System panel connector referred to as the fpanel or front panel connector, the system panel connector is what controls the computer's power button, reset button, and LED's found on the front bezel of a computer using the system panel cables. The System panel cables, as shown in the picture to the right, are two wire cables that are color coded to help identify where they connect to the motherboard system panel connector. The black or white wire is the ground (GND) wire and the colored wire is the powered wire. The cables, colors, and connections vary depending on the computer case and motherboard you have, however, will often include the cables mentioned below.

Types of system panel cables

HDD LED (IDE LED) - The LED activity light for the hard disk drive. This is the LED that flashes as information is being written and read from the hard drive.
Power LED (PLED) - The LED power light, which indicates when the computer is on, off, or in Standby.
Power SW (PWRSW) - Controls the power button that allows you to turn on and off the computer.
Reset SW - Handles the reset button to restart the computer.
Speaker - The internal speaker used to sound the beep noises you hear from your computer when it is booting.
With most computer motherboards, the system panel cables are connected directly to the motherboard. However, some motherboard manufacturers such as ASUS, include a Q-Connector with the motherboard. With a Q-Connector, the user can connect the system panel cables away from the motherboard and then connect the Q-Connector to the motherboard.

Which direction do the system panel cables connect?

System panel connector are not keyed so can be plugged in any direction. With the exception of the LED cables, the system panel connector cables can be plugged in any direction. If the LED cables were plugged in backwards, the LED light would not work. Usually with most modern motherboards you can identify what cable goes where by looking at the motherboard for a + and a - symbol. The colored wire (powered wire) would connect to the + symbol and the white or black cable (ground) would connect to the - symbol.