I often have problems with USB hubs. In order to avoid stringing smaller ones together, I bought one with sixteen ports. I can turn each port on and off individually, and it plugs into 110v. The problem is that it occasionally loses contact, and my devices don't work. My cordless mouse stopped working, so I plugged the mouse transmitter into the computer, using up one of the two free front ports.

I originally had the 16-port hub plugged into a smaller hub, and it worked fine for a few days. But then, I got that constant beep-beep when a device connects and disconnects. Right now, it's plugged into the computer via a USB extension cord - another weak point.

So many devices require a USB connection, but they come with very short cables, so connecting them to a computer - if you have a dozen or more ports - isn't possible. Extension cords are a definite weak point. When I lose contact on one of my hubs, I have to unplug a re-plug the extension cord.

You can't tell the quality by appearance or price, so it's a guessing game. I have a cheap Amazon Basics four-port hub that has always worked fine, provided it gets a good signal from the other hub through the extension cord.

USB hubs are so important that they should be better and easier to us.

FYI - I need three ports for external backup drives, four for printers, one each for kbd and mouse, a light over my monitor. That's ten, and there are probably other devices I'm forgetting. By the way, labeling both ends of each cable is a fantastic timesaver. I use a label maker to do that.

So, as I prepared for bed last evening, I searched for my cell phone and could not find it. It has happened before, so I simply dialed my cell phone number from my land line and waited for the familiar ring tone that identified its location. Well, there was no ring. After looking in my car, searching familiar locations, and trying the ring tone approach several times again, I went into panic mode. You see, I need my phone next to my bed at night to monitor my pacemaker that submits a report to my cardiologist daily, somewhere around 2:00 AM. It also sits on my recharging stand to refresh the battery as a secondary necessity. So, it's late in the evening, I'm ready for bed, and I'm stressed out over the lost phone. As I try to fall asleep, I rehash my activities of the day and possible locations I might have lost the phone, and where I was at with the phone in my hand as a last recollection. I decided it must be at the VA, where I had my appointment with Father Dave, Catholic Chaplin and spiritual leader for Veterans in Northeast Indiana. I had a restless night, constantly waking up deliberating my predicament and potential outcomes, disgusted with myself for being so careless, and dreading a sleep deprived continuation of my problem at sunrise. I got up earlier than usual, did my morning routine in the bathroom, made breakfast and fed the cat, and then called my cell phone only to hear the familiar ring tone go unanswered. I thought about my prior day with Father Dave, remembered I had the phone in hand inside the Chapel prior to our spiritual meeting, and concluded that I may have inadvertently left the phone on a black covered chair that matched the matt finish of my phone cover on the iPhone 8 I have owned for years. Well, I made the hour drive to the regional VA, walked quickly through the waiting area and check-in compartments, down the hallway to the Chapel. Opening the door to an empty chapel I quickly went to the rear when our meeting was held, stared at the black chairs as I approached, and there, almost completely blended into the seat covering was my face down I phone, resting in peace in a place of worship. Relief was an understatement, as my stress level returned to normal, and I was relieved to recover the misplaced Phone. Being in a house of worship I thanked the Lord for his help, slipped a few bucks in the collection box, and returned to my car for the journey home. So, the lesson I learned is that there are three important pieces of personal property a person must constantly be aware of when out and about: Wallet, Cell Phone, and car keys.