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130-428: A modular connector is a type of electrical connector for cords and cables of electronic devices and appliances, such as in computer networking , telecommunication equipment, and audio headsets. Modular connectors were originally developed for use on specific Bell System telephone sets in the 1960s, and similar types found use for simple interconnection of customer-provided telephone subscriber premises equipment to

260-428: A gender  – i.e. the male component, called a plug , connects to the female component, or socket . Thousands of configurations of connectors are manufactured for power , data , and audiovisual applications. Electrical connectors can be divided into four basic categories, differentiated by their function: In computing, electrical connectors are considered a physical interface and constitute part of

390-408: A hermaphroditic connector . These connectors includes mating with both male and female aspects, involving complementary paired identical parts each containing both protrusions and indentations. These mating surfaces are mounted into identical fittings that freely mate with any other, without regard for gender (provided that the size and type match). Sometimes both ends of a cable are terminated with

520-447: A loopback so that a signal received on one pair is returned on the other. Sometimes this is referred to as a self-looping jack . RJ48S is typically used for local-area data channels and subrate digital services and carries one line. It accepts a keyed variety of the 8P modular connector. RJ48 connectors are fastened to shielded twisted pair (STP) cables, not the unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) commonly used in other installations. RJ61

650-406: A micro ribbon connector with contacts for up to fifty conductors . It is used to implement connections for up to 25 lines , or circuits that require many wire pairs, such as used in the 1A2 key telephone system . The miniature ribbon connector of this interface is also known as a 50-pin telco connector, CHAMP(AMP), or Amphenol connector, the last being a genericized trademark , as Amphenol

780-527: A plug (denoted P), designed to attach to a wire, cable or removable electrical assembly. This convention is currently defined in ASME Y14.44-2008, which supersedes IEEE 200-1975 , which in turn derives from the long-withdrawn MIL-STD-16 (from the 1950s), highlighting the heritage of this connector naming convention. IEEE 315-1975 works alongside ASME Y14.44-2008 to define jacks and plugs. The term jack occurs in several related terms: Crimped connectors are

910-478: A 4P4C connector. The two center pins are commonly used for the receiver, and the outer pins connect the transmitter so that a reversal of conductors between the ends of a cord does not affect the signal routing. This may differ for other equipment, including hands-free headsets. The Macintosh 128K , Macintosh 512K and Macintosh Plus from Apple as well as the Amiga 1000 from Commodore use 4P4C connectors to connect

1040-478: A barrel, a spring, and a plunger. They are in applications such as the MagSafe connector where a quick disconnect is desired for safety. Because they rely on spring pressure, not friction, they can be more durable and less damaging than traditional pin and socket design, leading to their use in in-circuit testing . Crown spring connectors are commonly used for higher current flows and industrial applications. They have

1170-423: A cable, and screw terminals are generally not very well protected from contact with persons or foreign conducting materials. Terminal blocks (also called terminal boards or strips ) provide a convenient means of connecting individual electrical wires without a splice or physically joining the ends. Since terminal blocks are readily available for a wide range of wire sizes and terminal quantity, they are one of

1300-427: A central junction box . Two of its six possible contact positions connect tip and ring , and the other two contact positions may be unused or provide low-voltage power for night light or other features on the telephone set. In some installations, an extra contact was also required for the ground connection for selective ringers . The pins of the 6P6C connector are numbered 1 to 6, counting left to right when holding

1430-553: A coating material with good conductivity, mechanical robustness and corrosion resistance helps to reduce the influence of passivating oxide layers and surface adsorbates, which limit metal-to-metal contact patches and contribute to contact resistance. For example, copper alloys have favorable mechanical properties for electrodes, but are hard to solder and prone to corrosion. Thus, copper pins are usually coated with gold to alleviate these pitfalls, especially for analog signals and high-reliability applications. Contact carriers that hold

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1560-430: A computer serial port to control the set-top box. Modular plugs are described by the maximum number of physical contact positions and the actual number of contacts installed in these positions. The 6P2C , 6P4C , and 6P6C modular connectors are probably best known for their use as RJ11 , RJ14 , and RJ25 non-powered registered jacks, respectively (and 6P4C and 6P6C for powered RJ11 and RJ14, power being delivered on

1690-563: A connector specifically because it is not compatible with those from other sources, allowing control of what may be connected. No single connector has all the ideal properties for every application; the proliferation of types is a result of the diverse yet specific requirements of manufacturers. Electrical connectors essentially consist of two classes of materials: conductors and insulators. Properties important to conductor materials are contact resistance, conductivity , mechanical strength , formability , and resilience . Insulators must have

1820-440: A connector with hyperboloid contacts, each female contact has several equally spaced longitudinal wires twisted into a hyperbolic shape. These wires are highly resilient to strain, but still somewhat elastic, hence they essentially function as linear springs. As the male pin is inserted, axial wires in the socket half are deflected, wrapping themselves around the pin to provide a number of contact points. The internal wires that form

1950-740: A cylindrical housing and circular contact interface geometries. This is in contrast to the rectangular design of some connectors, e.g. USB or blade connectors . They are commonly used for easier engagement and disengagement, tight environmental sealing, and rugged mechanical performance. They are widely used in military, aerospace, industrial machinery, and rail, where MIL-DTL-5015 and MIL-DTL-38999 are commonly specified. Fields such as sound engineering and radio communication also use circular connectors, such as XLR and BNC . AC power plugs are also commonly circular, for example, Schuko plugs and IEC 60309 . The M12 connector , specified in IEC 61076-2-101,

2080-443: A decrease in insulation resistance and increase in conductor resistance; this increase generates more heat, and the cycle repeats. Fretting (so-called dynamic corrosion ) is a common failure mode in electrical connectors that have not been specifically designed to prevent it, especially in those that are frequently mated and de-mated. Surface corrosion is a risk for many metal parts in connectors, and can cause contacts to form

2210-493: A different connection method – e.g. the solder tabs on a male phone connector , and the male phone connector itself. In this example, the solder tabs connected to the cable represent the permanent connection, whilst the male connector portion interfaces with a female socket forming a detachable connection. There are many ways of applying a connector to a cable or device. Some of these methods can be accomplished without specialized tools. Other methods, while requiring

