how to find out what type of usb port i have
From the 1990s to the early on 2000s, one would have to bear a dozen cables of different shapes and sizes to make the most of their already bulky gadget. Today, this connection process has been simplified, and a headache has been eliminated by manufacturers who abide past the industry standards while making the almost of it. About a decade ago, the applied science giants defined what connexion ports should look like and what purpose they would serve.
The Universal Serial Bus (USB), as the proper noun would suggest, is now the universally accepted standard for connecting devices. Most external devices like wired mouse and keyboards, hard drives, printers and scanners, speakers, and more are connected through these ports.
USB ports are establish in a few dissimilar types, differentiated on the basis of their concrete shape and size as well equally their transfer speed and ability carrying capacities. Today, the almost common type of ports found on almost every laptop and PC is the USB type- A and USB type- C.
This commodity will help yous understand dissimilar types of USB ports establish on your device and methods to place them. This will help you boost your device's overall functioning by connecting the right device in the right USB port.
Types of USB Connectors based on the shape
The 'U' in 'USB' can be a little misleading as at that place are various types of USB connectors available. Only luckily, there are a few different common types of connectors. Listed below are the well-nigh popular ones found in laptops and computer systems.
● USB A
The USB Blazon-A connectors are the nigh recognizable and usually used connectors in the earth. They are apartment and rectangular. They are institute abundantly in about every laptop or reckoner model. Many TVs, other media players, gaming systems, domicile audio/video receivers, car stereo, and other devices prefer this type of port besides. These connectors provide a 'downstream' connection, which means that they are intended to exist used solely on host controllers and hubs.
● USB type C
USB type C is one of the newest emerging standards for transferring data and charging. It is now included in the newest smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more. They are universally adored considering they are the least frustrating ones to plugin due to their symmetrical oval shape, making it incommunicable to connect them incorrectly. Another reason being that these are powerful enough to transmit information at 10 Gbps and use 20 volts/5 amps/100 watts of power to charge a device while remaining sparse and tiny yet extremely durable.
The new MacBooks have ditched all other types of ports in favor of USB type C. The mess of USB blazon-A connectors, HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, etc. is streamlined into a unmarried type port here. Even though the physical USB-C connector isn't backward compatible, the underlying USB standard is. Yous volition just need a physical adapter to connect to the peripheral devices via this port.
● USB type B
Also known equally USB Standard B connectors, this style is usually reserved for connexion to peripheral devices similar printers and scanners. Occasionally, they are also found in external devices like floppy drives, hard drive enclosures, and optical drives.
Information technology is recognized by its squarish shape and slightly askew corners. The primary reason for a dissever port is to differentiate peripheral connections from the usual ones. This also eliminates the risk of accidentally connecting one host estimator to another.
● USB Micro B
This type of connectedness is constitute on newer smartphones as well as GPS units, digital cameras, and smartwatches. It is identified easily past its 5 pin design with a rectangular shape and beveled edges on one side. This connector is favored by many (later type C) as it supports high-speed data transfer (at the speed of 480 Mbps) too as has the feature of On-The-Get (OTG) despite remaining physically smaller in size. Information technology is powerful enough to permit a smartphone to brand a connexion with peripheral devices that a computer is generally capable of.
● USB Mini B
These are similar to USB B blazon connectors but are style smaller in size. They are also used to connect to peripheral devices. This mini plug has 5 pins, including an actress ID pin to back up OTG capabilities that let devices to human activity equally a USB host.
You lot will notice them in early on smartphone models, occasionally in digital cameras, and very rarely in computers. Now, well-nigh USB Mini B ports take been replaced with the sleeker micro USB.
● USB Mini-B (iv Pivot)
This is a type of unofficial connector found in digital cameras, mostly manufactured by Kodak. It resembles a standard B-way connector due to its beveled corners, just it is much smaller in size and squarish in shape.
Types of USB Connectors based on their versions
USB had had multiple versions since its inception back in 1995. With each version, major improvements have been made to requite these inch wide ports immense power and potential. The primary deviation between each lies in its transfer speed and the corporeality of current it can permit to flow through.
The very start version, USB 1.0 released back in 1996 could barely transfer 12Mbps and USB 1.1 was hardly an improvement on it. Simply this all changed in 2000 when USB 2.0 was released. USB 2.0 exponentially increased the transfer speed to 480 Mbps and delivered upward to 500mA of ability. To date, it is the most common type of USB port available in mod computers. It became the manufacture standard until USB 3.0 was launched in 2008. This SuperSpeed port allowed transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps and delivered upwards to 900mA. Manufacturers rushed to take reward of information technology and adopted this technology as information technology was exponentially faster, at least 5 times the speed of USB 2.0 on paper. Simply more recently, USB three.one and iii.2 were released, which allowed transfer speed up to 10 and 20 Gbps, respectively. These are called 'SuperSpeed +' ports.
