This article provides a reference on USB ports on a Dell computer. It covers the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) by our end users and provides clear answers to each.
The questions vary from what the ports look like, to how to troubleshoot them when something goes wrong.
I hope you find what you need below. If not, contact your local support.
How does it work?
The goal of USB is to end the headache of using different connectors for different devices such as serial and parallel connections. It aims to give you a single standardized way to connect up to 127 devices to the one computer.
When the computer powers up, it queries all the devices that are connected to the bus and assigns them an address. (Sometimes called Enumeration.) It also finds out what type of data transfer the device is looking to perform:
The computer tracks the bandwidth use. It denies access to any other Interrupt and Isochronous devices, if over 90% of the bandwidth is in use. This leaves the remaining 10% for bulk mode transfers.
USB devices are Hot-Swappable, this means you can pull them out and plug them in, while the computer is still powered up and working.
There are several types of USB ports in use. Select your version from the tabs below to see the available ports and plugs and what they can do:
USB 1.1 was the first revision of the USB port that was widely adopted in the late 90s.
It had data rates of 1.5 Mb/s on the low end and 12 Mb/s on the high end.
Port | Plug |
The introduction of USB 2.0 resolves several issues with USB 1.x.
It increases the signaling rate to 480 Mb/s for High Speed.
However due to access constraints with the bus, the effective signaling rate was limited to either 35 MB/s or 280 Mb/s.
USB 2.0 also introduces several modifications, such as the introduction of both the Micro/Mini specifications and the high/low-power ports.
Type-A Port | Type-A Plug | ||
Mini Port | Mini Plug | ||
Micro Port | Micro Plug | ||
Type-B Port | Type-B Plug |
The USB 3.0 standard defined a new SuperSpeed mode of 5.0 Gb/s and was backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices and cables.
Communication is Full Duplex and taking the overhead into account, it is reasonable to expect signaling rates between 3.2 Gb/s and 4.0 Gb/s,
Port | Plug |
USB 3.2 Gen 1 is 3.0 plus all the changes that have been made to USB 3.0 over the years. Systems with Legacy USB 3.0 ports are now USB 3.2 Gen 1.
USB 3.2 Gen 1 can also be referred to as USB SuperSpeed. (When compared to USB 2.0.) It has a max bandwidth of 5 Gigabits per second (5 Gbps).
USB 3.2 Gen 1 can either be legacy USB Type-A ports or the new USB Type-C ports.
USB Type-C ports that meet only the USB Gen 1 Specification can support Data transfer and USB Power delivery.
Port | Plug |
USB 3.2 Gen 2 can also be referred to as USB SuperSpeed (When compared to USB 2.0.) It has a max bandwidth of 10 Gigabits per second (10 Gbps).
USB 3.2 Gen 2 is only found with USB Type-C connections and has the capabilities that are mentioned in USB Gen 1 plus the following:
Port | Plug |
The work being done on Type-C is to replace the current standard with a new future-proof revision.
This new type is not backwards compatible with the older versions and is a new connector shape with the speeds of USB 3.2.
It also comes with additional improvements:
Port | Plug |
Dell has used the USB port over the years, sometimes with some proprietary changes.
Dell D-Series laptops made extensive use of the USB 1.1 port
However Dell also designed a proprietary port that used the port above a USB port to supply extra power. This was for external devices such as external CD-ROMs and other devices that did not provide their own power source.
These Dell devices were fitted with a dual connector for this purpose.
One to supply power from the Dell connection and one to supply communication from the USB.
Port | Plug |
You can identify a Dell PowerShare port by the lightning symbol next to the USB logo. PowerShare will only power devices while the computer is in a 'low-power state' (Standby) mode when the computer is running on battery power only. The computer allows the battery to discharge down to 50% at which point the PowerShare feature is disabled. (This depends on the model of computer and the BIOS revision.)
So far there has not been a popular operating system that has not supported USB. Everything from Apple, Linux, and Windows have support for these USB standards that are built into their operating systems from the base up.
