Front panel pinout on asus motherboard. Connecting the front panel of the computer to the motherboard
USB ports usually come with the front panel for the system unit, or are installed as an addition to it. Let's look at installing USB ports into a computer using the example of connecting the front panel to the system unit. This panel will contain not only USB connectors, but also power and reboot buttons, and various indicators.
In addition, in any case, you will have to connect the front panel to the system unit, since without it you will not be able to use the computer normally.
Preparatory stage
The front panel, as well as additional USB connectors, are installed on the motherboard after the main work on assembling and setting up the PC has been completed. Before installation, it is advisable to examine all the free connectors on the motherboard and the cables with which the front panel will be connected.
If you connect the cables to the wrong connectors and/or in the wrong order, you risk disrupting the functionality of the entire computer. It is advisable to find and carefully study the documentation for the motherboard and front panel, even if it is not written in Russian.
All elements on the motherboard and front panel have their own markings, so if you carefully study the documentation, you will not confuse anything. It is also worth understanding that the instructions described in the article are of a general nature, since the features of your motherboard may differ from generally accepted standards.
Stage 1: Connecting indicators
If you are connecting the front panel, then this step is mandatory. Those who connect an additional expansion board with USB connectors should pay attention to the design of this board. If it contains any indicators and buttons, then you should not skip this stage. If there are just connectors, then you only have to connect the cable responsible for the power supply.
Before starting work, disconnect the computer from power. Now you need to find a special block located on the motherboard. Usually, it has a special designation and one of the signatures - "Front Panel", "F_Panel" or "Panel". It can also be found by location, since it is located as close as possible to the expected location of the front of the system unit.
Now let's look at the connecting wires that you may encounter both on the front panel unit and on the unit with additional USB connectors:
- The red wire is used to connect the on/off button;
- The yellow wire is responsible for the operation of the reset button;
- The blue cable is responsible for the operation of the system reboot/boot indicator;
- The power indicator depends on the green wire;
- To connect the panel to power, you need to use a white cable.
On some models, the functions of the red and yellow wires may change between each other, which can cause confusion. Fortunately, such models come across very rarely, and this feature is always written in the instructions.
Stage 2: Connecting the connectors
At this stage, you need to correctly connect the USB and audio connectors to the contacts on the motherboard. Cables and their connection points are marked accordingly. For example, the connection location is usually indicated by the inscription F_USB1, F_USB2 etc. It is worth understanding that there may be several such ports on the board. In this case, the order in which the cables are connected to them does not matter.
In the case of older versions of USB, everything is quite simple - connect the cables to special connectors on the motherboard and that’s it. But if you connect USB version 3.0 and higher, then you will have to connect it only to certain connectors. You can find out which ones exactly by using the documentation for the motherboard or board with additional connectors. Also, modern boards have special markings for connecting connectors version 3.0 and higher.
When all work is completed, try turning on the computer. If it turns on and works without problems, then connect the flash drive to one of the connectors you just connected. If the computer detects the flash drive, then everything is in order.
Connecting additional USB or front panel boards to your computer is not such a difficult task, but it requires careful attention and strict adherence to instructions.
How do I connect the motherboard to the front panel, which contains all the main buttons and indicators?
Attaching the motherboard to the front panel is a standard computer assembly process.
Before starting the connection process, you should study in detail the appearance of each element of the front panel of the computer case and the queue of its connection to the motherboard.
Remember! If you connect elements to the main system board in the wrong order, some of them may not work or work incorrectly.
It is quite simple to study the names of all elements and their location. All of them have a certain marking, name and appearance.
Connecting all buttons and status indicators
Any case contains computer status indicators, LEDs, buttons, and disk drives. Other elements may also be present.
On the computer motherboard there is a separate block for connecting diode bulbs (indicating the power-on status) and buttons.
The components are connected to this block using four separate connectors.
Their appearance is shown in the figure below. They look the same on all computers, but the phrases written on them may differ (but they mean the same thing).
The connectors are painted in different colors.
Yellow is for connecting the power button, blue is for the system status diode (lit when the system is rebooted).
The green connector connects the power button indicator lamp to the computer motherboard (after pressing the power key, the corresponding lamp lights up green).
Red – power button cable.
The connector that connects the speaker to the housing can also be painted yellow.
This speaker makes a beeping sound when you turn on your computer, detect system errors, or connect to a wireless network.
All connectors connect to one specific port on the motherboard. Typically, such a port is located at the bottom right of the system's main board.
Manufacturers of computer parts call this port the word PANEL and its variations (F_PANEL).
Absolutely every motherboard has signatures that indicate what needs to be connected and where. The figure below shows the required port on the board.
The arrows indicate where each connector should be connected.
