macOS (Apple Silicon) + Dell U2723QE internal hub: uhubctl shows PPPS but ports don't seem controllable

[imkgh]

Hi! I’m trying to use uhubctl on macOS with the USB hub built into a Dell U2723QE monitor.

Setup

• MacBook Pro (M1 Max)
• Connected to Dell U2723QE via USB-C (monitor USB-C upstream)
• Goal: power off / power-cycle a downstream USB port from software (uhubctl)

What I see

uhubctl output

When a device is plugged in, uhubctl reports enable connect [], but the brackets are always empty:

❯ uhubctl
Current status for hub 2 [0bda:0483 Generic 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub, USB 3.20, 4 ports, ppps]
  Port 1: 02a0 power 5gbps Rx.Detect
  Port 2: 0203 power 5gbps U0 enable connect []
  Port 3: 02a0 power 5gbps Rx.Detect
  Port 4: 02a0 power 5gbps Rx.Detect
Current status for hub 2 [0bda:5483 Generic 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub, USB 2.10, 5 ports, ppps]
  Port 1: 0100 power
  Port 2: 0100 power
  Port 3: 0100 power
  Port 4: 0103 power enable connect []
  Port 5: 0100 power
Current status for hub 2 [0bda:0483 Generic 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub, USB 3.20, 4 ports, ppps]
  Port 1: 0203 power 5gbps U0 enable connect []
  Port 2: 02a0 power 5gbps Rx.Detect
  Port 3: 02a0 power 5gbps Rx.Detect
  Port 4: 02a0 power 5gbps Rx.Detect
Current status for hub 2 [0bda:5483 Generic 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub, USB 2.10, 5 ports, ppps]
  Port 1: 0503 power highspeed enable connect []
  Port 2: 0100 power
  Port 3: 0100 power
  Port 4: 0100 power
  Port 5: 0503 power highspeed enable connect []

IOUSB topology (ioreg)

❯ ioreg -p IOUSB -l -w0 | grep -F '+-o' | awk -F'<class' '{print $1}'
+-o Root
  +-o AppleT6000USBXHCI@00000000
  +-o AppleT6000USBXHCI@01000000
  +-o AppleT6000USBXHCI@02000000
    +-o 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub@02100000
    | +-o USB2.0 HID@02150000
    | +-o 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub@02110000
    |   +-o A3@02114000
    +-o 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub@02200000
      +-o 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub@02210000
        +-o USB 10/100/1000 LAN@02212000

Hub descriptors (lsusb -v excerpt) indicate “Per-port power switching”.

❯ lsusb -d 0bda: -v | grep -F "Hub Descriptor" -A 9
can't get debug descriptor: No such file or directory
can't get debug descriptor: No such file or directory
can't get debug descriptor: No such file or directory
Hub Descriptor:
  bLength               9
  bDescriptorType      41
  nNbrPorts             5
  wHubCharacteristic 0x00ad
    Per-port power switching
    Compound device
    Per-port overcurrent protection
    TT think time 16 FS bits
    Port indicators
--
Hub Descriptor:
  bLength              12
  bDescriptorType      42
  nNbrPorts             4
  wHubCharacteristic 0x000d
    Per-port power switching
    Compound device
    Per-port overcurrent protection
  bPwrOn2PwrGood        0 * 2 milli seconds
  bHubContrCurrent      8 milli Ampere
--
Hub Descriptor:
  bLength               9
  bDescriptorType      41
  nNbrPorts             5
  wHubCharacteristic 0x00ad
    Per-port power switching
    Compound device
    Per-port overcurrent protection
    TT think time 16 FS bits
    Port indicators
can't get debug descriptor: No such file or directory
can't get debug descriptor: No such file or directory
can't get debug descriptor: No such file or directory
--
Hub Descriptor:
  bLength              12
  bDescriptorType      42
  nNbrPorts             4
  wHubCharacteristic 0x000d
    Per-port power switching
    Compound device
    Per-port overcurrent protection
  bPwrOn2PwrGood        0 * 2 milli seconds
  bHubContrCurrent      8 milli Ampere

uhubctl info

❯ which uhubctl
/opt/homebrew/bin/uhubctl
❯ uhubctl -v
2.6.0

Questions

• How can I reliably target the correct physical port in this setup?
• Is connect [] (missing device description) expected for this Dell monitor hub on macOS?

Thanks!

[mvp]

1. Which macOS version you have? macOS 26 has introduced libusb incompatibility issue that I have fixed in libusb repository Fix for libusb_get_port_numbers on macOS 26+ libusb/libusb#1700. Please follow https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl#installing to make uhubctl work correctly on macOS 26+.
2. There are many devices which claim to support per-port power switching but lack actual circuitry to do it - and it is impossible to fix by software. This is main reason I support compatibility table. Just use any device from supported table to fix.

[imkgh]

Just a quick note: I’m on macOS 26 (forgot to mention that earlier).