In the early days of home computers, any external gadgets, such as speakers or monitors, had to be connected to a specific port. Not only did this limit the amount of hardware you could hook up, but it also meant that many products could be connected only to compatible machines. The Universal Serial Bus was released in 1995 to make things easier for both consumers and manufacturers. Regardless of whether you're plugging in a keyboard, a monitor or a printer, if your hardware has a USB plug, it can be plugged into any open USB port.
1). A USB port is rectangular in shape, with a thin plastic strip inside the top edge.
Jeffrey Hamilton/Digital Vision/Getty Images Locate the USB ports on your computer. Desktop computers typically have two USB ports on the front of the tower and several more on the back. Laptops have USB ports along the sides.
2). Push your USB plug into the USB port. The white strip inside the USB plug will need to be pointed downward. Otherwise, the plug will not go inside the port.
3). Wait for your computer to detect the device. You may need to install additional software or drivers to get it working. Follow any on-screen installation instructions that appear.
