Written by
Jessica SheeWhat is USB Port Adapter and Its Uses
Summary: This article tells you what a USB port adapter is. Find a USB port adapter or multi USB hub to help you connect two or more devices for data transfer, network connection, or screen sharing.
Very often, you will need to connect two devices for file transfer, network connection, or screen sharing. In such a circumstance, a cable or an adapter with compatible USB connectors and ports on both ends is a must.
For example, if you want a faster network speed by using a wired Ethernet connection, you will need a USB to Ethernet port adapter if there is no Ethernet port on your laptop. Then you just plug the correct end into the correct port and you can solve the problem.
Table of Contents:
What is a USB port adapter?
A USB port adapter also called a USB port switch or USB converter is a hardware device used to connect USB-port devices to non-USB-port devices. It usually has a cable with one USB cable on one end and a non-USB cable on the other end.
In this way, the USB port will be converted to a port that is compatible with the device you are going to plug in and share data.
According to which connector a USB port adapter switches, it can be more specifically called USB to Ethernet port adapter, USB to RS232 serial port adapter, USB to Parallel port adapter, USB to Thunderbolt adapter, USB to power charger adapter, etc.
In addition, if you need more than one USB port adapter and add external ports so that you can plug many external devices into your computer or other devices at the same time for easier management, a dual USB port adapter or a multi USB hub is a good option. Depending on how many ports it has (usually between 3 - 8 ports), a multi USB hub contains Thunderbolt 3/4 ports, Ethernet port, HDMI port, USB-C ports, USB-A ports, USB Micro ports, power chargers, Micro SD card readers, standard SD card readers, audio ports, etc.
A USB port adapter or A USB hub?
A single USB port switch can directly convert your USB port and is simple to use to connect two devices together.
A multi USB hub also called a multi USB extender, usually has a multiport USB adapter and other ports for various uses. You can add SSD drives, flash drives, SD cards, projectors, printers, TVs, DVDs, displays, scanners, and other peripherals to your PC, Mac, tablet, or other devices.
FAQ
A
You will find the built-in USB ports not enough on today's lighter and slimmer laptops. Using a USB port hub with multi USB adapters and several extra UBS ports is an easy way to expand the number of available USB ports on your computer.
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Not all computers or peripherals use the Universal Serial Bus (USB), especially on some equipment like printers, TVs and displays that requires different data transfer interfaces. To connect devices with different connectors together for a certain purpose, you will need a USB port adapter with correct ends.
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Yes, you can add one USB port adapter to another. But this might cause problems. The data transfer speed will drop a lot. Your computer might not recognize your external device. It is highly recommended to connect two devices together with one USB port adapter or a USB hub.
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