2340-420: A few amperes are more reliably terminated with other means, though "hot tap" press-on connectors find some use in automotive applications for additions to existing wiring. A common example is the multi-conductor flat ribbon cable used in computer disk drives; to terminate each of the many (approximately 40) wires individually would be slow and error-prone, but an insulation displacement connector can terminate all

2470-450: A given plug is designed for only one type. The sharp prongs are different in the connectors made for each type of wire, and a mismatch between plug type and wire type results in unreliable connections. A modular plug for solid (single-strand) wire often has three slightly splayed prongs on each contact to securely surround and grip the conductor while scraping along the outside, and a plug for stranded wire has prongs that are designed to pierce

2600-426: A good electrical connection and complete the circuit. An alternative type of plug and socket connection uses hyperboloid contacts , which makes a more reliable electrical connection. When working with multi-pin connectors, it is helpful to have a pinout diagram to identify the wire or circuit node connected to each pin. Some connector styles may combine pin and socket connection types in a single unit, referred to as

2730-411: A high electrical resistance , withstand high temperatures, and be easy to manufacture for a precise fit Electrodes in connectors are usually made of copper alloys , due to their good conductivity and malleability . Alternatives include brass , phosphor bronze , and beryllium copper . The base electrode metal is often coated with another inert metal such as gold , nickel , or tin . The use of

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2860-399: A high number of contact points, which provides a more electrically reliable connection than traditional pin and socket connectors. Whilst technically inaccurate, electrical connectors can be viewed as a type of adapter to convert between two connection methods, which are permanently connected at one end and (usually) detachable at the other end. By definition, each end of this "adapter" has

2990-448: A key that excludes insertion in an un-keyed 8P8C socket. The original RJ45S was intended for high-speed modems and is obsolete. The RJ45S jack mates with a keyed 8P2C modular plug, and has pins 4 and 5 (the middle positions) wired for the ring and tip conductors of a single telephone line and pins 7 and 8 shorting a programming resistor. This is a different mechanical interface and wiring scheme than ANSI/TIA-568 T568A and T568B schemes with

3120-457: A large number of manufacturers, whereas Tyco/AMP plugs are produced exclusively by Tyco Electronics . Both types of modular plugs can be mated with a standard 8P8C modular jack. Both types of 8P8C plugs are available in shielded and unshielded varieties for different attenuation tolerances as needed. Shielded plugs are more expensive and require shielded cable, but have a lower attenuation, and may reduce electromagnetic interference . Although

3250-424: A male plug (typically pin contacts) and a female socket (typically receptacle contacts). Often, but not always, sockets are permanently fixed to a device as in a chassis connector (see above) , and plugs are attached to a cable. Plugs generally have one or more pins or prongs that are inserted into openings in the mating socket. The connection between the mating metal parts must be sufficiently tight to make

3380-418: A method for locking the connector into a receptacle. In some cases, this backshell provides a hermetic seal , or some degree of ingress protection , through the use of grommets , O-rings , or potting . Hybrid connectors allow the intermixing of many connector types, usually by way of a housing with inserts. These housings may also allow intermixing of electrical and non-electrical interfaces, examples of

3510-424: A modular plug on one end and a jack on the other are rare. Instead, cables are usually connected using a female-to-female coupler, having two jacks wired back-to-back. Most modular connectors are designed with a latching mechanism that secures the physical connection. As a plug is inserted into a jack, a plastic tab on the plug locks against a ridge in the socket so that the plug cannot be removed without disengaging

3640-607: A narrower 4-pin and 6-pin plug fits into the wider 8-pin jack and makes a connection with the available contacts on the plug, because the body of the smaller connector may stress the remaining contacts, the smaller connector can potentially damage the springs of the larger jack. 8P8C connectors are commonly used in computer networking applications, where interconnecting cables are terminated at each end with an 8P8C modular plug wired according to TIA/EIA standards. Most wired Ethernet communications are carried over Category 5e or Category 6 cable terminated with 8P8C modular plugs. The connector

3770-410: A nominally incompatible wider jack. Termination of cables with modular connectors is similar across the various number of positions and contacts in the plug. The crimping tool contains a die that is often exchangeable and is closely matched to the shape and pin count of the modular plug. A crimping die-set looks similar to an 8P8C jack, except for the eight teeth lining the top portion of the die. When

3900-710: A notch to ensure proper orientation, while Mini-DIN plugs have a plastic projection that fits into a corresponding hole in the socket (they also have a notched metal skirt to provide secondary keying). Some connector housings are designed with locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent disconnection or poor environmental sealing. Locking mechanism designs include locking levers of various sorts, jackscrews , screw-in shells, push-pull connector , and toggle or bayonet systems. Some connectors, particularly those with large numbers of contacts, require high forces to connect and disconnect. Locking levers and jackscrews and screw-in shells for such connectors frequently serve both to retain

4030-411: A one-, two-, or three-line jack . The contact positions are numbered sequentially starting from 1. When viewed head-on with the retention mechanism on the bottom, jacks will have contact position number 1 on the left and plugs will have it on the right. Contacts are numbered by the contact position. For example, on a six-position, two-contact plug, where the outermost four positions do not have contacts,

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4160-455: A polarized straight-through pinout. Using a telephone handset cable instead of the supplied cable could short out the +5 volt DC supply and damage the Apple computer or the keyboard. Modular connectors are often used for data links, such as serial line connections, because of their compact dimensions. For example, some DirecTV set-top boxes include a 4P4C data port with an adapter cord to connect to

4290-497: A shorter 36-pin version known as a Centronics connector . The 8P8C modular jack was chosen as a candidate for ISDN systems. In order to be considered, the connector system had to be defined by an international standard, leading to the creation of the ISO 8877 standard. Under the rules of the IEEE 802 standards project, international standards are to be preferred over national standards, so when

