Still needs to be a hub, since you can’t just split USB data lines like that. I don’t think. Or can you with USB3.x?
You kinda could, usb2 and usb3 are completely separate protocols that are just taped together and the spec doesn’t allow you to use them separately, every usb3 port needs a usb2 port taped to it.
If you look at an usb3 A male plug you can see the 4 normal usb pins in the front and 5 smaller ones in the back, the outer front pins are 5V and ground for power which the usb2 and 3 ports share, then there is the front middle pins that are the usb2 data pins and the back 5 which are the usb3 data pins and a signal ground. It’s even more obvious on the micro-usb connector, there it’s literally just 5 pins taped to the side of a normal micro-usb connector.
So you indeed could split up the port into one usb3 only and one usb2 only, it would work but is against spec and not very user friendly for people that don’t know about it.
Having an usb3 port without usb2 is pretty much unheard off externally but is somewhat common internally, I have seen a few thinkpad schematics where they used the usb2 for the touchpad and the usb3 for the webcam or card reader or something (I don’t 100% remember what the second device was) because they ran out of internal usb ports and probably didn’t want to use a hub.
In this case it would probably make physical prototyping easier, you can add a hub later but you could have a working pcb that is just connectors.
Ah, I see. Wasn’t aware of that. Yeah, seems pretty against spec. Not sure I’d want to go against spec like that, but I do take your point.
If you want to use it for yourself I see no problems with it, it you want to sell it to regular customers however that’s just gonna cause problems for everyone involved.
Thank you for this design.
i replicated it and it works great! Totally worth the 10€ Hub!
The only issue i had building it was removing the plastic from the connectors…
To keep out any dirt i wanted a lid so i planned to make a new case with slots for a lid, but after managing to cram everything in your case and it working i did not want to risk damaging my questionable solder joints by removing the hub from the case so i made this bodge lid. (openscad code because i cannot upload files yet)
cube([14,27,1],center=true);
translate([2,0,2])
cube([10,2.9,3],center=true);
translate([6.5,0,1.5])
cube([1,25,2],center=true);
translate([2,-13,1.5])
cube([10,1,2],center=true);
translate([2,13,1.5])
cube([10,1,2],center=true);
just use double sided tape on the stem between the USB A Ports and the lid wont come out but would still be more or less easy to remove.
Ohhhh, love me some OpenSCAD 
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would you be able to build this for me?
No. The one i made myself broke today since a bodged fix for a mangled USB 3 Connector was not able to sustain many insertions 
. This hole thing is a huge bodge (nothing against a bodge for improving your own devices) so building it for someone else is a liability no one wants.
The Process of building it is fairly simple. You just need a soldering iron, a flush cutter, a small sharp craftknife and some wire. Simply pry open the case with the type C plug, desolder the wires, dismantle the connectors with a craft knife or flush cutters(be careful, do not rip out wires!!). After that solder the new short wires between the ports and the board (the board with the Type C port has labeled solder points, so knowing which is which is easy!) after that cram everything into the case (if you do not have a 3D Printer look out for a local makerspace. Many let you use their equipment for a small fee and most members are happy to help you if you have any problems). I also covered my board with some hot glue to prevent the small wires ripping off the solder pads, but this should not be necessary.
unfortuanetly I can’t solder so i’d need someone to build this for me
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I don’t understand why framework doesn’t pack more ports in the modules. It seems they have enough space for multiple ports in a card. Two usb a, two usb c, usb c and a would be great options.
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shortage of available quality parts that are small enough.
the kitbashing some folks are doing works to a degree, but there’s a lot of caveats to structural integrity, compatibility, etc, based on the specific workarounds the given tinkerer are taking.
it’s already tricky enough communicating to users which expansion card slots will properly use which expansion cards, if you start adding complex port restrictions on a per-card basis (or per port within a card), that’s a bit much for a product framework would be providing (since them selling it implies a degree of fitness that ‘something some guy on the internet made and sold me’ does not)
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That is a great explanation. Thank you.
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sure thing. i also thought of another one since this morning: at least some of the solutions folks have come up with do technically work, but they aren’t standards compliant, so framework wouldn’t want to be selling those directly.
but i do hope that we get a decent community marketplace for folks making these things to sell to other members of the community who are happy to take on those risks.
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