These cards are designed for PCI-E USB 3.0 interfaces.
These cards are designed for PCI-E USB 3.0 interfaces.
Hey everyone, I’m looking for another USB controller for my podcasting gear. With more than three Logitech webcams, the bandwidth on my laptop is limited (only one USB 3.0 port). I assembled an old desktop for streaming via OBS and got a PCI-E card that adds another USB port. Unfortunately, it came without a driver disk, and I can’t locate any online solutions. I found the exact model here: https://a.co/d/8NP2b5o. Some reviews say they couldn’t find drivers online, but I think someone might help. I also saw it on Newegg (https://www.newegg.com/p/238-00DE-00266), which says I need to install the 'NEC USB3.0 driver.' After checking Dell’s site, I installed it and restarted the computer, but it still shows no driver available for those devices in Device Manager. The box had a label pointing to cablecc.com, a Chinese supplier, but I couldn’t find the card there or any downloads. Any suggestions on getting it to work?
You're missing several drivers... You can right-click each device, then navigate to Properties > Details > Change the property to Hardware IDs. Use an online lookup for PCIe/PCI information to identify the chip and its VEN_#### and DEV_####. These are likely built-in components. Make sure the card isn't just functional—many older devices use standard chips like Renesas or NEC. Try connecting a USB flash drive first to confirm it appears, or check your USB controllers for the device. Based on past experience, a Renesas/NEC model with the 720201 should have a compatible driver.
It was quite intriguing to test the setup by connecting a USB device. The card functioned, albeit not ideally. Using a viewer tool revealed the system's root hubs, which turned out to be a Renesas controller. Despite this, the webcam issues persisted—specifically with four C920 webcams for our podcast. We had moved to a dedicated desktop for livestreaming to ensure sufficient USB ports and bandwidth for all cameras working with OBS. However, trying to connect two cameras per controller quickly hit limitations, often resulting in errors or failure to power on peripherals like the keyboard and mouse.
In a last attempt, I connected everything—including all cameras, audio interface, and peripherals—to the motherboard's USB ports, bypassing the expansion card. Everything operated smoothly. Interestingly, the USB viewer still showed everything on a single root hub without bandwidth problems.
This situation left me puzzled about why four 1080p webcams worked on one controller but only three on the laptop, and why two cameras across two controllers caused significant issues. I’m still unsure about the underlying reasons, but at least it’s functional now. For now, I’ll stick with what works and skip the $15 expansion card. My next podcast upgrade plans involve better cameras and an HDMI switcher, though that might be a costly project.