4420-430: A single wiring standard in a facility can be used for both voice and data. The following RJ -style names do not refer to official ACTA types. The labels RJ9 , RJ10 , RJ22 are variously used for 4P4C and 4P2C modular connectors, most typically installed on telephone handsets and their cordage. Telephone handsets do not connect directly to the public network, and therefore have no registered jack designation. RJ45

4550-450: A slot on one side to allow mating with a special variation of the 8P plug: a mechanically-keyed plug with an extra tab on one side that prevents it from mating with regular (non-keyed) 8P jacks. The visual difference from the more-common 8P female is subtle. The RJ45S keyed 8P modular connector has only pins 5 and 4 wired for tip and ring (respectively) of a single telephone line, and a "programming" resistor connected to pins 7 and 8. RJ48

4680-468: A special tool, can assemble connectors much faster and more reliably, and make repairs easier. The number of times a connector can connect and disconnect with its counterpart while meeting all its specifications is termed as mating cycles and is an indirect measure of connector lifespan. The material used for connector contact, plating type and thickness is a major factor that determines the mating cycles. Plug and socket connectors are usually made up of

4810-444: A switch or hub, however, most network interface cards (NIC) in use today implement auto MDI-X to automatically configure themselves based on the type of cable plugged into them. A cable wired the same at both ends is called a patch or straight-through cable , because no pin/pair assignments are swapped. If a patch or straight cable is used to connect two computers with auto MDI-X capable NICs, one NIC will configure itself to swap

4940-470: A switch with 50-pin ports to a Cat-5 rated patch panel , or between two patch panels. A cable with a 50-pin connector on one end can support six fully wired 8P8C connectors or Ethernet ports on a patch panel with one spare pair. Alternatively, only the necessary pairs for 10/100 Ethernet can be wired allowing twelve Ethernet ports with a single spare pair. This connector is also used with spring bail locks for SCSI-1 connections. Some computer printers use

5070-427: A thin surface layer that increases resistance, thus contributing to heat buildup and intermittent connections. However, remating or reseating a connector can alleviate the issue of surface corrosion, since each cycle scrapes a microscopic layer off the surface of the contact(s), exposing a fresh, unoxidised surface. Many connectors used for industrial and high-reliability applications are circular in cross section, with

5200-486: A type of solderless connection, using mechanical friction and uniform deformation to secure a connector to a pre-stripped wire (usually stranded). Crimping is used in splice connectors, crimped multipin plugs and sockets, and crimped coaxial connectors. Crimping usually requires a specialised crimping tool, but the connectors are quick and easy to install and are a common alternative to solder connections or insulation displacement connectors. Effective crimp connections deform

5330-536: Is a physical interface that was often used for terminating twisted pair cables. It uses an eight-position, eight-conductor (8P8C) modular connector . This wiring pattern is for multi-line analog telephone use only; RJ61 is unsuitable for use with high-speed data because the pins for pairs 3 and 4 are too widely spaced for high signaling frequencies. T1 lines use another wiring for the same connector, designated RJ48 . Ethernet over twisted pair ( 10BASE-T , 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T ) also uses different wiring for

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5460-485: Is a circular electrical plug/receptacle pair with 12mm OD mating threads, used in NMEA 2000 , DeviceNet , IO-Link , some kinds of Industrial Ethernet , etc. A disadvantage of the circular design is its inefficient use of panel space when used in arrays, when compared to rectangular connectors. Circular connectors commonly use backshells , which provide physical and electromagnetic protection, whilst sometimes also providing

5590-463: Is a connector that installs on the surface of a bulkhead or enclosure, and mates with its reciprocal, the plug . According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , the stationary (more fixed) connector of a pair is classified as a jack (denoted J), usually attached to a piece of equipment as in a chassis-mount or panel-mount connector. The movable (less fixed) connector is classified as

5720-441: Is a jack from which a wall telephone can be hung, while RJ11C is a jack designed to have a cord plugged into it. A cord can be plugged into an RJ11W as well. All of these registered jacks are described as containing a number of potential contact positions and the actual number of contacts installed within these positions. RJ11, RJ14, and RJ25 all use the same six-position modular connector , thus are physically identical except for

5850-446: Is a plug and jack allowing higher transmission rates, and the jack can, optionally, be backward-compatible with the common 8P8C plugs of Gigabit Ethernet and earlier standards. RJ50 is often a 10P10C interface, often used for data applications. The micro ribbon connector, first made by Amphenol, that is used in the RJ21 interface, has also been used to connect Ethernet ports in bulk from

5980-465: Is a utility box, usually containing surge protective circuitry, which connects the wiring on the customer's property to the communication provider's network. Customers are responsible for all jacks, wiring, and equipment on their side of the MPOE. The intent was to establish a universal standard for wiring and interfaces, and to separate ownership of in-home (or in-office) telephone wiring from the wiring owned by

6110-468: Is also used for single-line telephones in many countries other than the United States. It may also use a 6P4C connector, to use an additional wire pair for powering lamps on the telephone set. RJ14 is similar to RJ11, but is wired for two lines and RJ25 has three lines. RJ61 is a similar registered jack for four lines, but uses an 8P8C connector. The RJ45S jack is rarely used in telephone applications, and

6240-416: Is also used in other telecommunications connections, including ISDN and T1 . Where building network and telephone wiring is pre-installed, the center (blue) pair is often used to carry telephony signals. While this allows an RJ11 plug to connect, it may damage the modular jack; an approved converter prevents damage. In landline telephony, an 8P8C jack is used at the point a line enters the building to allow

6370-424: Is based on the number of contact positions and the number of contacts present. 6P indicates a six-position modular plug or jack. A six-position modular plug with conductors in only the middle two positions is designated 6P2C ; 6P4C has four conductors in the middle positions, and 6P6C has all six. An RJ11 without power, if made with a 6P6C connector, has four unused contacts. Registration interfaces were created by

6500-417: Is commonly used to connect DSL modems to the customer line. The conductors other than the two central tip and ring conductors are in practice variously used for a second or third telephone line, a ground for selective ringers , low-voltage power for a dial light, or for anti-tinkle circuitry to prevent pulse dialing phones from sounding the bell on other extensions. Observing the male connector from

