'multi-function hubs'?

dchmelik

dchmelik

Some years ago I asked FreeBSD IRC if anyone got 'multi-function hubs' working. They're 3.5" to 5.25" PC front bay panels that do things like USB & memory card & eSATA access, audio, fan control, molex power, etc. but the ones that do the most (seven memory card types) seem to only be from Chinese no-name companies on Ebay (or Ali Express, etc.) Chatters said I can check /var/log/messages or do pciconf -lv which neither showed anything but on Slackware GNU/Linux I got the following output (excerpted)... is there any chance something like this has *BSD drivers or being worked on?

Code: 
lshw
           *-usb
                description: USB controller
                product: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]
                vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
                version: 01
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: msi msix pm pciexpress xhci bus_master cap_list
                configuration: driver=xhci_hcd latency=0
                resources: irq:34 memory:fc8a0000-fc8a7fff
              *-usbhost:0
                   product: xHCI Host Controller
                   vendor: Linux 5.18.14 xhci-hcd
                   physical id: 0
                   bus info: usb@1
                   logical name: usb1
                   version: 5.18
                   capabilities: usb-2.00
                   configuration: driver=hub slots=14 speed=480Mbit/s                 *-usb:2
                      description: USB hub
                      product: USB Hub
                      vendor: Alcor Micro Corp.
                      physical id: e
                      bus info: usb@1:e
                      version: 1.00
                      capabilities: usb-2.00
                      configuration: driver=hub maxpower=100mA slots=4 speed=480Mbit/s
                    *-usb:0 UNCLAIMED
                         description: Smart card reader
                         product: EMV Smartcard Reader
                         vendor: Generic
                         physical id: 2
                         bus info: usb@1:e.2
                         version: 1.20
                         capabilities: usb-2.01
                         configuration: maxpower=50mA speed=12Mbit/s
                    *-usb:1
                         description: Mass storage device
                         product: Flash Card Reader/Writer
                         vendor: Generic
                         physical id: 4
                         bus info: usb@1:e.4
                         version: 1.00
                         serial: 058F63666479
                         capabilities: usb-2.00 scsi
                         configuration: driver=usb-storage maxpower=250mA speed=480Mbit/s
hwinfo                         
                         136: USB 00.0: 10a00 Hub
  [Created at usb.122]
  Unique ID: Opph.RCJcL1C9RGA
  Parent ID: k4bc.kNaPe9SZft4
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.1/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-14/1-14:1.0
  SysFS BusID: 1-14:1.0
  Hardware Class: hub
  Model: "Alcor Micro USB Hub"
  Hotplug: USB
  Vendor: usb 0x058f "Alcor Micro Corp."
  Device: usb 0x6254 "USB Hub"
  Revision: "1.00"
  Driver: "hub"
  Driver Modules: "usbcore"
  Speed: 480 Mbps
  Module Alias: "usb:v058Fp6254d0100dc09dsc00dp01ic09isc00ip00in00"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #147 (Hub)
  150: USB 00.0: 10e00 Chipcard Reader
  [Created at usb.122]
  Unique ID: RulP.sU2T7DgD6D3
  Parent ID: Opph.RCJcL1C9RGA
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.1/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-14/1-14.2/1-14.2:1.0
  SysFS BusID: 1-14.2:1.0
  Hardware Class: chipcard
  Model: "Alcor Micro AU9540 Smartcard Reader"
  Hotplug: USB
  Vendor: usb 0x058f "Alcor Micro Corp."
  Device: usb 0x9540 "AU9540 Smartcard Reader"
  Revision: "1.20"
  Speed: 12 Mbps
  Module Alias: "usb:v058Fp9540d0120dc00dsc00dp00ic0Bisc00ip00in00"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #136 (Hub)

Too bad this forum software doesn't let you paste fixed-width text and removed all relevant whitespace... guess I'll go back to NNTP (Usenet, Gmane).
 
I've used several of those over the years - basically an usb-connected (to an internal usb port on the mainboard). Some of them works without problems, some works but doesn't detect card change (in some versions of FreeBSD yoy could turn on off usb power to the port in question and that fixed the problem), and some don't work at all. It seems to be a total "hit or miss" affair - no pattern to be discovered. Keep in mind that this is my experience since about FreeBSD 7.x, things have improved a lot since then!
 
if it is not detected at all - you're out of luck.
If it is detected but fails to attach for some reason you can usually find the error message and any clues in dmesg output / /var/log/messages.
 
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