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Difference Between USB Port and FireWire Port

Difference Between USB Port and FireWire Port

Summary: Difference Between USB Port and FireWire Port is that USB port, short for universal serial bus port, can connect up to 127 different peripherals together with a single connector. Previously called an IEEE 1394 port, a FireWire port is similar to a USB port in that it can connect multiple types of devices that require faster data transmission speeds.

Difference Between USB Port and FireWire Port

USB Port

A USB port, short for universal serial bus port, can connect up to 127 different peripherals together with a single connector. Devices that connect to a USB port include the following: mouse, printer, digital camera, scanner, speakers, portable media player, optical disc drive, smart phone, PDA, game console, and removable hard disk. Personal computers typically have six to eight USB ports on the front and/or back of the system unit. USB ports on mobile devices usually are smaller than those on personal computers.

USB 2.0, or Hi-Speed USB, is a more advanced and faster USB, with speeds 40 times higher than that of its predecessor. USB 3.0 is even faster than USB 2.0. Both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are backward compatible, which means they support older USB devices as well as newer USB devices. Keep in mind, though, that older USB devices do not run any faster in a newer USB port.

To attach multiple peripherals using a single port, you can use a USB hub. A USB hub is a device that plugs in a USB port on the system unit and contains multiple USB ports in which you plug cables from USB devices. Some newer peripherals may attach only to a USB port. Others attach to either a serial or parallel port, as well as a USB port.

FireWire Port

Previously called an IEEE 1394 port, a FireWire port is similar to a USB port in that it can connect multiple types of devices that require faster data transmission speeds, such as digital video cameras, digital VCRs, color printers, scanners, digital cameras, and DVD drives, to a single connector. A FireWire port allows you to connect up to 63 devices together. The three latest versions, FireWire 800, FireWire 1600, and FireWire 3200, have speeds faster than the original FireWire 400.

You can use a FireWire hub to attach multiple devices to a single FireWire port. A FireWire hub is a device that plugs in a FireWire port on the system unit and contains multiple FireWire ports in which you plug cables from FireWire devices.

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