[Marisa Ross]

Universal Serial Bus (USB) makes it easier to connect PCs with monitors, printers, digital speakers, modems, scanners, digital cameras, joysticks, and other multimedia equipment. SATA is the physical interface used to connect internal hard drives, solid-state drives, and optical drives to a computer, with three generations of SATA interface controllers. eSATA allows you to connect external SATA hard drives, solid-state drives, and optical drives to a computer. Other peripheral interfaces include RJ11, a connector for wired telephone service and dial-up modems, and RJ45 Ethernet connectors for wired networks. FireWire, also known as IEEE 1394, is a general-purpose serial bus, while RS232 is a low-speed serial connector found on older PCs for devices like mice and external modems. Parallel ports, often used for old printers and external devices, are faster than RS232 but still slow by modern standards. PS/2 ports, using round six-pin connectors, were the standard for mice and keyboards before USB. Video expansion cards can generate the signals needed to display images on screens, and newer technologies like Thunderbolt, developed by Apple, have replaced older ones like FireWire. Wireless peripheral interfaces include Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), and infrared. Expansion cards can add functions for video, networking, peripherals, storage, sound, and audio.