Tag: USB

October 1, 2024 – What is a Dupont Connector?

October 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Sometimes it is easier to buy first and then ask questions later. About a year ago, I purchased a wireless network card to add to an old Dell tower that I had. I never even looked to see if there was already a wireless adapter in the computer. I only really noticed when I went to enable the driver only to find out that there was already a wireless device attached to the motherboard.

The card was already installed so I left it until one, I purchased a USB, Bluetooth dongle and two, I opened the case to install one of my numerous upgrades. It was not expensive but it was basically brand new. I don’t use wireless anyway. My thoughts were I would install it in an old computer that the wireless is barely functional, even though I am not going to use it anyway.

Some people I know like to upgrade frequently. I understand the point that typically each generation offers more stability, faster performance and things like that. Like I said above, I just don’t use wireless on some devices. I talked about how to plug in new USB power to your motherboard here. Well unfortunately, to get the wireless card out of the computer, I had to break the Dupont connector. Not a problem until you want to install it again.

I don’t know everything, but I know that most USB ports on the motherboard can accept two inputs. This is because they are basically wired together in the Dupont connector. Many times, if you have never messed with them you have the capability to just plug in the wires into and existing connecter. But, if you want to remove a device then you have to get those wires out of the connector to leave the other ones you want to keep in the computer. That is how I broke the one that was originally on the card.

The reason that I am writing this is the question, how do you find something when you have no idea of the name? I started out searching for USB to motherboard connector. I found a lot of cables, but no straight connectors. I tried USB to motherboard plug, not really. I found items to build your own printer cable, I found items to solder into your own electronics. Finally, I had to read several cable descriptions to get the name.

The next problem is that I only want one or maybe a couple. I would be willing to pay $10 for a couple. I don’t like waste. And buying a kit of all these adapters that I will never, ever use seems like waste to me. But I know me, and as much as I don’t like waste I know that I will never take what I need and throw the rest away. So, now I have a $9 kit that I will never need more that a couple. I guess that is how it goes.

Apparently, Dupont connectors are used in small electronics projects like circuit boards that were assembled in electronics class. It is possible that given my propensity for obscure hobbies and techno-junk that I might some day put this kit into action. But, then again I only wanted one.

End Your Programming Routine: All this carrying on and the point is to install this network card in the computer. I have no idea if a twenty year newer card will work in a 32 bit architecture. It says that it will but then again it is Linux so that is always a crap shoot with me. At least now, I have some spare Dupont connectors if I have to pull this one out and break another again.

January 9, 2024 – Adding a USB, PCIe Expansion Card

January 9, 2024 /

All of my USB ports are full. It was possible to unplug things as I need them, but that was inconvenient. It is also possible to add a USB hub, however my computer is so old that it only has USB 2.0 ports. So, not only was this for convenience but also gives added performance.

One thing to know is that these cards are considered a USB hub. This means that you are not going to be able to charge 7 different devices each plugged into their own port. Cards or ports that perform the full USB capability are significantly more expensive and you may need an upgraded power supply to do so. Investigate specifications based on your own needs.

Here are a few more tidbits. The card that I chose has 5 USB, A-style ports and 2, C-style ports. Part of why I did this was to try and future proof this machine as long as possible. This desktop computer was purchased as a refurbished computer in 2012 so we are going into the 14th year of use. Pretty good as technology goes.

You can purchase cards that have less ports and by proxy they are also cheaper. But again, I was trying to future proof this as much as possible. So my particular card is the value compromise, the most ports for the cheapest cost. Here is how it was installed.

This video was also edited using a new software OpenShot. I am not sure why Microsoft keeps making video editing worse. The old Windows Media editor was the best, then I was using Pictures, and I have played around with ClipChamp. Each version was more difficult to work with then the last. So, I tried OpenShot.

It works fine, but it may not have the features that I actually want still. The transitions are a little clunky and there are no screen or text editors. So, maybe practice is what I need first before I move on to another program. Also, with two videos with my new action camera, the audio is definitely poor. I need to investigate a separate microphone or just relegate this to voiceover type videos.

End Your Programming Routine: I cant say again how much better plug and play life is. Plug the card in and start using it. This is miles from having to assign the drive in the BIOS and then re-install the service pack (for those of you that remember NT). This was after setting the jumpers on the card, etc.

November 28, 2023 – Didn’t Even Know That This Was a Problem

November 28, 2023 /

I was pretty diligent when I went to add my new wireless card to my old Windows computer. I saw that it needed a USB connection to the motherboard to make the Bluetooth work. I checked it before I ordered it. I also educated myself as to all the different types of PCIe slots and if I had the right ones.

When I did the second one for the Linux machine, I wasn’t quite so diligent. I new that computer was newer and I knew that I hadn’t added any cards to it at this point, So, I went on the assumption that if I had all the space I needed on the old one, the newer one would be just fine. Well that wasn’t the case.

I did have three PCIe ports but all of my USB connections were taken. At first, I just disconnected the front ports to make sure that the wireless card was working, but it bothered me so I started looking. I discovered that there is a way to share these motherboard connections. See the video below.

Now, everything is right in the world. Since I was looking for this video to share here, I also discovered that there are devices that can add more motherboard ports if necessary. That is also good.

The one thing that wasn’t quite right was that my Linux computer already had an imbedded wireless card. I ran the right commands (I think) to check if that was the case. I got no return on validating a wireless card which is why I ordered it in the first place. However, when I installed the new card, it enabled the imbedded card. I had read that wireless driver installation can be tricky on Linux and I guess this is what I ultimately encountered.

Don’t get me wrong, I am glad that the plug and play worked. But, I kind of wish that I had known that there was already an imbedded wireless card. I don’t think it had Bluetooth capability which is what justified me keeping the card installed. I may have deprioritized it.

When I spoke about my network configuration a few weeks ago, I stated that everything that can be wired is wired. That is still true. I want wireless capability on my Linux machine as a test tool. I want to know if I can connect wired but not wirelessly or on Linux versus Windows versus iOS. Adding the additional Bluetooth connectivity seemed like an inexpensive luxury at $20.

Since I have been slow playing the Software Defined Radio scanner experiment, I heard somewhere that I needed two different radio receivers to make the thing work. The problem is that I am running out of USB connections outside of the computer. So, I have been looking at USB expansion cards. They do exist and they are pretty inexpensive. Believe it or not, they don’t require and USB connection to the motherboard, just a PCIe slot. So no worries there.

End Your Programming Routine: This is why I love techno junk. I would never spend $400 on a new, super duper graphics card but I would spend $20 for an enhancement. The fact that I can get 2nd or 3rd generation technology for a song makes a big difference on me wading deeper into the fray. Like I stated before, I have been out of the hardware game for a long time, it is nice to know that things work much smoother than they used to.