Also Read: Ready USB Composite Device tin't work properly with USB iii.0
How to identify USB ports on your Laptop or Computer?
In one case you have visually identified the blazon of port yous take by its shape, it is essential to understand its capabilities to make the most out of information technology. For example, y'all might take noticed that your phone charges faster from 1 of the two visually identical USB type-A ports. This occurs when you take different versions of ports on your system. Connecting the right device to the right port volition boost the overall performance. Hence, it is essential to physically identify which i is which on your device.
Method 1: Check for labels
Few manufactures have the ports labeled directly past their type on the device's body, the ports are usually marked as ane.0, eleven, ii.0, three.0, or 3.1. They tin besides be marked with the apply of symbols.
Virtually USB iii.0 ports are marketed as SuperSpeed USB, and their manufacturers volition mark it as such (see above prototype). It is generally marked with the prefix 'SS'.
If a USB port has a thunderbolt lightning icon located next to it, it denotes an 'Always on' port. This means that yous tin can hook your device to charge on this port even when the laptop/estimator is turned off. This type of port usually delivers more ability than any other, allowing the device to charge faster.
Method 2: Bank check the color of the port
Sometimes, ports are marked by color for easy visual identification. USB iii.0 ports are more often than not blueish in color. While USB two.0 ports are differentiated by black insides. White color is reserved for older USB 1.0 or 1.1 ports. If y'all accept a newer device with USB 3.ane ports, they are red in color, and 'Always On' ports are represented by yellowish insides.
USB Version | Color Allocated |
USB i.0/ 1.1 | White |
USB ii.0 | Black |
USB three.0 | Blue |
USB 3.1 | Red |
E'er On ports | Yellow |
Method 3: Bank check Technical Specifications
If identification through colors or logo is catchy for you, you can showtime understand what kind of ports your device has congenital-in and so begin to locate them. This will requite you a full general thought of what yous are looking for.
On a Windows organisation
This process is common for all Windows systems irrespective of their manufactures, models, or versions.
Step 1: Firstly, open the Run dialog box past pressing 'Windows central + R' or you lot can only type 'Run' in the search bar.
Step 2: Type 'devmgmt.msc' and hit enter. This volition open up the ' Device Manager ' .
Step 3: The Device Manager lists all the system components. Locate and double-click on the 'Universal Serial Passenger vehicle controllers' to aggrandize the driblet-down menu.
Step 4: Most times, the version of the ports is directly mentioned, otherwise the name of the component will hint you to its properties.
If you spot 'Enhanced' in the port's description, then it is a USB 2.0 port.
USB 3.0 can be identified by terms like 'xHCI' or 'Extensible Host Controller'.
Pace 5: Y'all tin also right-click on the port's name and open up its properties . Here, you will find more details near the port.
On Mac
1. Click on the Apple tree icon located on the top-left corner of your screen. In the resulting menu, select 'Virtually This Mac' .
two. The subsequent window volition list all your system specifications. Click on the 'Organisation Written report…' button located on the lesser. Click on 'More info' if you are using OS X 10.ix (Mavericks) or below.
3. In the System Information tab, click on 'Hardware' . This will listing all the hardware components available. Finally, click to expand the USB tab.
iv. You will observe a list of all the available USB ports, listed co-ordinate to their type. Y'all can confirm the type of port by checking its championship.
Once you know the blazon you tin start locating them physically on your device.
Method 4: Place USB ports through your Motherboard's Technical Specifications
This is a lengthy manner of determining the USB ports available by looking at the laptop or motherboard's specifications. This will help in finding the exact model of the device and y'all can comb through its specifications to find data nigh the ports.
On Windows
1. Open the Run dialog box by referring to the steps mentioned above, type in 'msinfo32' and hit Enter.
2. In the resulting System Data window, find the 'System Model' detail. Click on the line and press 'Ctrl + C' to re-create the value.
three. Now, open your favorite search engine, paste the model details in the search bar, and hit search. Go through the search results and find a reliable website (preferably your manufacturer'due south website).
Comb through the website and cheque its specification to locate words like USB, you can simply press 'Ctrl + F' and type in 'USB' in the bar. You will notice the exact port specifications listed.
On Mac
Like to Windows, y'all just search the specifications of your detail MacBook model to find the available ports.
If you don't know already, y'all can easily determine what model you are using by simply clicking on the Apple tree logo located on the top left. In the drop-downwardly menu, click on 'About the Mac' option. System information including model proper noun/number, operating system version, and serial number will exist displayed in the resulting window.
Once you notice the model being used, you can simply search its technical specification online. Visit Apple'southward official back up website for the most accurate information.
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I hope this guide was helpful you were able to Identify USB Ports on your estimator. Simply if you still have questions regarding this article then feel complimentary to enquire them in the comment section.
Source: https://techcult.com/identify-usb-ports-on-computer/
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