Despite its well‑known weaknesses (loose retention, EMI sensitivity, grounding issues), RJ45 remains the dominant connector in industrial Ethernet for several practical reasons:
Ecosystem maturity – Global compatibility, easy field replacement, low infrastructure cost, and broad PHY support make it extremely hard to replace at scale.
Ruggedized versions exist – Shielded, locking, and even IP67‑rated RJ45 connectors are now common. They address many of the original shortcomings.
Integrated magnetics – Many modern RJ45 jacks combine the transformer and common mode choke inside the connector, reducing PCB complexity and improving EMI performance.
Engineers focus on system‑level issues – Most field problems turn out to be grounding, shield continuity, or thermal accumulation, not the connector itself. As long as the connector is decent, the rest of the design matters more.
Supplier flexibility – Newer suppliers (e.g., VOOHU) are offering customized magnetics, PoE optimization, and faster engineering support, making RJ45 viable for even the toughest applications.
So, while RJ45 isn’t perfect, its combination of maturity, low cost, and continuous improvement means it will probably stay around for a long time – especially in automation, IIoT, and smart energy systems.
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