LinkScope Sourcing 36 notes on connector briefs

Field notes for buyers writing an ethernet connector requirement. These pages explain fields and evidence requests. They are not factory announcements.

Use a note when the drawing is still open. An 8P8C plug and a 10-contact industrial interface should not share one sentence in the brief. Record pitch from the revision you hold, plating such as 0.76 μm gold over nickel when that is the callout, and the Power over Ethernet class as a question rather than a rating. IEEE 802.3af-2003 discussions often cite 15.4 W and 350 mA at the PSE. IEEE 802.3at-2009 discussions often cite about 30 W. IEEE 802.3bt-2018 Type 4 discussions often cite about 90 W at the PSE. The contact datasheet still has to carry the current and the temperature rise. Impedance near 100 ohm, insertion loss, and return loss need a frequency range. Category 6A questions can point at 500 MHz in TIA-568.2-D (2018) without treating this blog as a channel test.

Ingress protection belongs to the mated pair. A connector mating cycle count belongs with an IEC 60512 sequence. OEM-coded and compatible jacks are left as a buyer choice after latch, shield fingers, and LED positions are compared. New and refurbished shells are left as a second choice after wear and lot records are shown. The desk does not certify a category, does not hold stock, and does not print a saving rate. Quantity, destination, and timing still go on the form when a note has done its job.