One of the necessary steps in getting set up for a tethered workflow is to determine which USB ports you have on your computer.We recommend checking your computer model with the manufacturer for specific details about your equipment. If you have a PC, I expect you’ll have either only USB-C or a combination of USB-A and USB-C ports. And If you have a Mac, depending on which year it was manufactured, you may have USB-A, USB-C and Thunderbolt ports.
USB-A 3.0 ports can accept USB 2.0 and 3.0 cables, but we do not recommend using USB-A 3.0 cables in USB-A 2.0 ports as you may not have the desired experience. On a Mac, if you have Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can use both Thunderbolt and USB-C cables, but if you only have USB-C ports, you can only use USB-C cables, not Thunderbolt 3 cables. And if you have the older Thunderbolt 2 port, this will only accept Thunderbolt 2 cables. Confused yet? Don’t be.
To get the correct cables, you really only need to learn what ports your computer and camera have.
And always use our Search by Camera guide on our website to find the correct cables.
USB-A ports are either speeds of 2.0 or 3.0 and speeds over 3.0 such as 3.1 or 3.2 is called USB-C.
USB-C ports are oval in shape and USB-C cables can fit in either way; there isn’t a “right side up” like there is with USB 2.0 and 3.0 cables. USB-A ports are rectangular and USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 cables have a “right side up” – cables only fit in one way.
Ports shown on a PC below. Blue inside the port indicates these ports are USB 3.0. USB 2.0 ports have white plastic.
Thunderbolt 3 ports identifiedon a Mac can accept Thunderbolt 3 cables and USB-C.
Whereas USB-C ports identified can only accept USB-C cables. (Thunderbolt 2 can only accept Thunderbolt 2 cables.)
Be sure to check Apple’s info on how to identify ports on your Mac. It depends on the year your Mac was built, so be sure to double check. Mac does not identify ports with different colors.
You can also check your computer system to discover your computers USB ports. On a PC, enter Device Manager into your system search bar.
You’ll see an alphabetic list of all the devices on your PC.
On a Mac, click on the Apple to access About this Mac.
Select System Report.
If you want to learn more about USB protocols, I highly recommend starting with the Wiki here and checking out the “USB Implementers Forum, Inc. is a non-profit corporation founded by the group of companies that developed the Universal Serial Bus specification.” You can find out more about them here.
Use the Device Manager to determine if your computer has USB 1.1, 2.0, or 3.0 ports:
Open the Device Manager.
In the "Device Manager" window, select the + (plus sign) next to Universal Serial Bus controllers. You will see a list of the USB ports installed on your computer.
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It is the most popular type of port used in computers to connect them to external devices such as keyboards, mice, printers, phones, cameras and more. It is common for personal computers to have at least two USB ports.
USB Type C is quickly becoming the standard for connecting different types of devices, and it's likely that it will eventually replace Type A as the dominant connection. USB Type C is smaller than traditional Type A and offers faster data transfer speeds and improved power delivery capabilities.
— A guide to USB versions and compatibility. The short answer is yes—USB 3.0 does work with USB 2.0, but you won't get the speeds of USB 3.0 technology.
USB 1, 2, and 3 connectors are all similar, but the USB-C connector is unique. USB-C has more contact pins which increases bandwidth and charging capabilities. Paired with the right cable or adapter it can be used at 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 speeds.
USB-C ports are oval in shape and USB-C cables can fit in either way; there isn't a “right side up” like there is with USB 2.0 and 3.0 cables. USB-A ports are rectangular and USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 cables have a “right side up” – cables only fit in one way. Ports shown on a PC below.
There are 65,535 possible port numbers, although not all are in common use. Some of the most commonly used ports, along with their associated networking protocol, are: Ports 20 and 21: File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
USB 1.1 was the previous standard and is all you need for any keyboard or mousing device. Certain high speed devices like flash memory sticks or portable scanners will take advantage of USB 2.0's faster speed (almost 40x as fast) or increased power delivery capabilities.
Generally, no, it doesn't matter. Most keyboards and mice can be plugged into any available USB port. However, if your keyboard or mouse has specific features that require a faster data transfer rate, you might want to use a USB 3.0 port if available.
SS USB stand for SuperSpeed USB. The first iteration of SS USB was introduced in November 2008 as USB 3.0, and it ushered in a new era of speed and power from its predecessor, USB 2.0, or High Speed USB. More recently, USB 3.1, or Gen 2, has come out, bringing further increases in both power and data transfer speeds.
Are USB Ports Colour Coded? A common way to identify the USB version is to see what colour the inner plastic part of the connection is. White indicates USB 1.0, black USB 2.0, and a blue USB port is USB 3.0.
It is easy to tell the difference in their physical appearance. USB 2.0 Connectors is colored black or white inside and the USB 3.0 is colored blue inside.
Most computers have both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. The images above indicates that the computer has USB 3.0. An alternative way to check is to look for a blue (Windows only) USB port and SS mark next to it – that means it's USB 3.0 certified. Click here to read more about connecting your camera to a USB 2.0 port.
The USB-C connector looks similar to a micro USB connector at first glance. But if you look closer, you will see it's more oval in shape and slightly thicker to accommodate its best feature: flippability. Like Lightning and MagSafe, the USB-C connector has no up or down orientation.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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