As we have gone through the different stages of the USB standards, so has the definition of whether the USB was Powered.
From the beginning, we have seen that some external devices do not supply their own power. They take power from the computer that they are connected to and transfer data across the same connection. There have been several different answers to this over the last 20 years:
NOTE: On many of the new laptops, the Default setting in the BIOS for USB PowerShare is: Disabled
Only the USB connector with a lightning bolt icon, as seen in the image below, can be used.
This functionality is enabled in the system setup under the On Board Devices heading. You can select how much of the battery's charge can be used (pictured below). If you set the USB PowerShare to 25%, the external device is allowed to charge until the laptop battery reaches 25% of full capacity.
(for example. 75% of the laptop's battery charge is used up).
When this option is set to Disabled, the USB PowerShare feature is turned off. Any devices attached to the USB PowerShare port do not charge when the computer is in a low-power state. Selecting any of the other settings enables the feature. It specifies the system battery capacity at which charging a USB device on the USB PowerShare port is terminated.
Also check that the USB configuration options are enabled and ticked. (depending on the model of computer and the BIOS revision should look like the screen below)
These devices are what is called Plug and Play. That means they work when they are plugged in. However some proprietary drivers may be needed for any addon functions the devices may have.
Keyboards are a standard low-power input device. However, they can also include additions such as:
If a keyboard does not work - test it outside of the operating system and in multiple sockets.
You can also test it on another computer to see if the issue follows the keyboard.
Input devices such as your mouse or track ball are low-power devices.
Testing in other ports and on another computer identifies where a fault originates.
Flash Drives are low-power storage devices and have taken the place of the floppy disk.
Not all drives are compatible with all USB ports. You may have a conflict between the port and the drive manufacturer.
Try the device in several ports and computers to see where the fault follows.
Joysticks and Game Controllers that connect with a USB cable are low-power devices.
Testing in different ports and on another machine identifies where a fault originates.
There are powered hubs and unpowered hubs. However, hubs at their base are a cheap and easy way of expanding how many USB devices you can plug to a computer.
One plug from the Hub goes to your computer. It allows several devices to connect to the ports on the Hub and pass through to the computer.
Powered Hubs work better than unpowered ones do.
You can gang a maximum of 127 devices.
If you are having trouble with a hub, try different combinations of ports and devices and try on another computer.
Remember that one connection always has to go to the computer.
Latitude Docking Stations have their own external power source and connect using their own proprietary connector.
The connection however is still a USB connection.
You find that several different ports use the Dock like a power hub and connect through to the computer using that dock connection.
Trying different ports and different computers identifies where your fault lies.
Printers and Scanners have their own external power source and can sometimes be used as USB hubs depending on their configuration.
Once you have tested the connection to the computer, follow a proper Printer or Scanner troubleshooting guide for further instructions.
These devices usually have either their own external power source or some form of extra cabling. So that you plug up to more than one USB port while the device is in use.
Check the device on several ports and try it on another computer if you are troubleshooting a fault with the connection.
Some storage devices using a USB 3.0 port are not detected when the computer resumes from sleep or hibernation. Update your BIOS and the USB 3.0 Intel drivers to the latest revision, in order to resolve this issue. They are available from the Dell Support Site for your computer service tag or model type.
If you are trying to boot from a USB 3.0 storage device, and it is not detected. Swap the connector to a USB 2.0 connection instead.
These problems vary with the external storage device manufacturer.
These devices can be both low-power and have their own power source.
It depends on what they do and how fast they spin.
A simple read-only drive is low power. However, if you want dual layer or a writer, then it is best to get one with an external power source.
If it is detected, try it in multiple ports and try it on another computer to see where the fault goes.
These types of devices are multipurpose, in that they charge from USB, but they are also storage devices with data to transfer through USB.
You can also use them as devices on the computer to play music or extend a network connection among others.
These video devices are multipurpose, in that they charge from USB, but they are also storage devices with data to transfer through USB.
How do I identify a working USB port in a Windows operating system?
