I don't see a lot of people using it or talking about it nowadays!. Seems to me like it's a bit of a lost art.

When I needed to run some extra ethernet cables in the house I bought a few packs of the ends and I think the tool was just a little plastic thing.

But then when I tried to find cat-something-cable it turned out to be cheaper to just buy the pre-made cables! A LOT cheaper. 

It was a little more effort getting the bigger ends through to the already-busy area by the main distribution box, but overall it all was quite easy and I didn't have to fiddle around making the ends (and worrying about doing it correctly!)

They are excellent connectors + cable. Also one of the cheapest ways of obtaining prototyping wire at low cost, just strip off the outer jacket.

Here I think the ready-made stranded wire patch cables cost a bit more than DIYing them (assuming the typical ratchet tool is available), but either way, they are low-cost. Solid-core wire plus the plastic tool is often used for the fixed wiring install. A bit naughty, but I like using RJ45 for non-Ethernet stuff too, as long as it is labeled clearly. Major benefit being that the patch cables are ready-made so no time wasted assembling cables.

I also like circular connectors (since it's so easy to drill round holes for those!) but I don't have a favorite. Pity some of those connectors can be pricey, whereas RJ45 is super-low-cost.

The tool I've used for > 10 years. It does 4 and 6-way connectors too, but I rarely use those.

I wish there was a source of good quality but low-cost pre-assembled audio cables. All the consumer stuff is low-quality, and all the studio grade cables are pricey.

I end up DIY'ing them and it takes quite a while.

Mini-XLR cable I had to assemble today.

I also haven't tried this, but Ian Lesner from Dangerous Prototypes (The Bus Pirate creator) has a portfolio of electronics related services. It mainly started with Dirty PCBs, but also Dirty Cables. He has been at least twice on the Amp Hour podcast, but I can't find the latest episode (i believe it was 2024 after releasing Bus Pirate 5).

shabaz said:

A bit naughty, but I like using RJ45 for non-Ethernet stuff too, as long as it is labeled clearly.

You could perhaps use RJ50 to keep your conscious clear

(FYI the photo was taken with an Axis M1135 CCTV camera) 

Have you used any other connectors for Ethernet ? 

I have hundreds of RJ45 connectors to use up first, but that's a good point, there are less common variants to  eliminate risk of accidentally plugging the wrong thing in.

There's a small amount of precedent for non-Ethernet with RJ45, I think I saw some device with a very recessed RJ45, that needed a specially moulded cable shape to fit it. Also sometimes RJ45 is used for (ancient) telecoms protocols, e.g. some ISDN variants can use it I think, even with the same moulded latch position.

For copper connections (i.e. excluding fiber), I've seen Ethernet carried over circular connectors (e.g. M12 is popular for that), for certain industries (railway etc). But hard to get away from RJ45, even industrial products use it. It's a connector that simply got to be more and more useful over time, as even more things were sent over it. Some people use it (almost) purely for power, with the Ethernet function of it still used, but barely.

Just understood your comment.. that photo is not an Axis camera connector, but the photo was taken _with_ an Axis camera?! Impressive close-up!

shabaz said:

Also sometimes RJ45 is used for (ancient) telecoms protocols,

There was the RJ45S variant which has the additional key on the side.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_jack#RJ45S

Stops you from plugging RJ45S cables into RJ45 equipment but not the other way around.

shabaz said:

But hard to get away from RJ45

The issue I have is to prevent people plugging RJ45 connectors into the wrong outlets in floor boxes and wall plates.

Even if I use Ethercon, sooner you will find a non-Ethercon cable plugged into it instead of the normal outlet next to it and the support desk phone call to say it's not working.

I have looked at M12, but a bit on the large side for some set-ups.

shabaz said:

that photo is not an Axis camera connector

Nope, it is the end of a Sennheiser ADN Digital Conference System cable. They use RJ50 instead of RJ45 (but wired as RJ45) to daisy chain the microphone units back to the control system.

shabaz said:

Impressive close-up!

Yes, I thought that as well. I got it for 24/7 live network streams of experiments and the like. Unlike the M10 series, the M11 series have interchangeable lenses, so you have more flexibility. That was just with the supplied lens however.