6630-465: Is identically dimensioned and inter-connectable, whether it is wired for one, two, or three lines. These are the RJ11, RJ14, and RJ25 interfaces. The RJ standards designations only pertain to the wiring of the (female) jacks, hence the name Registered Jack . It is commonplace, but not strictly correct, to refer to the unwired connectors or the (male) plugs by these names. The nomenclature for modular connectors

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6760-512: Is not compatible with RJ61, because RJ61 pairs 3 and 4 would each be split across two different twisted pairs in the patch cable, causing excessive cross-talk between voice lines 3 and 4, with conversations on each line literally being audible on the other. With the advent of structured wiring systems and TIA/EIA-568 (now ANSI/TIA-568) conventions, the RJ61 wiring pattern is falling into disuse. The T568A and T568B standards are used in place of RJ61 so that

6890-486: Is often incorrectly used when referring to an 8P8C connector used for ANSI/TIA-568 T568A and T568B and Ethernet , however, the plug used for RJ45 is both mechanically and electrically incompatible with any Ethernet port: it cannot fit into an Ethernet port, and it is wired in a way that is incompatible with Ethernet. The connector commonly used for twisted-pair Ethernet is a non-keyed 8P8C connector, quite distinct from that used for RJ45S. The new ARJ45 interface, however,

7020-430: Is often used in power connectors to protect equipment, e.g. connecting safety ground first. It is also employed for digital signals, as a method to sequence connections properly in hot swapping . Many connectors are keyed with some mechanical component (sometimes called a keyway ), which prevents mating in an incorrect orientation. This can be used to prevent mechanical damage to connectors, from being jammed in at

7150-693: Is specified by the ANSI/TIA-568 standard. For other applications, standardization may be lacking; for example, multiple conventions exist for the use of 8P8C connectors in RS-232 applications. For this reason, D-sub -to-modular adapters are typically shipped with the D-sub contacts (pins or sockets) terminated but not inserted into the connector body so that the D-sub-to-modular contact pairing can be assigned as needed. The four-position four-conductor ( 4P4C ) connector

7280-450: Is that the orange and green pairs (colors) are swapped. A cable wired as T568A at one end and wired as T568B at the other end (Tx and Rx pairs reversed) is an Ethernet crossover cable . Before the widespread acceptance of auto MDI-X capabilities, a crossover cable was needed to interconnect similar network equipment (such as Ethernet hubs to Ethernet hubs). Crossover cables are sometimes still used to connect two computers together without

7410-402: Is the standard modular connector used on both ends of telephone handset cords and is therefore often called a handset connector . This handset connector is not a registered jack, because it was not intended to connect directly to telephone lines. However, it is often referred to as RJ9 , RJ10 , or RJ22 . [REDACTED] Handsets and often headsets for use with telephones commonly use

7540-443: Is used for T1 and ISDN termination, local-area data channels, and subrate digital services. It uses the eight-position modular connector (8P8C). RJ48C is commonly used for T1 circuits and uses pin numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5. RJ48X is a variation that contains shorting blocks in the jack for troubleshooting: With no plug inserted, pins 2 and 5 (the two tip wires) are connected to each other, and likewise 1 and 4 ( ring ), creating

7670-492: The keyed 8P8C modular plug used for RJ45S mechanically cannot be inserted into an Ethernet port , but a similar plug, the non-keyed 8P8C modular plug – never used for RJ45S  – is used in Ethernet networks, and the connector is often, however improperly, referred to as RJ45 in this context. Many of the basic names have suffixes that indicate subtypes: For example, RJ11 comes in two forms: RJ11W

7800-399: The ANSI/TIA-568 (formerly TIA/EIA-568) and Yost standards, and other applications involving unshielded twisted pair , shielded twisted pair , and multi-conductor flat cable. An 8P8C modular connection consists of a male plug and a female jack, each with eight equally spaced contacts. On the plug, the contacts are flat metal bars positioned parallel to the connector body. Inside the jack,

7930-734: The FCC and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 47 CFR Part 68 , Subpart F, superseded by T1.TR5-1999. In January 2001, the FCC delegated responsibility for standardizing connections to the telephone network to a new private industry organization, the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments (ACTA). For this delegation, the FCC removed Subpart F from the CFR and added Subpart G. The ACTA derives its recommendations for terminal attachments from

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8060-826: The Universal Service Ordering Code (USOC) system of the Bell System in the United States for complying with the registration program for customer-supplied telephone equipment mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the 1970s. Subsequently, in 1980 they were codified in title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 68. Registered jack connections began to see use after their invention in 1973 by Bell Labs . The specification includes physical construction, wiring, and signal semantics. Accordingly, registered jacks are primarily named by

8190-501: The Western Electric Company in the 1960s. This includes the 6P2C used for telephone line connections and 4P4C used for handset connectors. Registered jack designations describe the signals and wiring used for voice and data communication at customer-facing interfaces of the public switched telephone network (PSTN). It is common to use a registered jack number to refer to the physical connector itself; for instance,

8320-458: The modular connector and the 50-pin miniature ribbon connector . For example, RJ11 and RJ14 use female six-position modular connectors, and RJ21 uses a 25-pair (50-pin) miniature ribbon connector. RJ11 uses two conductors in a six-position female modular connector, so can be made with any female six-position modular connector, while RJ14 uses four, so can be made with either a 6P4C or a 6P6C connector. The registered jack designations originated in

8450-556: The physical layer in the OSI model of networking. In addition to the classes mentioned above, connectors are characterised by their pinout , method of connection , materials, size, contact resistance , insulation , mechanical durability, ingress protection , lifetime (number of cycles), and ease of use. It is usually desirable for a connector to be easy to identify visually, rapid to assemble, inexpensive, and require only simple tooling. In some cases an equipment manufacturer might choose

