What is the difference between a male and a female connector?

Answer 1

As with ports, the gender of a connector is determined by whether or not it has pins. For example, a D-sub connector is male if it has pins (i.e. a VGA connector), whereas a serial connector is female (a serial port on the motherboard is male [it has pins to receive the connector], and the connector has the holes in which the pins are inserted).

There is a reason they refer to the meeting of male and female plugs "mating"! Don't think of it as what's being plugged in and what's receiving the plug, but rather whether or not the connector and ports have pins or holes to receive the pins.

Answer 2

Actually the difference is not in the cable but in the terminator or if you will the small metal connector on the end of the cable. The male connector has a pin that is inserted into a receiving slot ,the male has a threaded outer swiveling coupling that threads onto the female exposed thread hub. The purpose of using a male and female connector is to provide a viable low dB loss quick interchange of cables. All coaxial cables are basically the same with the core carrying the data signal and the woven shield being the reference to ground. with a polyurethane foam between. There are many variation on size ,outer shield and purpose.

Answer 3

As with ports, the gender of a connector is determined by whether or not it has pins. For example, a D-sub connector is male if it has pins (i.e. a VGA connector), whereas a serial connector is...