External USB to Internal USB converter

austinbike · Post by **austinbike** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:06 am

Not sure where to post this. Building a new dual socket server and there is a USB port on the front of the case that I would like to be able to use.

Unfortunately the integrated controller on the server board is only USB 1.1 (older board) so the connector to the front of the case has a cable that ends in some jumper-type connectors (like you use for the LED and power switch connections on the system board.)

I bought a USB 2.0 card that has an internal connector, but it is a standard USB connector. I need a converter that would go from a standard USB plug to a set of jumpers in order to connect to the front of the case.

Any ideas?

PopCorn · Post by **PopCorn** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:12 am

a cheap and some what easy way to get one is to cut the pin outs off an old case and cut a usb cord off something and splice them, if you do be carefull because usb is a powered interface and you could kill your motherboard if its not wired right

austinbike · Post by **austinbike** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:34 am

Yeah, I was worried about that. I will take some pictures when I am done with the case to see if anyone has a solution. The front connector has 2 ports and it is screwed in. Hopefully it is some kind of standard.

PopCorn · Post by **PopCorn** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:50 am

yea most usb is all has the standard pinout

austinbike · Post by **austinbike** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:54 am

Here's a picture of the card and the cable:

If that spacing is standard and I can get a replacement cable that will fit into the internal connector on that card, I could go that route as well.

A USB Block to USB blade converter would be best.

PopCorn · Post by **PopCorn** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:05 am

1st i have to say wow that card is red!, umm not to be a pain in the ass but can you put like a quater in the pic so i have something to compair to?

PopCorn · Post by **PopCorn** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:10 am

i dont know anywhere you can get a wire like that but, the only real problem i see about slpicing the wire to a usd end is that seeing that the other end has 2 usb ports and if you wire on a usb end to it o dont know if 1 usb port can handle 2

Mr Evil · Post by **Mr Evil** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:40 am

PopCorn wrote:...you could kill your motherboard if its not wired right

Luckily it's pretty easy to wire up USB cables because the wires are all colour-coded; just match the colours and it will all work! Hopefully

PopCorn wrote:...dont know if 1 usb port can handle 2

You can't split one USB port into two like that, but you could use a hub between the internal and external connectors to do it.

PopCorn · Post by **PopCorn** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:42 am

yea i never really messed around with usb cables

Mr Evil · Post by **Mr Evil** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:49 am

A bit of Googling shows that someone does make (almost) what you're looking for. It will only make one of your ports usable though, you'd still need a hub to get them both working.

edit: I forgot to mention that I have also seen internal PCI cards like the one you have, but with headers on the inside instead of sockets, so you could plug your front-panel connector to it directly, just like you would to the motherboard.

PopCorn · Post by **PopCorn** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:51 am

yep thats what he needs

peteamer · Post by **peteamer** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:59 am

PopCorn wrote:umm not to be a pain in the ass but can you put like a quater in the pic so i have something to compair to?

And of course the whole World uses American coinage...

.....

USB plugs/connectors are International though and they are already in the pic...

.....

Love to All
Pete

flyingsherpa · Post by **flyingsherpa** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 10:54 am

check frontx: http://www.frontx.com/store/order_p.html. I believe the first cable on that page is what you want. I've used frontx before and they're good.

austinbike · Post by **austinbike** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 11:09 am

Yes! Frontx basicaly has what I need. The dual is the same size that I have, and I can run one on the inside of the card and if I need the second I could route it out the back, but I don't really care about having two. Mostly I am swapping the USB keys in and out, maybe a HD, but both are short-term connections and never at the same time.

Thanks.