extra connectors, where do they go

[King Elessar]

hello, i just put together a new computer, everything is running smoothly and i have really no complaints, except after i connected everything that needed to be connected, i noticed some extra wires that did not have a home. it looks like they come from somewhere on the case. two connectors have three slots and say +5, -D, +D. two others are single connectors and each say ground. and the other six are single connectors as well. TPA-, TPA+, TBG-, TBG+, VP, VG. does anyone have an idea what these might go? it says nothing of them in my motherboard manual.

[Berethorn]

I have a similer problem, I don't know where to connect the wires from the front USB plugs on the case.

Which motherboard do you hvae?

(BTW, I like your name )

[bigandy]

They may be case USB, firewire, LED, Power, Reset, etc.. What case and MB do you have?

[DarkHorse]

Sounds like the wires are from a Front USB panel on your case or somesuch... look in your motherboard documentation for USB drives, or for a pinout of the board.

More props for the name.

[bailey]

the last news letter spelles that out real good

[bigandy]

Originally posted by bailey the last news letter spelles that out real good

I don't know if you were talking to those of us who have been here for awhile or not, bailey, but King Elessar just got here .

From the newsletter

Most new pre-built PCs come with front-mounted ports, typically for USB, Firewire, possibly others. But, fairly often, those of us with self-built PCs or older PCs are left on our own. So, I thought I would include a write-up on how to set up front-mounted ports onto your PC if you don't already have them. Setting up front-mounted ports is a fairly old idea, and pretty simple as well. Where most people get fouled up on is in knowing how to hook the ports up to the motherboard so as to make them work. Pass Thru USB This is the simplest type of front mounted USB. Basically, there is a cable which connects the front ports back to the rear ports on the PC. So, essentially, it simply transfers the ports to the front. The front-mounted portion comes on a special slot cover plate in which the ports are installed. You install the port plate into a 5.25" drive bay. The wiring of the ports on that plate (and there might be USB, microphone jack, headphone jack, maybe a volume dial, a gaming port, etc) are routed through a rounded cable and then on the other end you actually plug these features into the rear-mounted counterparts of each port. This system is incredibly simple. But at the same time, its drawback is that all you're really doing is moving the controls and ports forward. The rear ports are still in use, so you're not really gaining any extra ports. Port to Header Connection This is the best type of connection to use as it takes advantage of the header pins for connecting these ports which reside on the motherboard itself. Most motherboards in use today have extra sets of pins onboard which are designed for additional USB ports or other types of ports. Most boards support 2 USB ports in the rear (and the ports themselves are attached to the board on ATX boards) but there is usually a USB header for connecting two more USB ports. Some boards have more, and some have different headers for USB and USB2. The header looks like a small row of pins, either one or two rows. Each pin on the header corresponds to an individual wire inside of the USB cable. Here is an image of the pin layout for a typical USB connection header. There is also a separate layout used for Gigabyte boards, but the layout here is much more common. If you look at the wire for your USB port, you will see 4 or 5 wires. The typical wiring assignment is the red wire goes to the power pin (sometimes labeled as VCC), the white (sometimes orange) wire is the D-, the green (sometimes yellow) wire is the D+, the the black wire is the ground (GND). Sometimes these four wires hang loose and you must connect them one at a time. Sometimes, they are connected into a unified plug where all four wires are already arranged into a single plug, and all you need to do is plug it in with the proper alignment. You may have an extra ground wire hanging loose as well. Some USB wires used for front-mounted USB ports have enough wires for all possible header types, so there may be some wires you won't even use. All you have to do is read the writing on each connector wire and connect it to the appropriate pin on the header. Your motherboard's manual will be the ultimate reference on the pin layout of your USB header. Making the Connection You will quickly notice that the names of the wires you have might not match up to the names on the pins on your motherboard. Don't let this confuse you. As I mentioned, the power lead is sometimes labeled VCC, but it can also be labeled Power, USB Power, PUSB, or even just P. The wire is always red for power. The Ground will be labeled with something indicating ground, usually G, GND, Ground, or GUSB. The "-" is the best indicator for the D- lead. Vice versa for the "+" for D+. You will also notice that the names may have a "1" or "2" next to them. This is simply to indicate which set of 4 wires go to a single set, or to one connector. This is simple to ensure you don't try to connect a port using wires from two different ones. Lastly, if you have a connector called Shield, then this is just the extra ground wire. When connecting a front-mounted USB cable, you simple connect the 4 wires (and ground) to the correct pins on the header. You may see two sets of pins right next to each other. One connector per side. Lastly, be careful not to confuse your USB connector with your Firewire connector. The layout are pretty similar for hookup. Port Panels I have focused on connecting USB ports on this article, but you can pick up front mounted panels which have a wide variety of connectors. You'll connect your USB and Firewire connectors using this article. Sound connectors will plug into the ports on your sound card or on your motherboard (if you are using mainboard sound). Some front-mounted panel plates even have digital displays for temperature, fan speed, even the time. The fan speed indicator will plug into a motherboard somehow, and temperature will be retrieved through a sensor which you will place somewhere inside the case. But, for people with PCs without this type of front-mounted convenience, you may want to look into doing this for yourself.

Hope this helps.

[King Elessar]

hey, sorry for the delay. my motherboard is an ASUS P4C800 Deluxe and my case is this, except in black. http://www.svc.com/alchunmichws1.html