3 unique ways I use a USB-C hub I’ll bet you never thought of

• Add an Ethernet port to your laptop
• Connect a printer
• Plug in an SD card

We’re finally moving toward a world where USB-C is the norm, and there’s a lot to be excited about. However, it took a lot longer than I would have liked, and it led me to use USB-A devices for far longer than I wanted to. I’ve built up quite a collection, and moving to USB-C leaves them with no home.

USB-A is still used quite a bit, and I’m not ready to give it up entirely. This means a USB-C hub was needed that could convert my singular USB-C port into something that could use my older devices. This has been a big upgrade for me for a variety of reasons, and it’s opened the door to things I didn’t think I could do. You probably know about the common reasons to use one — mainly to plug in more devices — but I found that I can unlock things on my laptop, for example, that weren’t otherwise possible.

Add an Ethernet port to your laptop

Give yourself better stability

Many laptops have Ethernet ports, but it’s not the case with all of them. For example, my Chromebook doesn’t have a port. This means I’m largely on my own, and thankfully, my connection speeds are good enough that I don’t need to be plugged in all the time. However, there are still times when I’m sitting down at a desk close to my modem, where it makes sense to plug in.

There are several USB-C hubs that have an Ethernet port included with them. The way this works is you plug the hub into your USB-C port, as you normally would, but then you plug an Ethernet cable into the included port on your hub. Everything simply works from there, so there are no extra steps you have to take. It’s definitely an underrated way to use a USB-C hub that I never thought about until I got this Chromebook.

Connect a printer

I don’t print often, so it’s nice

A few years ago, it felt like I needed a printer for so many things. But now that things like DocuSign have become the norm, I haven’t had to use a printer in ages. However, there are still some situations where it calls for one, and using a USB-C to connect one is nice. My printer uses the older USB-A hook-ups, and I imagine a lot of printers are in the same boat.

You might have a wireless printer, and in that case, this is a moot point.

With a hub plugged into my laptop already, I don’t have to unplug anything from my USB slots to plug in the printer. It’s as easy as plugging the printer into one of the empty hub spots, and I can easily disconnect when I’m done. The bigger problem that I run into is whether my printer has ink or not. I’ve often found it cheaper to buy a new printer than buy a new cartridge of ink, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Plug in an SD card

Though you might need a slot

While phones are the most popular way to take pictures for most people, there are still many people who prefer having a real camera. Those people likely save their pictures to SD cards, and the only way to get those on your computer is through an adapter or a port. While your computer might not have a dedicated port, you can likely find an affordable USB-C hub that has one for you.

Adapters that plug into a USB-A port are pretty cheap, but they only have that single use. If you have a need for a USB-C hub, it’s better to pick one up with an SD card reader since it’d have a lot more versatility. You could also plug in that USB-A adapter to your hub and read your SD card that way.