Peripherals and Ports

Peripherals - anything you connect to computer externally that adds functionality

• mouse
• keyboard
• headphones

Universal Serial Bus (USB)

• 2.0 - transfer speeds of 480 Mb/s (black)
• 3.0 - transfer speeds of 5 Gb/s (blue)
• 3.1 - transfer speeds of 10 Gb/s (teal)

MB = Megabyte, or a unit of data storage Mb/s is a megabit per second, which is a unit of data transfer rate

1 byte = 8 bits, so to transfer 1MB file in a second, you need an 8 Mb/s connection speed

Key Takeaways

IT professionals need to be familiar with cables and connectors used to attach peripheral devices to computers. 

• USB connectors are the most common connector type and they transfer data and power to devices connected to a computer. 
• Communication connectors, such as RJ-45 and fiber optic cables, connect devices to the internet and one another.
• IT professionals may encounter legacy devices that use older connectors such as DB89 and Molex.
• Punch down blocks are terminal strips used to connect telephone or data lines.