On the main board you can often find a separate connector for connecting a speaker, which responds to errors in the BIOS and in the computer hardware.
The location of the connector is shown in the figure:
After connecting the block with buttons and diodes, you can begin connecting all the front USB inputs, as well as audio outputs.
The process of connecting the front panel of the system unit case
Appearance connectors for USB and sound are practically no different from those connectors that were described above in the article.
However, unlike the previous connector wires, they are connected together.
Each connector has a name (USB and HD AUDIO, respectively). The appearance of the wires is shown in the figure below:
The connector for connecting these connectors on the motherboard is located in its lower part and, as a rule, is labeled F_USB1 or F_USB2.
There may be more than two connectors for connection (newer versions of motherboards).
It doesn't matter where you connect which wire.
All inputs are absolutely identical; the order in which they are connected does not in any way affect the operation of the components on the front panel of the computer.
It is also impossible to make a mistake with the correct side of the connector.
The USB connector can only be connected on one side.
Follow the instructions:
- Find the connector named F_USB;
- Locate the corresponding connectors on the motherboard. Their location is indicated in the figure;
- Connect the connectors to any of the connectors on the board.
Note! If your computer case indicates that the USB 3.0 version is used, you need to connect the connector only to a specific connector. Which one you can read in the instructions that came with the motherboard.
Connecting the Front Soundbar to the Main Board
Now you need to connect the audio devices to the motherboard. All actions are almost the same as how USB connectors are connected.
The connectors are also connected together with each other.
This way you can connect all components to the computer motherboard without errors.
On most motherboards, all audio connectors are located near the USB connectors. The approximate location of the ports can be seen in the figure below:
Most often, sound connectors are labeled AC 97.
A front panel with audio and USB ports is an integral part of any modern computer. This is a very convenient thing that allows you to connect removable media, headphones or a microphone without unnecessary movements. However, it is often with the front panel that problems arise, as a result of which the sound stops working and you can no longer use the computer as usual. In this article we will try to understand possible reasons similar malfunctions.
Before you start troubleshooting problems with the front headphone and microphone jacks, you need to make sure that all drivers are installed correctly and the sound is working properly on the back panel of the computer. If you connect headphones with reverse side If there is no sound in the system unit, then the problem is more global and, therefore, requires a different approach to solving and a separate conversation. We will devote this article entirely to the front panel.
Why doesn't the sound on the front panel work?
We begin diagnostics by remembering at what point the inputs stopped functioning. For example, if the computer was only recently assembled and you have never used headphones with a microphone, then perhaps during assembly the connectors were incorrectly connected (or not connected at all) to the motherboard, i.e. The front panel is simply not connected properly. If the panel worked properly before, then try to determine the action after which the problems probably began. Perhaps some settings were made in the Control Panel or BIOS. If nothing comes to mind, follow the recommendations below.
Checking the headphone and microphone input connections
This item will be relevant for those cases when the computer was disassembled/assembled and after that the sound on the front panel stopped working. You need to make sure that the panel is really connected - the connector is connected to the correct contacts on the motherboard, and the integrity of the supply wires is not broken. To connect the front panel, either a solid block of two types – AC’97 and HD Audio, or separate connectors with markings can be used.
The AC'97 format is obsolete and is now rare. At the same time, the HD Audio (High Definition Audio) standard is now used everywhere. On the motherboard, the front panel HD Audio connector usually has letter designation, for example, F_Audio.
If you are still not sure where to connect the header, use your motherboard manual. Below we provide the AC’97 and HD Audio pinouts.
Connection diagram of individual connectors to AC’97:
Front Panel Configuration in BIOS
Sometimes it happens that the front panel works according to the old AC’97 standard, but the motherboard provides the new High Definition Audio specification. By the way, both connectors are similar, and the user may not notice this discrepancy. However, no problems should arise when connecting a panel with AC’97 to a motherboard with High Definition Audio. True, in some cases you will have to change the operating mode through the BIOS.
We go into the BIOS by pressing the F2 or DEL key when booting the computer. Next, go to the “Advanced” section and look for the “Onboard Devices Configuration” item. Just below is the “Front Panel Type” parameter (it can also be called High Definition Front Panel Audio or Legacy Front Panel Audio). Switch it from the HD Audio position to the AC97 position. If your front panel uses the HD Audio standard and the BIOS is set to AC97, then switch back.
Some motherboards do not provide the ability to change the operating mode of the front panel, but only allow you to disable or enable the sound controller. The Onboard Audio Function parameter (may have a different name) is responsible for this function, providing only the “Enabled” and “Disabled” values. In such a situation, you do not need to reconfigure anything in the BIOS, and the sound should work without additional manipulations.
