The introduction of USB 1.0 in January 1998 changed all of that. It was a confusing mess, and if one setting was incorrect the communications between computer and peripheral would be garbled, rendering the device effectively useless. 7 bits, baud rate (communication speed), and parity or no parity.

You also had to make sure the connectors were the right gender (male or female) and had the correct number of pins (either 9 or 25).įinally, once the hardware connection was in place and correct, you had to make a number of software settings such as 8 data bits vs. The cable pin-outs varied depending upon whether you were connecting a Data Terminal Device (DTE) or a Data Communications Device (DCE). Trying to get these rudimentary RS-232 connections to work properly was a delicate mixture of science, art and prayer. In my opinion, no innovation in computer technology has had a greater positive impact on the average computer user than the Universal Serial Bus – commonly referred to simply as USB.īack in the early days of computing most peripherals such as printers and modems were connected to a computer via an RS-232 serial interface and cable.

Update: You can now add some blazing-fast USB 3.1 Type-C ports to your computer. Like my tips? Click here to sign up for my free Daily Tech Tips Newsletter and you’ll never miss one!

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