# Adding USB ports in the front panel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2004, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349 "2004-10-15T11:09:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349/1 "2004-10-15T11:09:27Z")
I have one unused 5 1/2 inch bay. Can I add some extra USB ports there? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349/2 "2004-10-15T11:39:42Z")
There’s [these](http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=1904&sku=27319) type front panels, although it’s a 3.5" one. Then there’s [this](http://www.frontx.com/), which simply works as an extension of the existing USBs. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349/3 "2004-10-15T11:48:35Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > I have one unused 5 1/2 inch bay. Can I add some extra USB ports there? I can’t find any that’ll fit a 5.5in bay, only 3.5in ([http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/USB\_Hubs/](http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/USB_Hubs/)). If you want one of those, you’ll also either need a motherboard with a spare internal USB header (more likely if your motherboard is recent), or a USB expansion card that fits in a PCI slot ([http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/USB\_Cards/](http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/USB_Cards/)). Your motherboard manual will tell you if you’ve got a spare internal header, which’ll save a buck or two. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349/4 "2004-10-15T12:17:35Z")
You can get 5.5" adapters for a 3.5" drive. I’ve got one in my computer right now to fit a 3.5" zip drive in a 5.5" bay. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349/5 "2004-10-15T13:15:27Z")
If you’re nearer the UK than Greece, [Maplin Electronics](http://maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32674&TabID=1&source=14&doy=15m10) has a few to choose from; I think they also have one that repeats the audio connections at the front too. These sorts of things also appear on eBay quite frequently; make sure you know what kind you’re getting - some require a spare internal USB header; others require an internal USB ‘A’ socket, others are supplied with a backplate that has a hole in it and you pass the cable through and plug it into one of your rear USB ports. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-usb-ports-in-the-front-panel/269349/6 "2004-10-15T13:25:40Z")
Thanks! 3.5" will do too, because I don’t have a flopy drive in my computer.