A connector includes a wafer having first, second, third, and fourth communication channels. The first and second communication channels form a first differential pair, and the third and fourth communication channels form a second differential pair. The wafer includes a plug and a receptacle. The plug includes a first portion of the first, second, third, and fourth communication channels. The receptacle includes a second portion of the first, second, third, and fourth communication channels. A first crisscross is located at a first predetermined location of the first and second communication channels of the first differential pair. The first crisscross changes a first polarity of a first signal to be transmitted on the first differential pair. A second polarity of a second signal to be transmitted on the second differential pair remains the same throughout an entire length of the second differential pair.

A connector includes a wafer having first, second, third, and fourth communication channels. The first and second communication channels form a first differential pair, and the third and fourth communication channels form a second differential pair. The wafer includes a plug and a receptacle. The plug includes a first portion of the first, second, third, and fourth communication channels. The receptacle includes a second portion of the first, second, third, and fourth communication channels. A first crisscross is located at a first predetermined location of the first and second communication channels of the first differential pair. The first crisscross changes a first polarity of a first signal to be transmitted on the first differential pair. A second polarity of a second signal to be transmitted on the second differential pair remains the same throughout an entire length of the second differential pair.

Patch cords include a cable having eight conductors that are twisted together to form four differential pairs of conductors and a plug that is attached to the cable. The plug includes a housing, a printed circuit board, and respective first through eighth plug contacts that are electrically connected to the respective first through eighth conductors via respective first through eighth conductive paths on the printed circuit board. The plug contacts are arranged in a row in numerical order. The plug includes a wire guide that has a top shelf that extends above the printed circuit board and a bottom shelf that extends below the printed circuit board. Two of the differential pairs are routed into respective first and second channels in the top shelf and the other two of the differential pairs are routed into respective third and fourth channels in the bottom shelf.

Patch cords include a cable having eight conductors that are twisted together to form four differential pairs of conductors and a plug that is attached to the cable. The plug includes a housing, a printed circuit board, and respective first through eighth plug contacts that are electrically connected to the respective first through eighth conductors via respective first through eighth conductive paths on the printed circuit board. The plug contacts are arranged in a row in numerical order. The plug includes a wire guide that has a top shelf that extends above the printed circuit board and a bottom shelf that extends below the printed circuit board. Two of the differential pairs are routed into respective first and second channels in the top shelf and the other two of the differential pairs are routed into respective third and fourth channels in the bottom shelf.

Connector inserts and receptacles that provide signal paths having desired impedance characteristics. One example may provide a connector system having a connector insert and a connector receptacle. Contacts in the connector insert may form signal paths with corresponding contacts in the connector receptacle. Additional traces in the connector insert and receptacle may be part of these signal paths. The signal paths may have a target or a desired impedance along their lengths such that the power paths electrically appear as transmission lines. Constraints on physical dimensions of the connector insert and connector receptacle contacts may result in variations in impedance along the signal paths. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide structures to reduce these variations, to compensate for these variations, or a combination thereof.

Connector inserts and receptacles that provide signal paths having desired impedance characteristics. One example may provide a connector system having a connector insert and a connector receptacle. Contacts in the connector insert may form signal paths with corresponding contacts in the connector receptacle. Additional traces in the connector insert and receptacle may be part of these signal paths. The signal paths may have a target or a desired impedance along their lengths such that the power paths electrically appear as transmission lines. Constraints on physical dimensions of the connector insert and connector receptacle contacts may result in variations in impedance along the signal paths. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide structures to reduce these variations, to compensate for these variations, or a combination thereof.

Communications jacks include at least first through third jackwire contacts and a flexible substrate that has a first finger and a second finger. The first jackwire contact and the third jackwire contact are each mounted on the first finger and the second jackwire contact is mounted on the second finger.

A communication connector including elongated contacts, and an optional flexible compensation circuit. The elongated contacts include a plurality of contact pairs. Each pair includes first and second contacts configured to transmit a differential signal. The elongated contacts may each have first and second portions with first and second heights, respectively. The first height is greater than the second height. The first portion of the first contact is positioned alongside the first portion of the second contact to capacitively couple the first and second contacts together. The optional flexible compensation circuit includes compensation circuitry configured to at least partially reduce crosstalk between the elongated contacts.

A communication connector including elongated contacts, and an optional flexible compensation circuit. The elongated contacts include a plurality of contact pairs. Each pair includes first and second contacts configured to transmit a differential signal. The elongated contacts may each have first and second portions with first and second heights, respectively. The first height is greater than the second height. The first portion of the first contact is positioned alongside the first portion of the second contact to capacitively couple the first and second contacts together. The optional flexible compensation circuit includes compensation circuitry configured to at least partially reduce crosstalk between the elongated contacts.

Communications plugs are provided which include a printed circuit board having a plurality of elongated conductive traces and a plurality of plug blades. Each plug blade has a first section that extends along a top surface of the printed circuit board and a second section that extends along a front edge of the printed circuit board. Additionally, each plug blade may have a thickness that is at least twice the thickness of the elongated conductive traces. The plug blades may be low profile plug blades that are manufactured separately from the printed circuit board.