Mouse Connection Technologies

Hard Wire Connection Technologies

Serial - Serial mice are difficult to come by these days, as are the ports they need in order to operate. This know-how is elderly & slow, & the popularity & convenience of USB has all but eliminated the necessity for this interface on your typical PC. But, there were mice that sported the 9-pin connection needed to connect to a serial port, & lots of PS2 mice used to include an adaptor for Serial ports.

PS2 - PS2 mice were the standard for a long time, as all motherboards provided PS2 ports for connecting a keyboard & a mouse. USB know-how has become so widely used that the slower & less convenient PS2 ports are on the verge of extinction with the Serial port. That said, not lots of mice are still sold that only support a PS2 connection, but there is still some obtainable.

USB - Most mice can now connect by USB, & include an adaptor to be used on a PS2 port, as well. It seems that any mouse now makes use of USB to connect, whether it is a wired mouse, or any variety of wireless mice that they are about to look at.

Wireless Connection Technologies

Radio Frequency - The most common type of wireless mouse makes use of radio frequencies to communicate motion to a receiver that is connected to the PC. This generic wireless mouse (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=RF-M308-RC-USB&cat=MOU) operates on the 27MHz frequency & the mouse itself is powered by AAA batteries which are not included. As you move up the cost scale of RF (Radio Frequency) wireless mice, the packages will usually include an integrated rechargeable battery, as does the Logitech MX1000 discussed historically in the past. Other features of higher finish RF wireless mice include extended range, greater precision, & a receiver that doubles as a battery charger.

Bluetooth - The Tech Tip on Bluetooth discussed the basics of this wireless know-how, & the way it was a lovely fit for 'lower speed' devices, like a mouse. Logitech & IOGear are manufacturers offering products for Bluetooth users, in addition to more traditional mice. The Bluetooth mice are also battery powered, & use the.4GHz radio frequency to communicate with an included receiver/charger or other Bluetooth adaptor.

RFID - An odd approach to wireless mice has been developed by a company called A4Tech. The A4Tech ND-30 RFID wireless mouse must be used with the included mouse pad in order to function, but there are no batteries in the mouse, & no cords on the mouse to get in the way. It works by using electromagnetic induction between the pad (which is plugged in to a USB port) & the wireless, non-powered mouse. You never must worry about replacing / charging batteries, & the weight of the mouse is greatly reduced since the power features are no longer necessary.