Setting up Your Computer – Plugs

Now that we know what each socket on our computer is for, we'll have a look at the plugs which fit into them.

Here's the chart again:

Standard Colour	Connection Functions	Connection Type
1	PS/2 mouse connection.	6 pin mini-DIN
2	PS/2 keyboard connection.	6 pin mini-DIN
3	USB ports.	USB Type A
4	FireWire or IEEE 1394.	IEEE 1394
5	Parallel port for older printers.	25 pin D
6	Serial port. Rarely used in modern PCs.	9 pin D
7	Analogue VGA. For connecting your standard monitor (screen).	15 pin VGA
8	DVI - digital video input. Use this for monitors with a digital connection.	DVI
9	S-Video for connecting to a TV.	4 pin mini-DIN
10	Composite video.	RCA jack
11	Audio input. Not good quality audio.	3.5 mm jack
12	Audio stereo output for main speakers or headphones.	3.5 mm jack
13	Microphone audio input.	3.5 mm jack
14	Audio output for rear speakers.	3.5 mm jack
15	Audio output for right-to-left speaker.	3.5 mm jack
16	S/PDIF digital audio output.	3.5 mm jack
17	Game port / MIDI for a joystick.	15 pin D
18	Ethernet connection. Connects to your network or high speed modem.	RJ-45
19	Centre / sub-woofer	3.5 mm jack

The first image is an older mouse plug which is not the standard green, newer mouse plugs are the same colour as the centre image.
The centre image is an adaptor which you can use to plug a USB mouse into a PS2 socket. You may wish to do this if you don't have enough USB ports for all your devices.
The image on the right is a standard mauve PS2 keyboard plug.

Although the standard colour for USB connectors is black, most cables and connectors come in grey, transparent, cream or beige.

The first image above is a standard USB plug - this one happens to be on a mouse, but all USB plugs for plugging into the socket (usually called a port) on your computer are exactly the same shape.
The centre image shows the two ends of a USB extension cable.
The image on the right is a USB camera cable. This has a device plug smaller than the standard type B shown below.
The images below show two ends of a USB cable for connecting a peripheral device such as a printer or a scanner.