● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact
uhubctl Allows Per-Port USB Power Control on Smart USB Hubs
The uhubctl utility enables control over USB power on a per-port basis for compatible smart USB hubs. This functionality, which may not be supported by all USB hubs, allows for better management of USB device power consumption.
Key points
- uhubctl controls USB port power on smart hubs
- Compatible hubs must support per-port power switching
- Installable via standard package managers for Linux and MacOS
Overview of uhubctl
uhubctl is a utility developed to manage USB power on smart USB hubs that support per-port power switching. The idea originated from inspiration drawn from hub-ctrl.c by developer Niibe Yutaka.
A limitation is that not all USB hubs support this feature, and some models are outdated or difficult to find.
Compatibility with USB Hubs
The utility works with a variety of known compatible USB hubs, though the list is not exhaustive. Users are encouraged to report any functional hubs not listed, including the exact model and output from the utility. This helps maintain an updated compatibility list.
Modern motherboards may have built-in support for this feature, negating the need for an external hub.
Installation of uhubctl
uhubctl is readily available in package managers for various operating systems including MacOS and Linux distributions. Commands to install include 'brew install uhubctl' for MacOS and 'sudo apt install uhubctl' for Ubuntu/Debian.
Users should note that the version from package managers might not be the latest and may require a manual compile from source if they need the newest features.
Power Control Details
The utility has specific behavior for USB hubs connected to USB 3.0 ports, detecting them as separate virtual hubs for USB 2.0 and 3.0. Power management actions must be applied to both virtual hubs for desired effects.
Some hubs may not completely disable power, potentially allowing connected devices to continue charging, which users should be aware of while using the utility.
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Primary sources
GitHub cmc_internal/api GitHub github/collect GitHub mvp/uhubctl GitHub _private/browser GitHub get-started/accessibility GitHub open-source/sponsorsReporting from
The uhubctl utility enables control over USB power on a per-port basis for compatible smart USB hubs. This functionality, which may not be supported by all USB hubs, allows for better management of USB device power consumption.