8580-607: The 1920s by Wilhelm Harold Frederick. In the 1950s, Francois Bonhomme popularised hyperboloid contacts with his "Hypertac" connector, which was later acquired by Smiths Group . During the following decades, the connectors steadily gained popularity, and are still used for medical, industrial, military, aerospace, and rail applications (particularly trains in Europe). Pogo pin or spring loaded connectors are commonly used in consumer and industrial products, where mechanical resilience and ease of use are priorities. The connector consists of

8710-523: The 8P8C connector in Ethernet and telephone applications. Generic 8P8C modular connectors are similar to those used for the RJ45S variant, although the RJ45S plug is keyed and not compatible with non-keyed 8P8C modular jacks. Telephone installers who wired RJ45S modem jacks or RJ61X telephone jacks were familiar with the pin assignments of the standard. However, the standard un-keyed modular connectors became ubiquitous for computer networking and informally inherited

8840-501: The Bell System to allow some interconnection, culminating in the development of registered interfaces using new types of miniature connectors. Registered jacks replaced the use of protective couplers provided exclusively by the telephone company. The new modular connectors were much smaller and cheaper to produce than the earlier, bulkier connectors that were used in the Bell System since the 1930s. The Bell System issued specifications for

8970-434: The Bell System under a Federal Communications Commission order for the standard interconnection between telephone company equipment and customer premises equipment . These interfaces used newly standardized jacks and plugs, primarily based on miniature modular connectors . The wired communications provider (telephone company) is responsible for delivery of services to a minimum (or main) point of entry ( MPOE ). The MPOE

9100-460: The T568A and T568B conventions have largely displaced RJ25 and RJ61 for telephones with more than two lines. The 8 position 8 contact ( 8P8C ) connector is a modular connector commonly used to terminate twisted pair and multi-conductor flat cable . These connectors are commonly used for Ethernet over twisted pair , registered jacks and other telephone applications, RS-232 serial communication using

9230-535: The USA. To deliver ensured signal stability in extreme environments, traditional pin and socket design may become inadequate. Hyperboloid contacts are designed to withstand more extreme physical demands, such as vibration and shock. They also require around 40% less insertion force  – as low as 0.3 newtons (1 oz f ) per contact,  – which extends the lifespan, and in some cases offers an alternative to zero insertion force connectors. In

9360-409: The additional connectors of TAE (E, W, a2, b2) and may feature non-RJ standard sockets that can be connected directly to TAE plugs. Further, flat DIN 47100 cables typically place the wires in ascending order. When used directly with 6P4C plugs, the color coding may be undetermined. In the powered version of the RJ11 interface, pins 2 and 5 (black and yellow) may carry low-voltage AC or DC power. While

9490-829: The basis for the modular molded-plastic connectors that became commonplace for telephone cords by the 1980s. In 1976, these connectors were standardized nationally in the United States by the Registration Interface program of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which designated a series of Registered Jack (RJ) specifications for interconnection of customer-premises equipment to the PSTN. Modular connectors have gender : plugs are considered to be male , while jacks or sockets are considered to be female . Plugs are used to terminate cables and cords, while jacks are used for fixed locations on surfaces of walls, panels, and equipment. Other than telephone extension cables, cables with

9620-518: The best-known applications of modular connectors are for telephone and Ethernet . Accordingly, various electronic interface specifications exist for applications using modular connectors, which prescribe physical characteristics and assign electrical signals to their contacts. Modular connectors are often referred to as modular phone jack and plug , RJ connector , and Western jack and plug . The term modular connector arose from its original use in modular wiring components of telephone equipment by

9750-418: The board. The connectors in the top row of the image are known as ring terminals and spade terminals (sometimes called fork or split ring terminals). Electrical contact is made by the flat surface of the ring or spade, while mechanically they are attached by passing a screw or bolt through them. The spade terminal form factor facilitates connections since the screw or bolt can be left partially screwed in as

9880-410: The cable and connector, and when this heat melts plastic dielectric, it can cause short circuits or "flared" (conical) insulation. Solder joints are also more prone to mechanical failure than crimped joints when subjected to vibration and compression. Since stripping insulation from wires is time-consuming, many connectors intended for rapid assembly use insulation-displacement connectors which cut

10010-498: The cable opening, with prong facing downward, the pins are numbered 1–6, left to right: Some telephones such as the Western Electric Princess and Trimline telephone models require additional power (~6 V AC) for operation of the incandescent dial light. This power is delivered to the telephone set from a transformer by the second wire pair (pins 2 and 5) of the 6P4C connector. RJ21 is a registered jack standard using

10140-403: The connection and add strain relief. Metal solder buckets or solder cups are provided, which consist of a cylindrical cavity that an installer fills with solder before inserting the wire. When creating soldered connections, it is possible to melt the dielectric between pins or wires. This can cause problems because the thermal conductivity of metals causes heat to quickly distribute through

10270-458: The connector and/or cable from environmental or mechanical stress, or shield it from electromagnetic interference . Many types of backshells are available for different purposes, including various sizes, shapes, materials, and levels of protection. Backshells usually lock onto the cable with a clamp or moulded boot, and may be threaded for attachment to a mating receptacle. Backshells for military and aerospace use are regulated by SAE AS85049 within

10400-426: The connector tab side down with the opening for the cable facing the viewer. However, with German domestic telephone equipment, and that in some neighboring countries, 6P4C plugs and sockets are typically only used to connect the telephone cord to the phone base unit, whereas the mechanically different TAE connector is used at the other end to connect to a service provider interface. Older base units may accommodate

10530-510: The connector when connected and to provide the force needed for connection and disconnection. Depending on application requirements, housings with locking mechanisms may be tested under various environmental simulations that include physical shock and vibration, water spray, dust, etc. to ensure the integrity of the electrical connection and housing seals. Backshells are a common accessory for industrial and high-reliability connectors, especially circular connectors . Backshells typically protect

10660-465: The contacts are metal spring wires angled away from the insertion interface. When the plug is mated with the jack, the contacts meet and create an electrical connection. The spring force of the jack contacts ensures a good interface. Although commonly referred to as RJ45 in the context of Ethernet and category 5 cables , RJ45 originally referred to a specific wiring configuration of an 8P8C connector. The original telephone-system-standard RJ45 plug has

