why haven't ethernet connectors changed?

Tom Morris blueneon at gmail.com
Thu Dec 20 18:34:13 UTC 2012


I'm going to go by the "Necessity is the mother of invention" theory
here and say that it's basically because the need for a subcompact
ethernet connector hasn't shown up in masse yet. It was probably just
adopted because it's inexpensive, easy to install using tools already
out there in the telecom world, and it works well enough at the
required feedline impedance of 100 ohms. That being said, any
connector that works for balanced line signalling with a feedline
impedance of 100 ohms and a favorable frequency response up to 100mc
(100base-T / cat5) or 250mc (1000baseT / cat6) should work just fine.

For obvious reasons, standardization of the submini ethernet connector
should be present industrywide, so you don't have to start carrying
around adapters.

Boy would I ever love an ethernet connector that works like Apple's
MagSafe... or at least just kinda friction fits like USB... THOSE
TABS...

On Thu, Dec 20, 2012 at 1:20 PM, Michael Thomas <mike at mtcc.com> wrote:
> I was looking at a Raspberry Pi board and was struck with how large the
> ethernet
> connector is in comparison to the board as a whole. It strikes me: ethernet
> connectors haven't changed that I'm aware in pretty much 25 years. Every
> other
> cable has changed several times in that time frame. I imaging that if
> anybody
> cared, ethernet cables could be many times smaller. Looking at wiring
> closets,
> etc, it seems like it might be a big win for density too.
>
> So why, oh why, nanog the omniscient do we still use rj45's?
>
> Mike
>



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Tom Morris, KG4CYX
Mad Scientist For Hire
Chairman, South Florida Tropical Hamboree / Miami Hamfest
Engineer, WRGP Radiate FM, Florida International University
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