USB 3? I'd like to get
some idea of what would need to be done. I could, of course, add a USB
3.0 hub instead, but it'd be nice to keep down the amount of clutter on
my desk.

Thanks,

John

Since you want your new USB3 ports on the
front, you will need a USB 5.25" tray for the
front of the computer, plus the extension cable
that leads to a 20 pin header on a USB3 add-in
PCI Express card.


Or you could get something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Mailiya-Expan...dp/B01G86538S/
and have the ports at the back.


Quite true.

But I read the request as being the addition of
USB3 to the front of the computer.

For that, you use either the 20 pin pin header
standard (carries two USB3), or, if you can find
it, some trays use standard USB3 connectors
for the extension cable, and then you need a
USB3 card with standard USB3 connectors on
the inside of the computer. I didn't see any
examples of those when looking, and looping
cables through an open slot on the back of
the computer is an ugly solution.

I added a card just a couple days ago, as you
suggest, to my other machine, but I can do that
because the machine is on a table, and
the front and back connectors on the computer are
equally accessible. I don't need a tray solution
as a result. Many people have computer setups
where only the front top area is accessible,
and any back I/O are well under a desk. I always
keep my computers on tables (to avoid ingesting
stuff at floor level).

Paul
  #7  
Old June 10th 18, 04:07 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
VanguardLH[_2_]
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Posts: 1,453
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

Paul wrote:

But I read the request as being the addition of
USB3 to the front of the computer.


Me, too.

For that, you use either the 20 pin pin header
standard (carries two USB3), or, if you can find
it, some trays use standard USB3 connectors
for the extension cable, and then you need a
USB3 card with standard USB3 connectors on
the inside of the computer. I didn't see any
examples of those when looking, and looping
cables through an open slot on the back of
the computer is an ugly solution.


https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA1DS0DV6321
(I've not used this brand)

Has a 20-pin (only 19 pins needed and provided) for the doubled USB 3
port on the backside (internal) of the card, along with the 2 rear USB3
ports. However, just a PCI-e 1x card. The OP has not yet mentioned if
he has any free PCI-e slots.
  #8  
Old June 10th 18, 06:45 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Paul[_28_]
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Posts: 1,467
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

VanguardLH wrote:
Paul wrote:

But I read the request as being the addition of
USB3 to the front of the computer.


Me, too.

For that, you use either the 20 pin pin header
standard (carries two USB3), or, if you can find
it, some trays use standard USB3 connectors
for the extension cable, and then you need a
USB3 card with standard USB3 connectors on
the inside of the computer. I didn't see any
examples of those when looking, and looping
cables through an open slot on the back of
the computer is an ugly solution.


https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA1DS0DV6321
(I've not used this brand)

Has a 20-pin (only 19 pins needed and provided) for the doubled USB 3
port on the backside (internal) of the card, along with the 2 rear USB3
ports. However, just a PCI-e 1x card. The OP has not yet mentioned if
he has any free PCI-e slots.


That's a good point. I didn't even ask what kind of
motherboard this is. The computer case is 9 years old
(some time in 2009), PCI Express Rev.2 came out in the
year 2007, so it's possible the motherboard has PCIe.
Wiki says Rev.1 came out in the year 2003.

If you absolutely had to use a PCI slot for this,
chances are you wouldn't be able to get the internal
connector for running to a tray. And then you'd need
to loop a cable from outside the machine, back inside
to the back of the tray. There aren't a lot of
bridged cards like that, because the companies
designing them, won't sell a lot, and after
they make a single lot, they likely stop
making them.

Paul
  #9  
Old June 10th 18, 07:58 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
VanguardLH[_2_]
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Posts: 1,453
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

Paul wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Paul wrote:

... and then you need a USB3 card with standard USB3 connectors on
the inside of the computer. I didn't see any examples of those when
looking, and looping cables through an open slot on the back of the
computer is an ugly solution.


https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA1DS0DV6321
(I've not used this brand)

The OP has not yet mentioned if he has any free PCI-e slots.


That's a good point. I didn't even ask what kind of motherboard this
is. The computer case is 9 years old (some time in 2009), PCI Express
Rev.2 came out in the year 2007, so it's possible the motherboard has
PCIe. Wiki says Rev.1 came out in the year 2003.

If you absolutely had to use a PCI slot for this, chances are you
wouldn't be able to get the internal connector for running to a tray.
And then you'd need to loop a cable from outside the machine, back
inside to the back of the tray. There aren't a lot of bridged cards
like that, because the companies designing them, won't sell a lot,
and after they make a single lot, they likely stop making them.


I could look again but the last time (several months ago) when I got
interested in addeding USB3 to an old Acer mobo that only had USB2 and
with all its PCI-e slots used up (either the PCI-e 1x slot was
obstructed by the fat video card or a card in that slot would obstruct
airflow for the GPU's fans), a PCI (non-express) USB3 card ran around
$70, or more. Uffda! No thanks. I only remember the high price for a
PCI USB3 card, not if any had internal USB3 ports (which wasn't what I
was looking for, anyway).
  #10  
Old June 10th 18, 08:13 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Paul[_28_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,467
Default Upgrading USB 2 to USB 3 ports on a computer case

VanguardLH wrote:
Paul wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Paul wrote:

... and then you need a USB3 card with standard USB3 connectors on
the inside of the computer. I didn't see any examples of those when
looking, and looping cables through an open slot on the back of the
computer is an ugly solution.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA1DS0DV6321
(I've not used this brand)

The OP has not yet mentioned if he has any free PCI-e slots.

That's a good point. I didn't even ask what kind of motherboard this
is. The computer case is 9 years old (some time in 2009), PCI Express
Rev.2 came out in the year 2007, so it's possible the motherboard has
PCIe. Wiki says Rev.1 came out in the year 2003.

If you absolutely had to use a PCI slot for this, chances are you
wouldn't be able to get the internal connector for running to a tray.
And then you'd need to loop a cable from outside the machine, back
inside to the back of the tray. There aren't a lot of bridged cards
like that, because the companies designing them, won't sell a lot,
and after they make a single lot, they likely stop making them.


I could look again but the last time (several months ago) when I got
interested in addeding USB3 to an old Acer mobo that only had USB2 and
with all its PCI-e slots used up (either the PCI-e 1x slot was
obstructed by the fat video card or a card in that slot would obstruct
airflow for the GPU's fans), a PCI (non-express) USB3 card ran around
$70, or more. Uffda! No thanks. I only remember the high price for a
PCI USB3 card, not if any had internal USB3 ports (which wasn't what I
was looking for, anyway).


The bridged boards used to be about $20 more than the
non-bridged boards. But since the company making the
bridges got bought out, it's anyones guess as to whether
the new owner pricing will encourage usage of stuff
like that or not.

There is at least one PCIe to USB3 card which is as
expensive as your example card. But the claim to fame
on that add-in card, is it has two USB3 chips for
better bandwidth on two different ports, at the same
time. You could then run, say, two USB3 cameras
at full rate, one connected to each chip. You can
arrange your devices so there is no "sharing".

Paul
 




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