uhubctl — Per-Port USB Power Management for Smart Hubs

uhubctl is a specialized command-line utility that allows users to control the power state of individual ports on "smart" USB hubs.

Definition: A smart hub is defined as any USB hub that implements the hardware and firmware capability for per-port power switching.

🛠️ Project Origins & Logic

The development of this tool was heavily influenced by the work of Niibe Yutaka, specifically the hub-ctrl.c implementation.

The logic follows a simple flow:

⚠️ Compatibility Warning

It is important to note that most USB hubs not many USB hubs actually support per-port power switching. Many devices that claim to be "smart" do not implement this specific feature. Furthermore, some compatible models are no longer in production and may be difficult to acquire.

To identify a hub, the software looks for the Vendor ID and Product ID, represented mathematically as: $\text{Device Identifier} = \{VID : PID\}$

Pre-Installation Checklist

• Verify if your hub is "smart."
• Check the compatibility table below.
• Ensure you have the necessary permissions to access USB raw devices.

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📋 Known Compatible USB Hubs

The following table lists hardware confirmed to work with uhubctl.