10790-422: The different number of contacts (two, four and six respectively) allowing connections for one, two, or three telephone lines respectively. Cords connecting to an RJ11 interface require a 6P2C connector. Nevertheless, cords sold as RJ11 often use 6P4C connectors (six position, four conductor) with four wires. Two of the six possible contact positions connect tip and ring, and the other two conductors are unused. RJ11

10920-413: The female physical connector ( modular connector ) and specific wiring patterns, but the term is often used loosely to refer to modular connectors regardless of wiring, gender, or use, commonly for telephone line connections, but also for Ethernet over twisted pair , resulting in confusion over the various connection standards and applications. For example, the six-position physical connector, plug and jack,

11050-641: The function of a circuit – so connectors should affect the function of a circuit as little as possible. Insecure mounting of connectors (primarily chassis-mounted) can contribute significantly to the risk of failure, especially when subjected to extreme shock or vibration. Other causes of failure are connectors inadequately rated for the applied current and voltage, connectors with inadequate ingress protection, and threaded backshells that are worn or damaged. High temperatures can also cause failure in connectors, resulting in an "avalanche" of failures – ambient temperature increases, leading to

11180-418: The functions of its Tx and Rx wire pairs. Pin numbering on plug face. Connected pins on plug and jack have the same number. Two types of 8P8C plugs and crimping tools for installing the plug onto a cable are commonly available: Western Electric/Stewart Stamping (WE/SS) and Tyco/AMP. While the two types are similar, the tooling and plug types cannot be interchanged. WE/SS compatible plugs are available from

11310-490: The hyperboloid structure are usually anchored at each end by bending the tip into a groove or notch in the housing. Whilst hyperboloid contacts may be the only option to make a reliable connection in some circumstances, they have the disadvantage of taking up greater volume in a connector, which can cause problems for high-density connectors. They are also significantly more expensive than traditional pin and socket contacts, which has limited their uptake since their invention in

11440-430: The insulation and go straight through to contact multiple wire strands. Some modular connectors are indexed , meaning their dimensions are intentionally non-standard, preventing connections with connectors of standard dimensions. The means of indexing may be non-standard cross-sectional dimensions or shapes, retention mechanism dimensions or configuration. For example, a Modified Modular Jack using an offset latching tab

11570-574: The insulation as the wire is inserted. These generally take the form of a fork-shaped opening in the terminal, into which the insulated wire is pressed, which cut through the insulation to contact the conductor. To make these connections reliably on a production line, special tools accurately control the forces applied during assembly. On small scales, these tools tend to cost more than tools for crimped connections. Insulation displacement connectors are usually used with small conductors for signal purposes and at low voltage. Power conductors carrying more than

11700-505: The jacks in the house. Structured cabling networks adhering to ANSI/TIA-568 , ISO/IEC 11801 (or ISO/IEC 15018 for home networks) are widely used for both computer networking and analog telephony. These standards specify the T568A or T568B wiring arrangements compatible with Ethernet . The 8P8C jack used by structured cabling physically accepts the 6-position connector used by RJ11, RJ14 and RJ25. Only RJ11 and RJ14 have full electrical compatibility because Ethernet-compatible pin-outs split

11830-484: The keyboard to the main computer housing. The connector provides power to the keyboard on the outer two contacts and receives data signals on the inner pair. The cable between the computer and the keyboard is a coiled cord with an appearance very similar to a telephone handset cable. The connector on the Amiga 1000 uses crossover wiring, similar to a telephone handset. The connector wiring on the Apple computers, however, requires

11960-498: The latter being pneumatic line connectors, and optical fiber connectors . Because hybrid connectors are modular in nature, they tend to simplify assembly, repair, and future modifications. They also allow the creation of composite cable assemblies that can reduce equipment installation time by reducing the number of individual cable and connector assemblies. Some connectors are designed such that certain pins make contact before others when inserted, and break first on disconnection. This

12090-450: The letters RJ , followed by two digits that express the type. Additional letter suffixes indicate minor variations. For example, RJ11 , RJ14 , and RJ25 are the most commonly used interfaces for telephone connections for one-, two-, and three-line service, respectively. Although these standards are legal definitions in the United States, some interfaces are used worldwide. The connectors used for registered jack installations are primarily

12220-464: The line to be broken to insert automatic dialing equipment, including intrusion alarm panels. The EIA /TIA-561 standard describes the use of 8P8C connectors for RS-232 serial interfaces. This application is common as a console interface for network equipment , such as switches , routers , and headless computers . 8P8C modular connectors are also commonly used as a microphone connectors for PMR , LMR , and amateur radio transceivers. Frequently

12350-519: The metal of the connector past its yield point so that the compressed wire causes tension in the surrounding connector, and these forces counter each other to create a high degree of static friction . Due to the elastic element in crimped connections, they are highly resistant to vibration and thermal shock . Crimped contacts are permanent (i.e. the connectors and wire ends cannot be reused). Crimped plug-and-socket connectors can be classified as rear release or front release . This relates to

12480-648: The mid-1960s for the plug-in handset and line cords of the Trimline telephone. Driven by demand for multiple sets in residences with various lengths of cords, the Bell System introduced customer-connectable part kits and telephones, sold through PhoneCenter stores in the early 1970s. For this purpose, Illinois Bell started installing modular telephone sets on a limited scale in June 1972. The patents by Edwin C. Hardesty and coworkers, US 3699498   (1972) and US 3860316   (1975), followed by other improvements, were

12610-504: The modular connectors and their wiring as Universal Service Order Codes (USOC), which were the only standards at the time. Large customers of telephone services commonly use the USOC to specify the interconnection type and, when necessary, pin assignments, when placing service orders with a network provider. When the U.S. telephone industry was reformed to foster competition in the 1980s, the connection specifications became federal law, ordered by

12740-425: The most flexible types of electrical connector available. One type of terminal block accepts wires that are prepared only by stripping a short length of insulation from the end. Another type, often called barrier strips , accepts wires that have ring or spade terminal lugs crimped onto the wires. Printed circuit board (PCB) mounted screw terminals let individual wires connect to a PCB through leads soldered to