Setting up sound devices in the Windows 7/10 Control Panel
If you are one hundred percent sure that the front inputs for headphones and microphone are connected correctly and everything is set correctly in the BIOS, it’s time to move on to the sound settings in the Windows 7/10 environment itself. First of all, go to the Control Panel, and then to the “Sound” section. On the “Playback” and “Record” tabs, make sure that the default devices are installed.
To display all devices, right-click anywhere in the window and check the “Show disconnected devices” and “Show disconnected devices” checkboxes.
On the “Playback” tab, click the same right button on the active device and select “Properties”. In the “General” section, look at the list of connectors - the item “Front panel 3.5 mm connector” should be present.
In the same way, we check the microphone properties on the “Recording” tab.
Front Panel Configuration Using Realtek HD Manager
If all the steps done did not produce results and the front panel for headphones and microphone still does not work, try playing with the Realtek HD settings. At correct installation drivers, this sound configurator must be present on your computer. We launch it using the icon on the taskbar or, if there is none, by following the path Control Panel - Realtek HD Manager.
In the program window, select the “Speakers” section and click on the yellow folder in the upper right corner.
Make sure that the checkbox next to “Disable detection of front panel sockets” is checked; if it is not there, be sure to check it.
Save the settings and check if the sound on the front panel is now working. In most cases the problem should be resolved.
Here in the Realtek HD manager you can make additional settings devices. Follow the corresponding link in the upper right corner of the window.
Using switches we achieve the required sound configuration.
We tried to talk as fully as possible about how to act in a situation where the microphone and headphones on the front panel do not work on the computer. If none of the above helps, try reinstalling or updating your sound drivers. As a last resort, seek help from specialists.
In this article, you will learn how to connect the power switch, reset switch and LEDs, as well as audio and USB ports to the motherboard. Before attempting to connect them, it is very important to know the location and polarity of the connection. To do this, you need to find diagrams in your motherboard manual that will tell you exactly where each set of pins is on the motherboard, or use the information in this article.
Connecting LEDs and Power Buttons
The computer case has power control buttons that connect to the motherboard, and LEDs to indicate the motherboard's activity. You must connect these buttons and indicators to the motherboard using wires from the front of the case shown in Figure #1, to the connector on the motherboard (Figure #2). The inscription on the motherboard near the panel connector shows the connection location of each wire and the polarity of each of them; however, inscriptions with designations are not always present on the motherboard.
Locate the front panel connectors in the computer case (see Figure 1). Next, we find the connector on the motherboard, usually it is located at the bottom of the motherboard, and is labeled PANEL1 or JFP1, it can be in different designs (see Fig. 2.0, 2.1).
Rice. No. 1. Front panel connectors. 
Figure No. 2.0. Front panel connector on the motherboard. 
Figure No. 2.1. Front panel connector on the motherboard.
The group of system cables shown in picture No. 1 have two wires that are color coded. The black or white wire is ground (GND), and wires of other colors (red, blue, green, orange) are power. The connection is made from left to right, when connected, all positive contacts will always be on the left except for the reset button, however, the polarity of the buttons is unimportant since the buttons close the contacts when pressed.
Simply install these wires to the connector with the same name on the motherboard, observing the polarity of the LEDs.
Figure No. 2.2. Front panel wire polarity. Possible short names for them are listed below, which will be written on the connectors themselves.
PWR-SW, PW SW, PW= Power Switch (no polarity required). The control is the power button, which allows you to turn the computer on and off.
PWR-LED, P-LED, MSG= Power LED (polarity required). The indicator shows when the computer is turned on or in standby mode.
RES-SW, R-SW, RES= Reset Switch (no polarity required). Reset button to restart your computer.
HDD-LED, HD= LED indicator hard drive(Hard Disk Drive LED)(polarity required). This indicator blinks while the hard drive is writing or reading information.
SPK, SPKR, SPEAK= Internal Speaker (requires polarity) used to produce the beep sounds you hear from the computer when booting.
Figure No. 3. Pinout of front panel contacts on the motherboard Connecting front panel USB to motherboard
First, we find the USB connector on the motherboard, usually it is located at the bottom of the motherboard and is labeled F_USB or USB. Also on each wire connector (Fig. 4.0) you can read its value, which can be +5V (or VCC or Power), D+, D – and GND.
Figure No. 4.0. USB polarity. 
Figure No. 4.1. Connect USB 2.0 front panel to motherboard. 
Figure No. 4.2. Connect USB 3.0 front panel to motherboard. 
Figure No. 4.3. Connecting USB 2.0 to the motherboard. Connecting Front Panel Audio to Motherboard
To use these connectors, your motherboard must have a built-in sound card(in other words, built-in audio). However, installation is not as simple as it seems, and in today's column we will explain how to do it.
