why haven't ethernet connectors changed?

Fri Dec 21 14:53:22 UTC 2012

Are you talking about the "N" connectors with those 802.3 transceiver cables, BNC connectors (10Base5), or an Type RJ45 (10Base-T) telco style connector?

I couldn't find anyone selling multi-step thicknet strippers in the late 1980s, so I had to use a Xacto knife to prepare thicknet cable and then crimp about 20 N connectors. Data General donated 8 workstations and CAD circuit-design software to our University. The workstations used N-style transceivers instead of those with vampire taps.

What a nightmare!  )-;

matthew black
california state university, long beach

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Thomas [mailto:mike at mtcc.com] 
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 10:20 AM
To: NANOG list
Subject: why haven't ethernet connectors changed?

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