What is an external bus?

An external bus allows peripherals and external devices to connect to a computer. The connecting devices generally store data, and an external bus is also referred to as an external bus interface or EBI. A universal serial bus, or USB, is a common example of an external bus.

The peripherals or external devices that connect to the computer include a mouse, speakers, storage devices, monitors, gaming controls and keyboards. An external bus is designed using electrical circuits that transmit data and connect devices to the computer. External buses are located on the outside of the computer and are slower than internal buses.