USB Case Connections

I am having some trouble understanding the connections from my Lian Li
front USB ports to the motherboard. However, checking back on a
number of prior posts from this group has been very helpful and pretty
much explains the connections. I would just like to check with you
folks to make absolutely certain I understand one point.

The two ports on the case front each have cable coming from them...one
port has a cable with 4 connectors and one port a cable with 5
connectors. I was originally quite confused as to why the ports would
have different numbers of cables until I came to the conclusion that
these 9 connectors all attach to one Front USB 'Header' on the
motherboard and that the 2 ports in fact are attached in a way that
the motherboard'thinks' is just one port..ie the 2 ports are defined
as one front case USB connector. Is this correct?

Howard

Not sure which mobo you are referring to. On my GA-7N400 Pro2, the front USB
connector has a row of 5 pins and a row of 4 pins inside a yellow connector.
The case has two sets of 4 connectors. I just oriented the "power" &
"ground" sections correctly (see the manual) and everything worked fine -
two USB ports operational. Neither the missing pin (on the 4-side) or the
pin opposite it (on the 5-side) is used.

--
John Bissell

"Howard" wrote in message
om...
I am having some trouble understanding the connections from my Lian Li
front USB ports to the motherboard. However, checking back on a
number of prior posts from this group has been very helpful and pretty
much explains the connections. I would just like to check with you
folks to make absolutely certain I understand one point.

The two ports on the case front each have cable coming from them...one
port has a cable with 4 connectors and one port a cable with 5
connectors. I was originally quite confused as to why the ports would
have different numbers of cables until I came to the conclusion that
these 9 connectors all attach to one Front USB 'Header' on the
motherboard and that the 2 ports in fact are attached in a way that
the motherboard'thinks' is just one port..ie the 2 ports are defined
as one front case USB connector. Is this correct?

Howard

On 24 Oct 2003 04:59:54 -0700, (Howard) wrote:

I am having some trouble understanding the connections from my Lian Li
front USB ports to the motherboard. However, checking back on a
number of prior posts from this group has been very helpful and pretty
much explains the connections. I would just like to check with you
folks to make absolutely certain I understand one point.

The two ports on the case front each have cable coming from them...one
port has a cable with 4 connectors and one port a cable with 5
connectors. I was originally quite confused as to why the ports would
have different numbers of cables until I came to the conclusion that
these 9 connectors all attach to one Front USB 'Header' on the
motherboard and that the 2 ports in fact are attached in a way that
the motherboard'thinks' is just one port..ie the 2 ports are defined
as one front case USB connector. Is this correct?

Not really - Each USB port is 4 independent connections, and the most
common order for the 4 is -
+5v, D-, D+, 0v
The extra one in a 5, is usually an additional (chassis) Ground -
though some boards seem to have an overcurrent warning signal ...
this should NOT be connected to an extra ground.

Motherboards lay out the ports in various ways.
1. 2 independent lines of 4 or 5
2. A block of 8 or 10, with the two lines going the same way, or
opposite.
3. There ARE layouts incompatible the common 4/5 way alignment.


--
I may be dozzzy, but take the ZZZ's out to mail me
http://www.junkroom.freeserve.co.uk/jvc2080.htm - 2x2x24 CD-RW troubles

If you drop a cactus, don't try to catch it!

So does that mean that as long as you keep the polarities straight
that it doesn't matter if the USB1 row goes on the USB2 row and vice
versa? I ask this because one of my set of pins is 4 and one is 5 and
based on strictly putting USB1 on the USB 1 row (if I understand it
correctly) I will be stuck with the 4 pin group on the 5 pin row and
vice versa. It all works out nicely if the USB 1 row goes on 2 and
the USB 2 row goes where 1 should be and then the 5 pin grouping is on
the 5 pin row on the motherboard...the extra 5th pin is labeled
'shield'

Howard



as one front case USB connector. Is this correct?

Not really - Each USB port is 4 independent connections, and the most
common order for the 4 is -
+5v, D-, D+, 0v
The extra one in a 5, is usually an additional (chassis) Ground -
though some boards seem to have an overcurrent warning signal ...
this should NOT be connected to an extra ground.

Motherboards lay out the ports in various ways.
1. 2 independent lines of 4 or 5
2. A block of 8 or 10, with the two lines going the same way, or
opposite.
3. There ARE layouts incompatible the common 4/5 way alignment.