Fan Hub Not Working: 3 Probable Reasons & Solutions!

As machines, computers tend to get heated when we use it. That’s why the heat needs to be transferred outside in the environment. Otherwise, the whole thing will become a fireplace.

That’s where the fans come in. Every computer comes with fans on it. These fans gets power through the fan hub which gets power through the PSU.

Unfortunately, there are instances where the fan hub doesn’t run smoothly. Then it becomes troublesome to control the fans of your PC.

So, why is the fan hub not working?

Firstly, a mismatched pin of the headers can cause the fan hub not to work. Secondly, not changing a couple of settings in BIOS can be a reason. Finally, a faulty fan header can also cause many problems with the fan hub. You can try replacing the faulty fan header to fix the hub.

Not all the solution here is as straightforward as replacing the header. You might even have to change some settings in BIOS too. 

So, why the delay? Start reading!

Quick Troubleshooting!

You can hold a variety of reasons behind the pc fan hub not working. The problem with it can be complex or it can be very simple. 

Ensuring a couple of things such as power, and connection can ease problem-solving. Before solving the problems, let us look at some small fixes to get you going.

Have a look below!

Check the Connection:

You have to check the connection properly before getting the fan hub to work. Whether it is a simple style fan hub or a fractal design fan hub.

Here’s a demo fan hub connection with 4 ARGB fans. Make sure all the connecting pins are connected properly with the fan hub. 

Without the proper connection, the fan hub won’t work. The cables usually have 3-pin/4-pin headers. The SATA cable is connected to the PSU for power. If there is some problem with this cable you can get yourself a CRJ SATA cable.

The fan hub should be connected by the connector cable directly to the motherboard. In most motherboards, there is a designated port for this connection. 

Check Power:

This is one of the most common mistakes PC users make. They connect the fan hub to the motherboard but they don’t power it. Without power, you might notice any fan not spinning.

It is important to get electricity running inside the fan hub. If you don’t know how to power the hub, don’t worry; I got you!

Generally, all modern fan hubs are powered with SATA cables. Chances are, you’re familiar with the appearance of SATA cables. 

You have to connect one end of the SATA cable to the fan hub. The other end must be plugged into the designated SATA ports from your power supply.

A bit older hubs are powered with Molex cables. To complete the connection, connect the Molex cable to the PSU.

And voila! Now you know how to power a fan hub.

3 Reasons Why the Fan Hub is Not Working

The problems regarding fan hubs seem tricky since there are many wiring and circuits involved. Here’s a fellow pulling his hair off because his fan hub isn’t working properly. 

I have included all the possible reasons and fixes here. Start reading down below to get your fan hub working.

Reason 1: Mismatching Pin of the Headers

There are a lot of fan hubs out there and they have 3-pin or 4-pin headers. The pin count of the header resembles the fans it can control. 

You can connect fans to the fan hub but you can’t control them. This means you’ll notice the fans are running but not detected. 

They’ll only get power from the Molex or SATA cable. Accordingly, these fans will run at full speed.

In some cases, the fans do not work at all! Fans of Thermaltake also might stop spinning; if you mess up connections.

They do not spin and neither the RGB lights of the fanlight up. You’ll lack control over the fans, which eventually devalues the fan hub!

Solution

Matching the pins of the header is the optimum solution to this problem. Your fan hub (standard or PWM) can be a 4-pin or a 3-pin fan hub. 

If it’s a 4-pin fan hub, only connect 4-pin fans. While you can connect 3-pin fans into it, you won’t be able to control them.

When the fan hub header is 3-pin, always connect the 3-pin fans. You cannot physically connect 4-pin fans into 3-pin fan hubs.

So now you know how to control fan hub speed. You can ensure this by plugging the right fans into the fan hub. 

That being said, I have done some queries with some fellow PC enthusiasts about some 3 or 4-pin cables. And here I’ve found these cables as the most recommended ones.

Reason 2: Not Enabling Control from BIOS

Whenever you connect a new fan hub to the motherboard, you have to tweak the BIOS.

Not tweaking BIOS can also cause aio pump cooler issues. You’ll also notice your fan controller not detected.

The signal of the hub is sent from the motherboard. You can’t control a fan hub without signals. Neither can you control the speed and RGB settings of your fans.

These permissions are updated through the BIOS of the PC. Not enabling the BIOS only provides the fan hub with power. It has zero control over the fans you plug into it.  

You have to change some modes in the BIOS to fix this. This may strike you as something which is too complex to solve. But, I’ve given the fix here.

Solution:

Step 1: Enter into the BIOS Setup

First, go into your BIOS setup. Different motherboard manufacturers set different approaches for the BIOS setup. 

A general approach would be pressing the DEL button whilst the PC is booting up. If the DEL button isn’t working, try F1, F2, F10, and F12.

Step 2: Find the Fan Header Tab

After that, the BIOS setup screen will appear. You have to find the header you used to plug in the hub. If you can’t find fan settings in bios, look for the header names. For example, CPU_FAN or FAN_HEADER.

Step 3: Change the Mode to PWM

Then, find the MODE. It should be set to DC, Voltage, or automatic. Change it to PWM mode. 

Step 4: Save the Settings

Finally, SAVE the newly updated setting and EXIT the BIOS setup. That should be enough to provide you with control of the fan hub.

Reason 3: Faulty Fan Header

The final reason I am going to include is a faulty fan header. Sometimes motherboards have faulty fan headers.

It might be faulty from the start or it might get damaged. It’s a very rare case but it may happen. To solve this, look below.

Solution:

In this case, the motherboard should be sent back to the manufacturer. All motherboards come with a warranty ranging from 1 to 3 years. If your warranty is still valid, you’ll be in luck!

Regarding motherboard damage, anything except professional help can damage the motherboard further. 

So, contact your shop for a replacement or repair of your motherboard. If you are thinking of a replacement, here are some suggestions:

I hope, you find these suggestions useful. Best of luck!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Wrapping up

Hopefully, now you know the causes & fixes when the fan hub not working. Locate the problems and solve them accordingly!

When you’re plugging and unplugging the connectors, don’t apply too much force. These 3-pin and 4-pin connectors are fragile and may break.

All the best for fixing the fan hub!