The eight-pin RJ45 connector is a standardised interface which often connects a computer to a Local Area Network (LAN). This type of connector was originally developed for telephone communications but is now used in a range of applications. The abbreviation, RJ45, stands for Registered Jack-45. Registered Jack specifications are related to the wiring patterns of the jacks, rather than their physical characteristics. The term RJ45 has also come to refer to a range of connectors for Ethernet jacks. An 8 Position/8 Contact connector, called an 8P8C, is a modular connector for telecommunication cables. It is also informally referred to as an RJ45.

RJ45 Cable for Ethernet Connections

Ethernet cables come with RJ45 connectors on both ends. Because of this, an Ethernet cable is sometimes designated as an RJ45 cable. These cables are often used to connect computers onto Ethernet networks. The RJ45 connector resembles a six-pin RJ11 connector, though the 45 is slightly wider. Since each connector has eight pins, an RJ45 Ethernet cable will have eight wires of varying colours. RJ45 cables can be wired according to two different schemes, T-568 A or B, depending upon the devices to be connected within the network. Crossover patch cables have different wiring schemes on each end to support computer-to-computer connections.