What is the USB interface? How many types are there? What to do?

The USB port seems familiar, but not many people understand what kind of communication port it is. Let’s find out what a USB port is, and what it is used for on today’s technology devices.

What is a USB port? On which device?

USB, short for Universal Serial Bus , is a standard cable connection port for personal computers and consumer electronic devices. In other words, USB ports allow devices equipped with USB ports to be connected to each other and transfer digital data via USB cables, even transferring electrical power to devices that need electricity to operate. .

There are two types of USB ports: wired and non-wired , but the most popular is still a wired USB port.

Devices with USB ports

Most computers today have at least one USB port, such as:

• Desktop computers: usually have 2 – 4 usb ports in the front and 2 – 8 usb ports in the back of the CPU case.
• Laptop: There are 1 – 4 usb ports on the left, right or both sides of the laptop.
• Tablets: usually the USB connection port is integrated right at the charging port , belonging to the micro USB port type, sometimes the USB-C port type.
• Smartphone: Similar to a tablet, the USB port on a smartphone is integrated into the charging port and data transfer port in the form of USB-C or micro USB.

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Devices that can be connected via USB

Today, there are many devices that can be connected via USB such as:

• Digital camera.
• External drive.
• iPod or other MP3 player.
• Keyboard.
• Micro.
• Computer mouse.
• Printer.
• Joystick.
• Jump drive aka thumb drive.
• Scanner.
• Smartphone.
• Tablet.
• Webcams.

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Uses of USB ports

The USB port is responsible for transferring data between devices equipped with USB ports without using the network.

In addition, this communication port also has the function of transmitting power to devices that need electricity to operate, even to charge the device’s battery.

How to use the USB port

Connect two devices directly with one USB cable by plugging each end into the USB port .

You can plug the cable into the USB port at any time , regardless of whether the connected devices are in working condition (on or off).

Multiple USB devices can also be connected to each other using a USB hub. This means that with just one USB Hub device, you can plug in not only one USB port, but also add more USB ports to connect more devices.

So, if using a USB hub, plug in a separate cable to each device and connect them to a separate hub.

Today’s popular USB port standards

USB ports come in different shapes and transfer rates, you can distinguish them as follows:

Sort by connector shape

USB-A (Type A)

The USB A connector is rectangular in shape with a length of about 1.4 cm (9/16 inch) and a height of 0.65 cm (1/4 inch). This is the most common USB port, commonly used for wired mice and keyboards .

USB-B (Type B)

Less common than type A, USB B ports are roughly square in shape and are commonly found on routers , computers , printers , and game consoles .

Micro USB

This is considered a new version of both USB-A and USB-B interfaces . This type of port is common on mobile devices .

In addition, micro USB ports are also found on some older devices , such as digital still cameras and computer peripherals. However, the mini USB port has almost been replaced by micro-USB and USB-C cables today.

USB-C (Type C)

The USB-C port has a size of 0.84 cm x 0.26cm , which is the latest type of port to date. It is popular on mobile devices with a size that looks slimmer and smaller. The highlight of this type of port is that it is reversible and still fits into the device.

Sort by baud rate

USB 1.x

It is a standard usb port that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps and is capable of supporting up to 127 peripheral devices.

USB 2.0

Called Hi-Speed USB , it was developed by many computer manufacturers such as Hewlett Packard, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, NEC and Phillips, and appeared on the market in 2001. This type of USB is capable of supporting transfer speeds. up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps) or 60 megabytes per second (MBps).

USB 3.0

Another name is SuperSpeed USB , first introduced in November 2009 by Buffalo Technology, but it was not until January 2010 that it officially appeared on the market.

This type of USB port is somewhat improved over USB 2.0 in terms of speed, performance, power management and bandwidth. It consists of two unidirectional data paths to perform the operation – receiving and sending data at the same time.

USB 3.0 supports transfer rates of up to 5.0 gigabits per second (Gbps) or 640 megabytes per second (MBps).

However, after the release of USB 3.1, this USB 3.0 port was officially renamed “USB 3.1 Gen1 “.

USB 3.1

Also known as SuperSpeed+ , is the latest version today when introduced from July 31, 2013. The USB 3.1 port offers transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps , matching the first generation of Apple’s Thunderbolt ports.

Compatibility when connecting between USB port versions

The USB port can support any version adjacent to each other. For example, devices designed with USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports can work with USB 3.0 ports. However, the speed is only at USB 1.1 and 2.0, not the transfer speed at USB 3.0.

In short, after understanding what a USB interface is and what it is for, it will help you choose and use the right USB cable with the right interface for your device, to promote data transfer speeds. and avoid damaging your device. Hope the above knowledge will help you!