HARDWARE CONCEPTS COMMUNICATION PORTS DIFFERENT TYPES OF PORTS

HARDWARE CONCEPTS

COMMUNICATION PORTS

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PORTS

SERIAL PORTS

� � Serial ports are a type of computer interface that complies with the RS-232 standard. They are 9 -pin connectors that relay information, incoming or outgoing, one byte at a time. Each byte is broken up into a series of eight bits, hence the term serial port. Today, serial ports are mainly used for dial-up modems and current operating systems handle configuration automatically. Newer, faster technologies of USB (Universal Serial Bus) and Fire wire have otherwise replaced both parallel and serial ports. USB supports speeds from 1. 5 megabits per second to 60 megabytes per second. Fire wire boasts transfer rates between 100 and 400 megabits per second.

PARALLEL PORTS

• The parallel port is found on the back of IBM compatible computers and is a 25 -pin (type DB 25) computer interface commonly used to connect printers to the computer. • Today, the parallel port has widely been replaced by the USB port. However, below is a listing of various hardware components that can be purchased and used with the parallel port. • Printer - The most common use for the Parallel port. • Scanner - Another commonly used parallel device is the Parallel scanners are a popular alternative to SCSI scanners because of how easy they are to install. • External Drives - Another popular use of the Parallel ports are external drives such as the Iomega Zip Drive, which can be removed from one computer and placed onto another.

RJ 45 PORT

� An RJ-45 port is a data port often found on computers, network routers, switches and hubs. It is commonly used for an Ethernet or serial connection with an 8 position 8 conductor (8 P 8 C) jack. � In the past, some modems and telephones included an RJ-45 port that used a true Registered Jack 45 (RJ 45) jack. Although the 8 P 8 C jack is not identical to the RJ 45, the data port commonly retains the RJ-45 name.

� RJ-11 is a 6 position jack but only has 1 pairs or 2 conductors in the center of the jack. � RJ 11 uses a 6 position 2 conductor modular plug and jack.

USB PORT

• Short for Universal Serial Bus, an external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps. A single USB port can be used to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, such as mice, modems, and keyboards. USB also supports Plug-and-Play installation and hot plugging.

AUDIO PORT

�Most computers have some form of an audio port, from a headphone jack to mono and stereo input. �There are different forms and combinations of audio ports on both desktop and laptop computers, all serving the purpose of interfacing the sound from the machine to the external realm.