USB 1.0 was introduced in 1995 but wasn't standardized in computers until 1998 when Apple Computers came out with the iMac G3. USB was originally designed to replace the motley assortment of cables coming out of the backs of personal computers with their big inconvenient connectors which were USB's predecessors: parallel and serial connections.

You probably already know a lot about USB, being that it is now the most popular data connection for typical consumer end computers. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, which you probably already knew. Below are the 4 most common connector types, but many more exist as some companies design their own versions for their products. USB B and mini-B are the most common connectors found on USB devices. USB A is the connection found on computers. There are several different USB connector types. This creates the ability to easily expand the number of USB devices can be connected to a single computer. The design of the system, however, allows you to use a USB hub to split that one USB port into several, allowing you to connect many USB devices to a single port. These cables have repeaters in them that allow the signal to be repeated to longer distances.Įach USB port can only physically connect to one device. You can get around this problem by using active USB extension cables. Using passive USB cables longer than this can result in improper function of the USB device. USB supports a maximum standard cable length of 16 feet.

Usb 2 vs usb 3 vs ethernet