Has anyone had Failing USB devices from ext. pwrd. usb hub?

I am trying to understand why usb is so unreliable? I constantly have problems when trying connect more than say 2 devices to my motherboard. I am not going to give you the list of items that are unreliable but they are random and sometimes they work and sometimes they dont! (My system runs all the lastest greatest drivers and updates & I format my hard drive once a year for preventive maintenance!) I do remember while studying for A+, that you can connect 127 usb devices but the limitation is the power. Unfortunately manufacturers dont feel the need to explain, address, or identify high power consumption devices.

My thought is that any device that also plugs into the wall will not knock out your hub. I was wondering though if there are people that use external hubs and still experience this?

I recently looked at a "read me" about plugging a hub into a hub being a BAD IDEA! However any USB hub you plug into a USB port on you computer is doing that right? If you plug an externally powered 4 port hub into a serial port is that a work around?

All of my USB ROOT HUB entries in device manager say [THE HUB IS SELF POWERED TOTAL POWER AVAILABLE: 500mA per port.]

I cannot change this value, and it doesnt seem that a new power supply is going make 500mA more avialable! Is it the motherboard that is failing to suply the current for these devices? Maybe $300.00 motherboards dont have this problem? Do they?

The other X factor is from USB UNIVERSAL HOST CONTROLLER under advanced tab it states; The table below shows you how much bandwidth each USB controller is using. Each USB controller has a fixed amount of bandwidth, which all attached devices must share. All of my 5 USB UHC's say that they are using 10% of the system bandwidth.

If the ports/hubs were numbered and identified I could make sure I only plugged 1 device into each hub!

Sorry to rant but I am at my witts end. Does firewire act like this?