Ports, Cables and Connectors

ports: Serial ports

• Considered to be one of the most basic external connections to a computer, the serial port has been an integral part of most computers for more than 20 years. Although many of the newer systems have done away with the serial port completely in favor of USB connections, most modems still use the serial port, as do some printers, PDAs and digital cameras. Few computers have more than two serial ports.

Ports: Ethernet ports

• An Ethernet port is an opening on computer network equipment that Ethernet cables plug into. These ports are alternatively called jacks or sockets. Ethernet ports accept cables with RJ-45 connectors.

Ports: USB ports

● Just about any computer that you buy today comes with one or more Universal Serial Bus connectors on the back. These USB connectors let you attach everything from mice to printers to your computer quickly and easily. The operating system supports USB as well, so the installation of the device drivers is quick and easy, too. Compared to other ways of connecting devices to your computer (including parallel ports, serial ports and special cards that you install inside the computer's case), USB devices are incredibly simple!

CablesALL KINDS OF CABLES

● Power Cable

● Desktop computers typically use a universal power cord for power, while laptops use power adapters, often made to the specifications of the manufacture.

VGA and DVI

● VGA and DVI cables use a series of pins to transfer video signals between devices, such as a monitor and the computer. VGA is analog, and DVI is digital.

IDE and SATA

● IDE and SATA cables transfer data between the computer's internal components and the motherboard. The cables are pretty much the same as far as speed is concerned.

USB and FireWire

● USB and FireWire cables allow peripherals to connect to your computer and transfer data at high speeds. FireWire cables can send and receive data at the same time, while USB cables cannot.

Ethernet

● Ethernet cables are used to join two network devices. The cable contains four thin wires that allow data to be transferred at high speeds between the devices in the form of a series of electrical pulses.

Cables: power cord

● The power cord that connects the air conditioner to the wall outlet may become worn and fail to supply electricity to the unit. To check the cord, remove the control panel. Unscrew the cord terminals and then attach a test wire across the bare lead wires.

Hook the clips of a volt-ohm-millimetre (VOM) set to the RX1 scale to the prongs of the cord's plug. If the meter reads zero, the cord is functioning. If the meter reads higher than zero, replace the cord.

Connectors● The part of a cable that

plugs into a port or interface to connect one device to another. Most connectors are either male (containing one or more exposed pins) or female (containing holes in which the male connector can be inserted).