CP Technologies CP-UH-135 USB 2.0 Hub

I needed to pick a small, inexpensive, 2.0-compliant USB hub for myself, and one for any of the users at my job who asked for one. I found one, the “CP Technologies Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Hub”, which is part number CP-UH-135. This worked great with GNU/Linux without any trouble (using Linux 2.6.10 as distributed by Ubuntu), at least at first.

I used this hub without too much trouble for a number of months. Then, one day, I plugged in a very standard PS-2 to USB converter (a cable that takes a standard PS-2 mouse and PS-2 keyboard and makes them show up as USB devices). The hub began to heat up and the smell of burning electronics came from it. After a few weeks, the hub began to generate serious USB errors from the kernel named Linux, and I finally gave up on it. I don't recommend this hub!

Finally, it has one additional annoying drawback for me: the blue LED power light on the side of thing is incredibly distracting. I put a small piece of black tape over it to block it, but it only helped a little. Such a powerful power light on a small device like that is highly annoying. I know geeks are really into these sorts of crazy blue LEDs, but for my part, I always feel like I am about to be assimilated by a funky post-modern Borg.

I am curious if there are any USB hubs out there that are more reliable and don't have annoying lights. I haven't used USB hubs in the past so I don't know if a power LED is common. If you find one, I'd encourage you to buy that one instead of this one. Almost anywhere you put the thing on a desk, the LED catches your eye.