USB 3.0/USB 2.0: one or both?

[Shtaga5]

Hello all, I'm building my first PC and I've come across a small problem. Please bear in mind that I'm still new to much of this.

I've searched and I can't seem to find an answer to this:

I've connected a USB 3.0 cable to my motherboard; do I still have to connect cables into the USB 2.0 ports as well, or are they dead wires?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

If you have front panel USB 2.0 ports , you do , if you don't then it's not needed.

 

[Nuwan Fernando]

I think what you mean are the single front panel USB cable with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 connectors to the same USB 3.0 ports like below,

http://www.dx.com/p/cheerlink-dual-usb-3-0-female-to-20-pin-usb-3-0-9-pin-usb-cable-for-front-panel-of-desktop-pc-325680

Use only the USB 3.0 Connector. If your front panel has USB 3.0 (Blue) and USB 2.0 both, then connect both cables to appropriate USB headers.

 

[JimF_35]

Are you asking this because your USB 3.0 cable also has a 2.0 pigtail on it and you are wondering if you should connect that too? If so do not connect both as you will short out the wires. You are only suppose to connect one or the other but not both. The 2.0 pigtail is so that you can configure your front panel connectors to be 2.0 INSTEAD of 3.0 if you so choose.

I could just be missing something though. Please clarify if so.

 

[Shtaga5]

The two wires are completely separate. The two ports that accept each wire respectively are physically too far apart to connect both in a pigtail wire. I understand now that I have to connect them both. Thank you again for your (very fast!) help!