USB-IP? Just kidding, I think that would be too unreliable. That's just the only thing I can think of that's not already here. (But man, that is one COOL piece of software!!)

As a side note on the USB hubs, Plugable is a brand-name that is reliable and well-featured, but I'm not sure about cost-effective. I know someone who keeps his tower PC several feet away from his desk, and he runs about 3 cables to it total to run about 7 monitors and all of his hardware. Plugables are what he uses to run all of it.

Powered USB hub screwed under a shelf on the desk (or wherever comfy).  I've been through 2 or 3 in the last decade, though, so don't bother asking me for quality brand names. 

I leave one mini, one micro cable plugged in and essentially free for short-term, on-desk use at all times.  They sit coiled up underneath.  

When I collect enough type-C devices to warrant it, I'll probably have to work that in the mix.

Can we see a picture of your predicament? Right now, I want to say, "Put the computer on a milk crate."

Like the milk crate idea. I got a standing desk converter.

I use 2 powered hubs which are permanently attached to the edge of my workbench, so 18 inch cables can easily reach and are still short enough that they don't dangle onto the floor when unused.

The main problem I experience is occasionally plugging in a new device will draw too much inrush power and lock up the hub.  Many times I've considered hacking the hubs or building one from scratch with a massive power supply and excellent current limiting on each individual port.

Hi @Paul Stoffregen , this is obviously a tool and has a price tag to reflect the features, but may be of interest. 

https://capablerobot.com/products/programmable-usb-hub/

I have one but haven't used it yet (original cause for purchase went away after it arrived) but now this topic has come up, I realise I really should swap this into the place of my Aukey hub for daily use. 

Chris Osterwood who designed it has made the fw open source and is very supportive. It has the per-port current limiting and monitoring that you would be after. 

Hi I think this kind of thing would be nice (not this specifically but this idea)https://www.rokhardware.com/rok-ac-receptacle-plug-port-pop-up-counter-top-desk-table-power-hub-outlet-dual-usb-connector-insert-silver.html

Otherwise, you can fashion your own with some euro modules for USB/HDMI etc there are lots of euro modules for IO like this and they are all modular and fit into for example a 4 module faceplate, etc, like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO1ZpffujVA

And then use some good quality USB3.0 extension cables not the USB2.0 because they have less shielding and same for the other cables you want to use.

The video shows a combination plate with sockets but ignore those, you can get the right hand side as its own faceplate, really nice finish.

I have had CRAZY good service from IOGear hubs for reasons I can't explain. The GUH285 ("modernized" as GUH285W6 with a longer manual that has more translations) is a four-port bus-powered USB2.0 hub with a single-sided PCB that looks like something taken out of a 70s alarm clock with tin snips... the chip inside has a datasheet best read in Beijing rush hour traffic and a price point like a Padauk microcontroller... and this was the first USB hub I ever bought that lasted more than two months.

I've had three of them ever, bought one after the other, and the first I bought sometime in college over a dozen years ago. The AmazonBasics four-port USB2.0 hub uses the same chip and arguably better construction in a similar design and *it* doesn't last as long! I have no idea.

The GUH304 / 304P "Met(Al)" USB3.0 four-port hub they offer (it has an aluminum housing, and they're trying to be cutesy with the name) is similarly constructed, and similarly durable in a similarly paradoxical fashion. Protip, don't bother with the -P version, get a 5vDC 4a regulated wall wart somewhere else, rip out the barrel jack that's too small anyways, and hardwire the wart in. if you can get the two side trim bits off, the rest will work its way out. Some versions clip together, some have screws -- but once the side with the barrel jack is off entirely and open to you, it's just hotsnot glue keeping the board in. A good tug with a needlenose will do you well ;) current limiting on all four ports is indeed 1 amp so a 4a wart is perfect here if the ratings are trustworthy... which half the time at least they aren't :-/ but that's what happens when you have accountants playing engineer. It ain't where it's built, it's who designs it and what limits they're given.

Anker (they're German so "OHN-kehr" IIRC) makes some pretty good stuff, too.

I have had an Aukey 4 port USB 3 externally powered hub with an additional 3x USB power-only. Had it connected to my Surface Pro 2 since 2013 and I have rarely had any problems with it. Sometimes something has refused to talk via the hub but it is so rare I can't remember what those occasions might have been. I'm sure it has saved me a dead USB port on the surface pro 2 on the regular occasions I have plugged in dodgy circuits with shorts. 

I use the Renkforce RF-3269622 in the office.  It has always served me well.  Each USB-port has its own power switch which is handy as it avoids having loose cable ends on your desk that cause unwanted short circuits.

Here's a comment from @Ajili in the Hack Chat:

we went through this exercise at work a couple of years ago. We have 3 to 6 devices we need per bench station - test board, a few USB SCPI instruments, a Saleae Logic, and a JTAG adapter or two.

We went through a few different hubs, many from typical Amazon rebranders, and what we ended up with was a 7 port powered hub from Plugable: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Port-USB-Power-Adapter/dp/B075NMVGP7 . What we like about these outside of their reliability is they have a hard power switch vs. the soft power switch that defaults to 'off' on some otherwise good hubs, and that they use a standard B connector for the upstream link. Some had very short integrated cables, or they required nonstandard A-A cables, which makes getting quality replacement cables harder. This hub also supports per-port power switching (and presumably current limiting, though I haven't tested) so you can use something like https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl to remotely cycle power to a device.

We have a PC at each bench, so we don't need anything longer than the included A-B. If you need more distance then that'll complicate things.

I found a beefy and cost effective USB power supply here (https://www.pine64.org/pinepowerdesktop/).
Sadly its no USB-Hub, PS only. I think a cheap USB-Hub could help out and be implanted easily.

Okay, thanks for the recommendation. I do need to have the data lines though.

I have a similar situation, my usff dell desktop sits under my bench. I use a belkin 7 port external powered hub mounted on top of the lighting fixture shelf above my bench for easy access.

I'll check this one out. Has the hub been reliable for you? With USB extension cables of questionable origin I find errors when programming microcontrollers, etc.

To be honest I don't use that computer for programming, mostly as a headless fileserver and to do some cad via remote access. For those purposes, interfacing with usb drives to transfer backups/etc hasn't given me any issues yet.