12870-699: The name RJ45 . The shape and dimensions of an 8P8C modular connector are specified for US telephone applications by the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachment (ACTA) in national standard ANSI /TIA-1096-A and international standard ISO-8877. This standard does not use the short term 8P8C and covers more than just 8P8C modular connectors, but the 8P8C modular connector type is the eight-position connector type described therein, with eight contacts installed. For data communication applications ( LAN , structured cabling ), International Standard IEC 60603 specifies in parts 7-1, 7-2, 7-4, 7-5, and 7-7 not only

13000-499: The outer pairs). These interfaces use the same six-position modular connector body but have different numbers of pins installed. RJ11 is a physical interface often used for terminating single telephone lines. RJ14 is similar, but for two lines, and RJ25 is for three lines. RJ61 is a similar registered jack for four lines, but uses an 8P8C connector. Cables sold as RJ11 often actually use 6P4C connectors (six positions, four contacts) and RJ14 wiring – four wires running to

13130-469: The outermost contacts in the jack are forcibly deformed. Special modular plugs have been manufactured (for example, the Siemon UP-2468) which have extra slots beyond their standard contacts, to accommodate the wider jack's outermost contacts without damage. These special plug connectors can be visually identified by carefully looking for the extra slots molded into the plug. The molded plastic bodies of

13260-504: The parts of a connector together are usually made of plastic, due to its insulating properties. Housings or backshells can be made of molded plastic and metal. Connector bodies for high-temperature use, such as thermocouples or associated with large incandescent lamps , may be made of fired ceramic material. The majority of connector failures result in intermittent connections or open contacts: Connectors are purely passive components – that is, they do not enhance

13390-493: The pinout is different, usually mirrored (i.e. what would be pins 1 to 8 in the ANSI/TIA-568 standard might be pins 8 to 1 in the radio and its manual). Electrical connector The connection may be removable (as for portable equipment), require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two points. An adapter can be used to join dissimilar connectors. Most electrical connectors have

13520-536: The position and contact quantities with either an x ( 6x2 ) or a slash ( 6/2 ). When not installed, contacts are usually omitted from the outer positions inward, such that the number of contacts is almost always even. The connector body positions with omitted or unconnected contacts are unused for the electrical connection but ensure that the plug fits correctly. For instance, inexpensive telephone cords often have connectors with six positions and four contacts, to which are attached just two wires, carrying only line 1 from

13650-399: The protective boot before the modular plug is crimped. Modular connectors are designated using two numbers that represent the maximum number of contact positions and the number of installed contacts, with each number followed by P and C , respectively. For example, 6P2C is a connector having six positions and two installed contacts. Alternate designations omit the letters while separating

13780-434: The publication of TIA-968-B, the connector descriptions have been moved to TIA-1096-A. A registered jack name, such as RJ11, still identifies both the physical connectors and the wiring (pinout) for each application. The most widely implemented registered jack in telecommunications is the RJ11. This is a modular connector wired for one telephone line, using the center two contacts of six available positions. This configuration

13910-453: The regular 8P8C modular connector type is often labeled RJ45 because the registered jack standard of the similar name RJ45S specified a similar, but modified, 8P8C modular connector. Similarly, various six-position modular connectors may be called RJ11 . Likewise, the 4P4C connector is sometimes called RJ9 or RJ22 though no such official designations exist. The first types of small modular telephone connectors were created by AT&T in

14040-445: The same colors as the matching ring but switches the thickness of the primary and secondary colored stripes. Since the sets are ordered, an orange (color 2 in its set) with a yellow (color 4) is the color scheme for the 4·5 + 2 − 5 = 17th pair of wires. If the yellow is the more prominent, thicker stripe, then the wire is a tip conductor connecting to the pin numbered 25 + the pair #, which is pin 42 in this case. Ring conductors connect to

14170-447: The same connector, either T568A or T568B . RJ48, T568A, and T568B are all designed to keep both wires of each pair close together. The flat eight-conductor silver-satin cable conventionally used with four-line analog telephones and RJ61 jacks is also unsuitable for use with high-speed data. Twisted pair cabling is required for data applications. Twisted-pair patch cable typically used with common Ethernet and other data network standards

14300-490: The same gender of connector, as in many Ethernet patch cables. In other applications the two ends are terminated differently, either with male and female of the same connector (as in an extension cord ), or with incompatible connectors, which is sometimes called an adapter cable . Plugs and sockets are widely used in various connector systems including blade connectors, breadboards , XLR connectors , car power outlets , banana connectors , and phone connectors . A jack

14430-412: The same physical dimensions but also high-frequency performance requirements for shielded and unshielded versions of this connector for carrying frequencies up to 100, 250 and 600  MHz . 8P8C connectors are frequently terminated using the T568A or T568B assignments that are defined in ANSI/TIA-568. The drawings to the right show that the copper connections and pairing are the same, the only difference

14560-552: The same pin number as the pair number. A conventional enumeration of wire color pairs then begins blue (and white), orange (and white), green (and white) and brown (and white), which subsumes a color-coding convention used in cables of 4 or fewer pairs (8 wires or less) with 8P and 6P connectors. Dual 50-pin ribbon connectors are often used on punch blocks to create a breakout box for private branch exchange (PBX) and other key telephone systems . The RJ45S, an obsolete standard jack once specified for modem or data interfaces, has

14690-579: The service provider. In the Bell System , following the Communications Act of 1934 , the telephone companies owned all telecommunications equipment and they did not allow interconnection of third-party equipment. Telephones were generally hardwired, but may have been installed with Bell System connectors to permit portability. The legal case Hush-A-Phone v. United States (1956) and the Federal Communications Commission 's (FCC) Carterfone (1968) decision brought changes to this policy, and required

14820-423: The side of the connector where the pins are anchored: Many plug and socket connectors are attached to a wire or cable by soldering conductors to electrodes on the back of the connector. Soldered joints in connectors are robust and reliable if executed correctly, but are usually slower to make than crimped connections. When wires are to be soldered to the back of a connector, a backshell is often used to protect