Your USB ports on your Dell computer are plug and play. If you have issues with your USB port, it is either port-related, driver related or device related. The following solutions help you identify the problem to resolve your USB port issues.
Begin troubleshooting your USB ports by checking Device Manager to see if your USB ports or hubs are working properly.
Click the Start button.
In Windows 8, move the mouse cursor to the upper right corner of the screen until the Charms Bar appears, and then click Search. In the search box type: Control Panel
In Windows 11 and Windows 10, click or tap the Windows Start button and type Control Panel.
Click Control Panel.
Click Hardware and Sound.
Click Device Manager.
Double-click Universal Serial Bus controllers and check to see if all your USB ports, hubs and controllers are functioning correctly. Any devices not functioning has a yellow exclamation mark in front of them.
If Device Manager shows that any USB ports, hubs or controllers are not functioning, check for updated drivers.
NOTE: If you have Accidental Damage Cover, damage is covered as part of the Accidental Damage package. We must know where the damage is and how it occurred when you contact your local Technical Support. If you DON'T have any cover or no Accidental Damage cover, then any repairs are chargeable.
You can check your warranty status on the link below.
The first step is to check the ports, the connector, and the cable for any wear and tear or damage that might be causing you problems:
Checking for damage is basic. It is looking at the USB ports on the computer and the connector on the USB device and visually checking if there are any:
Cracks in the plastics surrounding the port?
Any part of the port is crimped or bent?
Any pins from inside the port are bent or missing?
Any parts of the port are missing or broken off?
Any damage to the devices male connector?
Any damage to the cable from the connector to the device?
If you identify any of the above, you must contact your Technical Support.
If not, go to the next step.
Does the USB connector meet the official USB Specifications?
Our computers do not detect it if it does not follow these specifications. Contact the USB devices vendor.
If it does, then follow on to the next step.
Is there anything obstructing the USB device from fully seating in the USB port?
Yes, you should contact your USB device vendor.
No, then proceed with the next step.
Does the external USB device work ok in another Dell computer?
No, then you must contact your USB devices vendor
Yes, then proceed with the next step.
Plug the external device to the port. If you move the connector while it is plugged into a particular USB port, does it affect whether the device is picked up or not?
Yes, then contact your technical support.
No, then go to the next step.
If the computer supports it, run the ePSA or the Online diagnostics from the Dell Support Site.
If an error code is reported - troubleshoot and resolve that error.
If no error is reported, then go to the next step.
Have you ruled out a software issue in any way? There are three basic ways to accomplish this:
You can two-way swap the Hard Disk Drive (hard drive) or solid state drive (SSD) with one from a similar working computer. Does the fault follows the drive to a new machine or if the issue stays with your computer?
You can boot from an Ubuntu Live image (Regardless of the operating system in use on the computer). It lets you check to see if you experience the same issue in another operating system.
You can run a factory restore or reinstall your Operating system.
Was the issue seen once the operating system and Software was ruled out?
No, then the issue is resolved.
Yes, then contact your support to take this further, they take you through some further troubleshooting. You can also access more on the Dell Support Site by entering your service tag.
See the additional information section at the bottom of this article for contact us instructions.
An out-of-date BIOS driver can create issues with your computer recognizing the USB port.
When prompted, confirm the update from the current version to the new version by pressing Enter.
When the update process is complete, your computer restarts again to load the operating system with the new driver version installed.
Dell has an online diagnostic tool to help identify and fix issues with your computer.
Go to the Dell personal computer Diagnostic page.
Click the Advanced tab.
Click Hardware.
Using the scroll bar on the right-hand side of the window below; locate the listing for USB.
Select USB.
Click Run Diagnostics.
Agree to Terms and Conditions in Legal Statement.
Follow the instructions to test each USB port.
There does not appear to any doubt that the USB standard is here to stay. Especially with the Type-C which while not being backwards compatible with the older standards, is now seeing ever more use.
What benefits does the Type-C USB standard bring? :
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