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The Wikipedia article USB hardware states:

Standard connectors

  • The type-A plug. This plug has an elongated rectangular cross-section, inserts into a type-A receptacle on a downstream port on a USB host or hub, and carries both power and data. Captive cables on USB devices, such as keyboards or mice, terminate with a type-A plug.
  • The type-B plug: This plug has a near square cross-section with the top exterior corners beveled and inserts into a type-B receptacle on an upstream port on a USB device, such as a printer. On some devices, the type-B receptacle has no data connections, being used solely for accepting power from the upstream device. This two-connector-type scheme (A/B) prevents a user from accidentally creating a loop.
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  • \$\begingroup\$ Receptacle is socket, or female connector. Port is the connection point (which could be plug or socket, male or female connector). \$\endgroup\$
    – Puffafish
    Sep 30, 2020 at 7:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Puffafish What do you mean by the connection point? Why plug or receptacle, isn’t it always plug and receptacle (since you cannot connect two plugs or two receptacles)? \$\endgroup\$
    – Géry Ogam
    Sep 30, 2020 at 10:34

1 Answer 1

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The USB 'receptacle' is the mechanical connector - the thing you plug a USB cable into. That consists of electrical contacts in a plastic-and-metal housing.

The USB 'port' describes the connector, communication electronics, software and any power supply electronics needed by the equipment the port is in.

For a PC, the USB port uses a connector, power supply with current control/protection, communications electronics and an OS software driver.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks TonyM. What do you mean by ‘housing’? \$\endgroup\$
    – Géry Ogam
    Sep 27, 2020 at 10:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ housing means enclosure or shell \$\endgroup\$
    – jsotola
    Sep 27, 2020 at 17:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ Could you provide a reference for these definitions? \$\endgroup\$
    – Géry Ogam
    Sep 27, 2020 at 19:18

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