14950-461: The spade terminal is removed or attached. Their sizes can be determined by the gauge of the conducting wire, and the interior and exterior diameters. Registered jack#RJ11, RJ14, RJ25 wiring A registered jack ( RJ ) is a standardized telecommunication network interface for connecting voice and data equipment to a computer service provided by a local exchange carrier or long distance carrier . Registered interfaces were first defined in

15080-405: The special plugs may also be colored with a light blueish tinge, to aid in quick recognition. The special plugs are preferred for test equipment and adapters, which may be rapidly connected to a large number of corresponding connectors in quick succession for testing purposes. The use of the special plugs avoids inadvertent damage to the equipment under test, even when a narrower plug is inserted into

15210-465: The standardization process of telephone connections in the Bell System in the United States, and describe application circuits and not just the physical geometry of the connectors. The same modular connector type may be used for different registered jack applications. Modular connectors were developed to replace older telephone installation methods that used hardwired cords or bulkier varieties of telephone plugs . Strictly, Registered Jack refers to both

15340-570: The standards published by the engineering committees of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). ACTA and TIA jointly published the standard TIA/EIA-IS-968, replacing the CFR information. TIA-968-A, the current version of that standard, details the physical aspects of modular connectors, but not the wiring. Instead, TIA-968-A incorporates the standard T1.TR5-1999, "Network and Customer Installation Interface Connector Wiring Configuration Catalog", by reference. With

15470-421: The tab by pressing it against the plug body. The standard orientation for installing a jack in a vertical surface is with the tab down. The modular plug is often installed with a boot , a plastic covering over the tab and body, to prevent the latching tab from hooking into other cords or edges, which may cause excessive bending or breaking of the tab. Such snagless cords are usually constructed by installing

15600-418: The telephone line on pins 3 and 4 (red and green) supplies enough power for most telephone terminals, old telephone terminals with incandescent lights, such as the Western Electric Princess and Trimline telephones , need more power than the phone line can supply. Typically, the power on pins 2 and 5 is supplied by an AC adapter plugged into a nearby power outlet which potentially even supplies power to all of

15730-429: The telephone network. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated in 1976 an interface registration system, in which they became known as registered jacks . The convenience of prior existence for designers and ease of use led to a proliferation of modular connectors for many other applications. Many applications that originally used bulkier, more expensive connectors have converted to modular connectors. Probably

15860-454: The third pair of RJ25 across two separate cable pairs, rendering that pair unusable by an analog phone. Both the third and fourth pairs of RJ61 are similarly split. The incompatible T568A and T568B layouts were necessary to preserve the electrical properties of the third and fourth pairs for Ethernet, which operates at much higher frequencies than analog telephony. Because of these incompatibilities, and because RJ25 and RJ61 were never very common,

15990-419: The tip of a bolt clamping onto a stripped conductor. They can be used to join multiple conductors, to connect wires to a printed circuit board , or to terminate a cable into a plug or socket. The clamping screw may act in the longitudinal axis (parallel to the wire) or the transverse axis (perpendicular to the wire), or both. Some disadvantages are that connecting wires is more difficult than simply plugging in

16120-591: The tool is operated, the die compresses around the 8P8C plug. As the die compresses, these teeth force the plug contacts into the conductors of the cable being terminated. The crimper may also permanently deform part of the plastic plug body in such a way that it grips the outer sheath of the cable for secure fastening and strain relief . These actions permanently attach the plug to the cable. The contact assignments ( pinout ) of modular connectors vary by application. Telephone network connections are standardized by registered jack designations, and Ethernet over twisted pair

16250-537: The two contacts are numbered 3 and 4. Modular connectors are manufactured in four sizes, with four, six, eight, and ten positions. The insulating plastic bodies of 4P and 6P connectors have different widths, whereas 8P or 10P connectors share an even larger body width. Internally, the contacts in the plugs have sharp prongs that, when crimped , displace the wire insulation and connect with the conductors inside—a mechanism known as insulation displacement . Cables have either solid or stranded ( tinsel wire ) conductors, and

16380-480: The width is dependent on the number of pin positions. However, not all plugs from all manufacturers have this capability, and some jack manufacturers warn that their jacks are not designed to accept smaller plugs without damage. If an inserted plug lacks slots to accommodate the jack's contacts at the outermost extremes, it may permanently deform those outermost contacts of an incompatible jack. Excessive resistance may be encountered when inserting an incompatible plug, as

16510-581: The wires in a single action. Another very common use is so-called punch-down blocks used for terminating unshielded twisted pair wiring. Binding posts are a single-wire connection method, where stripped wire is screwed or clamped to a metal electrode. Such connectors are frequently used in electronic test equipment and audio. Many binding posts also accept a banana plug . Screw connections are frequently used for semi-permanent wiring and connections inside devices, due to their simple but reliable construction. The basic principle of all screw terminals involves

16640-435: The wrong angle or into the wrong connector, or to prevent incompatible or dangerous electrical connections, such as plugging an audio cable into a power outlet. Keying also prevents otherwise symmetrical connectors from being connected in the wrong orientation or polarity . Keying is particularly important for situations where there are many similar connectors, such as in signal electronics. For instance, XLR connectors have

16770-443: Was a prominent manufacturer of these at one time. A cable color scheme, known as even-count color code , is determined for 25 pairs of conductors as follows: For each ring, the primary, more prominent color is chosen from the set blue, orange, green, brown, and slate, in that order, and the secondary, thinner stripe color from the set of white, red, black, yellow, and violet colors, in that order. The tip conductor color scheme uses

16900-461: Was developed by Digital Equipment Corporation to prevent accidental interchange of data and telephone cables. The dimensions of modular connectors are such that a narrower plug can be inserted into a wider jack that has more positions than the plug, leaving the jack's outermost contacts unconnected. The height of the plug's insertion area is 0.260 inches (6.60 mm) and the contacts are 0.040 inches (1.02 mm) apart (contact pitch), so

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