I/o ports and connectors, Serial and parallel ports – Dell PowerEdge 4600 User Manual
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I/O Ports and Connectors
Dell™ PowerEdge™ 4600 Systems User's Guide
Integrated Network Interface Controller Connectors
I/O Ports and Connectors
The I/O ports and connectors on the back panel of the system are the gateways through which the system communicates with external devices, such as a
keyboard, mouse, printer, and monitor.
identifies the I/O ports and connectors for your system.
Figure B-1. I/O Ports and Connectors
Serial and Parallel Ports
The two integrated serial ports use 9-pin D-subminiature connectors on the back panel. These ports support devices such as external modems, printers,
plotters, and mice that require serial data transmission (the transmission of data one bit at a time over one line).
Most software uses the term COM (for communications) plus a number to designate a serial port (for example, COM1 or COM2). The default designations of
your system's integrated serial ports are COM1 and COM2.
The integrated parallel port uses a 25-pin D-subminiature connector on the system's back panel. This I/O port sends data in parallel format (where eight data
bits, or one byte, are sent simultaneously over eight separate lines in a single cable). The parallel port is used primarily for printers.
Most software uses the term LPT (for line printer) plus a number to designate a parallel port (for example, LPT1). The default designation of the system's
integrated parallel port is LPT1.
Port designations are used, for example, in software installation procedures that include a step in which you identify the port to which a printer is attached,
thus telling the software where to send its output. (An incorrect designation prevents the printer from printing or causes scrambled print.)
Adding an Expansion Card Containing Serial or Parallel Ports
The system has an autoconfiguration capability for the serial ports. This feature lets you add an expansion card containing a serial port that has the same
designation as one of the integrated ports, without having to reconfigure the card. When the system detects the duplicate serial port on the expansion card, it
remaps (reassigns) the integrated port to the next available port designation.