Extra USB ports

[fred12345]

If needed, neat solution to extra USB ports, swings 180⁰ left/right and when plugged in, both Bluetooth android auto dongle and usb memory stick worked at the same time, £3 - £4 on AliExpress or Temu... ??

 

[Kermit]

Hi Fred,
Neat looking solution, I'd tried a USB hub (old USB1.0 on a short lead) but gave up on it.
It did recognise the USB stick and played music but as soon as I plugged my phone into it. Android Auto wouldn't connect and it lost the USB stick at the same time.
Can you give me a bit more detail on it and what you are using for Bluetooth Android Auto.
Thanks

 

[fred12345]

Hi Fred,
Neat looking solution, I'd tried a USB hub (old USB1.0 on a short lead) but gave up on it.
It did recognise the USB stick and played music but as soon as I plugged my phone into it. Android Auto wouldn't connect and it lost the USB stick at the same time.
Can you give me a bit more detail on it and what you are using for Bluetooth Android Auto.
Thanks

1. Android auto wants a really good USB cable - I had to try at least 4 different ones. There are a lot of poor quality USB cables around - your USB hub probably with one (if you had USB3.0 hub, that could work)

2. I gave up on USB cables ... on MG4 it's much better without cables ... Get one of these wireless dongles for AA, don't pay more than €18 or so and look for Bluetooth and WiFi (mine is Bluetooth only and works perfectly fine but why not have WiFi too for the same money ...)

https://www.aliexpress.us/w/wholesale-android-auto-wifi-adapter.html

and for rotating USB hub (seems to be USB2)

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[fred12345]

Thanks

Out of curiosity, I tried using the above USB hub to connect my Bluetooth AA dongle at the same time with another Smart Ai Box Android 13 (plays videos) that usually shows as CarPlay connection on infotainment - neither could connect whilst plugged together... I was hoping one would show as AA and the other as CarPlay ...
Not sure whether it was too much for the car trying to work with 2 connections at once, whether it was my phone Bluetooth that got overwhelmed with multiple connections at the same time, whether it was USB hub or cables I used or whatever else ...

 

[Kermit]

Out of curiosity, I tried using the above USB hub to connect my Bluetooth AA dongle at the same time with another Smart Ai Box Android 13 (plays videos) that usually shows as CarPlay connection on infotainment - neither could connect whilst plugged together... I was hoping one would show as AA and the other as CarPlay ...
Not sure whether it was too much for the car trying to work with 2 connections at once, whether it was my phone Bluetooth that got overwhelmed with multiple connections at the same time, whether it was USB hub or cables I used or whatever else ...

My guess would be that it's an either/or choice as whichever one you want to use will need to interface to the same car hardware, microphone, screen input etc, for example you issue a voice command how could it know which system to send it to?

 

[Chris H]

... Get one of these wireless dongles for AA, don't pay more than €18 or so and look for Bluetooth and WiFi (mine is Bluetooth only and works perfectly fine but why not have WiFi too for the same money ...)

I'm just looking at these - what does the WiFi bit do? I know the BT is used to connect your phone to the car AA, but can you do the same via the WiFi instead or does the WiFi bit have some other purpose?

 

[fred12345]

I'm just looking at these - what does the WiFi bit do? I know the BT is used to connect your phone to the car AA, but can you do the same via the WiFi instead or does the WiFi bit have some other purpose?

As far as I can tell, it's just to give you an option to connect to the dongle via WiFi or Bluetooth... I can't think of any other use WiFi could have on these cheaper "2 in 1" (CarPlay or AA) dongles... I don't have WiFi on mine.
The only thing I can think of is that if you use WiFi for Android Auto dongle, that leaves Bluetooth for the car - but why would that be important, no idea ... so far, I haven't missed Bluetooth when using AA ...

EDIT: maybe if you use WiFi for AA and Bluetooth for the car, you could play MP3 music saved on your phone in addition to whatever Music you have on AA (Spotify) ... haven't played with it much as I only use Spotify when on AA

 

[farrells]

I use this in the back to extend the standard USB, kids can now both charge their switches at the same time, everyone is happy!

Used Gorilla Tack so its not permanent and can remove it without any residual marks or glue.