UGREEN USB Ethernet Adapter Aluminum USB 3.0 to Network Gigabit RJ45 LAN 10/100/1000 Mbps Adapter Converter for Nintendo Switch, MacBook, Mac Pro Mini, iMac, XPS, Surface Pro, Notebook, PC 4.7 out of 5 stars 319. Adds four USB 3.0 ports to your Mac Pro with PCIe slots, Windows PC, or Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion chassis; transfers data up to 10x faster than over USB 2.0 connections Supports USB 3.0 bus-powered hard drives, SSDs, DVDs & Blu-ray devices with up to 2.0A per port.
Question from Shelley Y.: Hi Rick. I read your article about adding USB 3.0 ports to a PC and I was wondering if they can be added to a Mac too?
https://gtmgpn.over-blog.com/2020/12/what-is-the-excel-for-mac.html. My computer is an older Mac Pro MC560LL/A and it only has USB 2.0 ports. I’d really like to be able to use a USB 3.0 hard drive with this computer.
My question is can I add some USB 3.0 ports to my Mac Pro?
Rick’s answer:Yes, you sure can Shelley, and it’s very easy to do. What’s more, it won’t cost you very much to do it.
All you have to do is purchase a USB 3.0 expansion card and install it in an empty expansion slot. Just make sure you buy a card that’s designed to work with a Mac Pro instead of a PC.
But before we go any further, are you aware that USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0?
That means you could always just plug a USB 3.0 external hard drive into one of your Mac’s USB 2.0 ports if you wanted to and it’ll work just fine. But there’s a downside to doing that: The drive will transfer data back and forth with the computer at the much slower USB 2.0 speed, essentially negating the advantage of using a fast USB 3.0 drive.
For that reason I recommend going ahead and adding some USB 3.0 ports to your computer as originally planned so you can take advantage of the much faster USB 3.0 speed. I only told you about the backward compatibility because I want you to be aware of all of your options.
I did a little research and discovered that there are several USB 3.0 expansion cards available for Mac Pros. This one from Inateck (#ad Videoloupe 1 1 2. ) plugs into an empty PCI-E slot and it will add 4 USB 3.0 ports to your computer.
And by the way, you also have the option to skip USB 3.0 and add some USB-C 3.1 ports to your Mac Pro instead by installing this card (#ad) from Ableconn.
As you can see, you should have no trouble at all adding USB 3.0 or even USB-C 3.1 ports to your Mac Pro Shelley. Good luck!
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Information about these and other types of Mac ports is in the specifications for your Mac: Choose Apple menu > About This Mac, click Support, then click Specifications. Or check your Mac user guide.
Use Thunderbolt 3 with displays and other devices that connect using either a Thunderbolt 3 cable or USB-C cable. You can also connect a USB-C power adapter and cable to charge your notebook computer. If you have a device that doesn't connect to this port, you might be able to use an adapter to connect it.
These Mac models have Thunderbolt 3 ports:
If your Mac notebook or desktop computer has more than one port like this, each port supports ThunderBolt 3 and USB-C.
Use USB-C with displays and other devices that connect using a USB-C cable. You can also connect a USB-C power adapter and cable to charge your notebook computer. If you have a device that doesn't connect to this port, you might be able to use an adapter to connect it.
https://wsqr.over-blog.com/2020/12/nch-audio-suite-3-2017-download-free.html. MacBook models introduced in 2015 or later have a single USB-C port. This port doesn't support Thunderbolt devices.
If your Mac has only one port like this, it's a MacBook that supports USB-C but not Thunderbolt.
Use Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 with displays and other devices that connect using a Thunderbolt cable.
These Mac models have Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 ports:
Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are not the same as Mini DisplayPort . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port. However, this port does support Mini DisplayPort for video output, so you can use a Mini DisplayPort cable to connect a Mini DisplayPort display.
Use Mini DisplayPort with displays that connect using a Mini DisplayPort cable.
These Mac models have Mini DisplayPort:
Mini DisplayPort is not the same as Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port.
Use USB-A with devices that connect using a USB cable. USB ports are sometimes known by the USB specification of the port, such as USB 2 or USB 3.
Left to right: power, two Thunderbolt, USB-A, and Audio-Out.
Use HDMI with displays and TVs that connect using an HDMI cable.
Use Ethernet with networks and devices that connect using an Ethernet (RJ45) cable.
Use FireWire with devices that connect using a FireWire 400 or FireWire 800 cable.
Use the SD card slot with SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, and UHS-II media cards, such as those used by digital cameras.
Use Audio-Out — or — with headphones, speakers, and other audio-output devices that connect using an audio cable that has a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) audio jack.
https://ameblo.jp/choklojarpi1979/entry-12644242264.html. Use Audio-In with a microphone or other audio-input device that connects using an audio cable that has a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) audio jack.
Use the power port , if available, to connect your computer to AC power using a MagSafe cable or adapter. This port isn't available on newer Mac notebook computers, which use Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C for power and charging. Learn more about power adapters and cables for Mac notebook computers.
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