Types Of Computer Ports
What are the types of computer ports? Have you ever hooked up a digital camera to your laptop? Plugged in your iPhone to charge? Perhaps transferred sound or video from an iPad to your desktop? In all of these cases, you’ve used a computer port. The easiest way to think of a computer port is as the means through which we hook up outside devices to our computers. They act as the bridge between an electronic device and your personal computer. The classification of types of computer ports can be a bit tricky, but there are several major types of computer ports one might wish to be familiar with, including USB ports, serial ports, VGA monitor ports, and Ethernet ports.
USB ports are used to connect a number of external devices through the insertion of a plug, and are one of the most common ways of using items such as speakers, microphones, wireless mice, and storage devices in conjunction with your computer. Whereas older models of personal computers frequently come equipped with what are known as ‘parallel’ or sometimes ‘serial’ ports, most computers manufactured today are made with USBs. The acronym, should you be interested, stands for Universal Serial Bus-a fitting name for something that allows the transfer of data from one device to another and can be used with such a wide variety of products.
Serial ports, as mentioned, are frequently found on older models of computers, but they can still tackle numerous processes with relative ease. These types of computer ports are geared toward working with modems, and while they are not largely used today, they do still serve purposes within industrial or scientific devices. Other uses of serial ports can include communication between computers and printers, serial mice, bar code scanners, and older digital cameras, to name a few options. So while they may be out of date for the modern computer user, certain industries continue to find them quite invaluable.
VGA monitor ports are particularly exciting for computer enthusiasts. These types of computer ports are what help to show Video Graphics Array in your computer through the utilization of a display adapter. They are one of the most common analog video ports. For example, VGA ports can be used to connect monitors to computers. If your laptop should happen to have a screen injury and you cannot replace it, but you have a computer monitor lying about, a VGA connection will connect your laptop to the computer monitor. At this point, you might need to make the decision whether to use your computer’s keyboard or an externally linked keyboard, but that is entirely user preference. You can locate VGA connectors on a number of familiar devices, such as hi-def televisions and video cards, and these types of computer are still being widely used today.
Ethernet ports are types of computer ports found on desktops and laptops alike. They are used to connect with local area networks (i.e. internet networks) and attach to the port opening through by the insertion of a jack attached to a long bundle of cord. If you’re looking for examples of Ethernet ports, check your wireless router. They are manufactured to feature these types of internet ports, along with some brands and types of televisions.
