TOPIC:

I have the following question. I want to connect my music HDD to the USB port of my SHD. I also need to connect a WiFi adapter to the SHD to connect to the local WiFi network, but the SHD has only one USB host port ... I see two potential solutions: use a 2+ port USB adapter and plug the music HDD plus the WiFi dongle into it. Question is will that work, will the SHD see both?
Other possible solution: use the miniDSP Wi-DG WiFi bridge, and connect it to the SHD via a short ethernet cable. Question is that it is not clear from the documentation whether the Wi-DG ethernet port can be used in this way, or whether it is just an alternative to the wireless connection to the network.

Anybody has more info about these issues? Or maybe another solution?

Jan Didden

Wi-DG can't stream, so not very useful. I sold mine.
I believe USB hubs work fine but haven't tried that.

Thanks, yes I was afraid of that. I also thought about getting a small wireless router and connect the SHD to it via Ethernet.
That frees up de USB host for HDD music drive.
Too bad I can't use that Amazon dial then.

Jan

I have used this wifi-bridge from TP-Link successfully on many occasions where the normal wifi was not, connecting the SHD to the ethernet port of the bridge. Costs below €25. 
You may  (probably not, it's small) have noticed it on the DAE in the corner of our room. I also use it whenever I need to quickly connect some device wired on the rare places in the Juoigâ HQ where wired network is not near.

Good to know! Thanks.
When I have received my SHD, I probably will also test a USB hub, to see if that works.
Unless someone here knows the outcome of that already.

Jan

minidsp confirmed USB hubs work elsewhere.

That's great! Do you per chance have a link to that statement?

Jan

I won't link because it was one comment of a 47 page awful mess of a thread on ASR.

I think I've been reading the same thread and gave up

Jan

I had a WI-DG and never could get it to work.  In any case it doesn't allow audio, it only talks to the SHD GUI on your PC.

I did receive my Flex/Digital, ready to roar!
But I'm confused about using a USB hub. The Flex has a USB B (square) connector, which peforms double duty for either control (from PC) or streaming audio input.
I wanted to use a USB hub here so I don't need to constantly plug/unplug cables.
But! I can't find any USB hub with that particular connection. I found some manually switched 2-port USB B adapters , but nothing automagically as we are used from USB hubs.
Does anyone know a solution? Or is this simply not possible?

Jan

The house shaped port will be on the INPUT of your USB hub, fed from upstream.  I use an extension from laptop --> normal USB hub placed alongside SHD.  From the hub to the SHD you need an old school USB printer cable, with the usual A connector at the hub and the house shaped one (is it B??) for the SHD.