Wired Ethernet connections are still common in businesses where the increased speed and security of wired network connections are desirable. However, wireless networking has grown exponentially in home environments. Many homeowners no longer give wired networking much thought, but it is still a valuable option for many circumstances.

Devices in a wired network are usually physically connected to a server, modem, router, or each other using Ethernet cables. Each end of an Ethernet cable has a connector called an RJ45 connector. A Registered Jack 45 (RJ45) connector is a standard type of physical connector for network cables. RJ45 connectors are used almost exclusively with Ethernet cables and networks.

While Ethernet cables have gone through several generations of speed improvements, the RJ45 connector that appears on the ends of the cables has not changed. Whether you are using Category 3 through Category 6 cables, the connectors are RJ45. Category 7 cables can be terminated with RJ45 connectors, but these are specialized versions called GigaGate45 (GG45). The GG45 connectors are backwards compatible with RJ45 connectors.

Ethernet cables have small plastic plugs on each end that plug into the RJ45 jacks on Ethernet devices. The term plug refers to the cable or male end of the connection, while the term jack refers to the port or female end.