How to find the right PS/2 Cables AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in PS/2 Cables
- Connector
- PS/2 uses a 6-pin mini-DIN connector. Purple ports are for keyboards and green ports are for mice. Many older systems will not detect a device plugged into the wrong port.
- PS/2-to-USB conversion
- Small passive adapters only work with devices that support both PS/2 and USB. For a PS/2-only device, use an active adapter with a converter chip. This is the most common reason a PS/2 adapter does not work.
- Extension length
- Keep PS/2 extensions short. For long runs, use a KVM extender. Long PS/2 runs can cause dropped or garbled input.
- Hot-plugging
- Connect PS/2 devices with the computer powered off. PS/2 is not designed for hot-plugging, and many systems only detect the device at boot.
Brands that matter
- StarTech: PS/2 extensions, splitters and active USB adapters.
- Tripp Lite: PS/2 KVM cables and extensions.
- C2G: Legacy mini-DIN cabling.
- Cable Matters: Basic PS/2 extension cables.
What to avoid
- Passive PS/2-to-USB adapters with PS/2-only keyboards and mice.
- Y-splitters on systems that do not have a combined keyboard and mouse port.