What is RJ-11 Connector?

RJ 11 connector is the typical connector used on two pair, four wire handset wiring. RJ means "Registered Jack", the physical connector interface that is most often utilized for handset wire terminals.

Although the RJ 11 connector has six connector positions, normally either only two or four are in fact used. RJ11 connector wiring comes in 2 standard assortments- UTP or Unshielded Twisted Pair and flat-satin cable or the untwisted.
RJ-11 connector is the most recognized among the jacks that are registered, because almost all single line (POTS) handset jacks in the majority of offices and homes in North America utilize this connector type and many other countries.

Other similar Jacks Registered include RJ-14 (for a two line handset jack), RJ-25 (for a three line jack), and RJ-61 (for a four line handset jack), all of which uses six modular connector positions.

An RJ-11 jack usually uses two out of the six positions, so this can be wired with the six position, two conductor (6P-2C) modular jack. However, these kinds of jacks are extremely unusual. Most often, an RJ-11 jack is a six position, four conductor (6P4C) jack, with two out of the four wires going to the unused junction box.

The extra wires could be pushed for a diversity of special applications, such as a source for selective ringers, as preventing a pulse dial handset from ringing extension phone-bells, powering the L.E.D. ring sign operating off the ringer indication, etc.
In a powered up state, Pins number 5 (old color - yellow/ new color- orange) and number 2 (old color - black/new color - white that has orange stripe) can carry either low voltage DC or AC power, from a transformer connected in a jack; which gives power to each of the jacks all through a dwelling.

In most cases, the handset line straightforwardly provides ample power for majority phone terminals.

The old-fashioned handset terminals hold glowing lights in them (for example: Trim line phone and the old Western Electric Princess telephone) and require a lot more energy than the handset line provides, because their dial lights require 6.3 volts and the usual transformer output of ~5 volts for long life.

Depending on whether the jack is of the new or old color principle (read from left to right, at the same time as holding the jack facing you, with the contacts pointing upward) the negative and positive terminals are:

• Pin number 3- Negative terminal (old color - red/new color - blue)
• Pin number 4- Positive terminal (old color - green /new color - white with blue stripe)