At the end of each wire there is a small black connector and in this connector we can read the function of the wire. You will find the following wires: Mic In (or Mic Data), Ret L, Ret R, L Out (or Ear L), R Out (or Ear R) and two Gnd (or Ground). If you look closely you will see the Ret L and L Out wires connected to each other, the same thing happens between the Ret R and R Out wires.
Figure No. 5.0. Connecting audio to the motherboard. You must find where these wires are installed in your motherboard. This place is designated as Audio, External Audio, Ext Audio, Front Audio, F Audio, HD Audio or something like that. This connector consists of a 9-pin connector, and there are two jumpers that establish the connection of some of these pins. The exact location of this connector varies depending on the motherboard model.
Figure No. 5.1. View of the audio plug on the motherboard. To install the wires, the first step is to understand the motherboard connector pin numbering system. The connector has nine pins, but the connector is considered a 10-pin because one of the pins has been removed (pin 8). Jumpers connect pins 5 and 6 and 9 and 10. Since there is a space without a pin (pin 8), the numbering of the other pins is easy to spot.
Figure No. 5.2. Audio pinout on motherboard. Remove jumpers. The wires must be connected as follows: Mic In to pin 1; Gnd - pins 2 and 3; R Output to pin 5; Ret R for pin 6; L is on pin 9 and Ret L is on pin 10.
— the front side of the computer case has PC controls and switching controls. In particular, there are startup keys, PC reboot keys, and a disk drive key. LED indicators for visual monitoring state of hard disk and PC power indicator.
Also, depending on the design of the system unit, there are built-in jacks for connecting headphones, additional speakers and USB ports. The steps to connect the front panel to the motherboard are not difficult in themselves. This is provided that you have skills in assembling a system unit.
Important information
Therefore, a thorough knowledge of what functions this or that element in the system unit performs is an excellent start in assembling the device yourself. Of course complete with system unit Factory production, as a rule, there are instructions that will help you understand everything. By the way, even if the document is on English language, and you don’t know it, then it will still help you intuitively understand what to connect where.
Recording the purpose of computer components in your memory is not difficult. Because there is a marking next to any element installed on the motherboard. It should be borne in mind that the tips given in this article are advisory in nature. Therefore, the location of the elements on your motherboard may be slightly different.
Step 1: Connecting buttons and LED indicators
A process like connecting the front panel to the motherboard is one of the important parts of installation. In this case, the first step is to connect all the wires coming from the front wall to the appropriate connectors.
Any motherboard has a special section used for switching signal wires coming from the power and indication buttons. On this site there are information signs like: “Front panel” or simply “PANEL”. This area is located along the edge of the board, opposite the front wall of the case.
Warning: If your actions were incorrect, it turned out that the front panel wires were connected with the wrong polarity. Or installed in other slots not intended for them. Then it is quite likely that the computer will refuse to start at all or the display will not work.
Based on this, try to be careful when performing connecting the front panel to the motherboard. Although, there is no need to worry too much if something is mixed up. Problems such as incorrect connection of wires are always easily corrected, and nothing terrible will happen. You just need to take a closer look at the markings again and reinstall the connectors correctly.
The connectors used to connect to the front panel are shown here:
- Red wire – designed to connect the on/off button;
- Yellow wire – connects to the computer reset button;
- Cable of blue color is responsible for one of the system status indicators, which usually lights up when the PC reboots (some models of cases do not have this);
- The green cable is designed to connect the motherboard to the computer's power indicator.
- The white cable is needed to connect the power.
The connection points of the connectors are usually marked with a color mark in accordance with their purpose or another mark that is printed on the connector itself. If for some reason you do not have these designations, then there is nothing to worry about either. Just make the connection, as people say, using the “poke” method, even if you make a mistake, it’s never too late to reinstall the contact connectors. 
To check that the wires are connected correctly, turn on the computer and press the start button located on the case. At correct connection wires, the computer will turn on normally and the indicators will light up. If the PC does not turn on or there is no LED indication, then disconnect the PC from the network. Next, you need to try to reinstall the contact wires, and swap them in places.
Step 2: Connect the remaining components
At this step, connect the USB ports and the computer Speaker. Some configurations of system units are not equipped with these elements on the front panel. Therefore, if your case is missing on the front USB ports, then skip this step.
The steps to connect the USB port wire are as follows. You need to take a wire marked “USB” and connect it to the connector on the “motherboard”, which has a blue wire. If your motherboard has USB 3.0 installed, then you will have to resort to the instructions. Since in this option you will need to connect the wire to only one pin connector. Otherwise, the computer will not perform its intended functions via the USB ports.
The audio cable is connected in the same way; its connector is almost similar to the USB connector. However, it is made with a different color designation and its name could be AC90 or something similar. Its location is usually located near the USB connection point; there is only one on the motherboard.
Front Panel Connections
