Why no low profile ethernet for thin laptops?

[EliteRetard]

Seriously, I just made one myself...bending up an old thin metal socket, and making my own plug with just the wires exposed to make contact with the port (stuck some putty like material in the modded port making the connector by laying the wires as needed). I had a short wire and proper connector attatched to each end of my mini port and I was able to get a connection through it just fine.

If I can ghetto rig a slim RJ45 connector then why cant anybody else? Use side clips to hold it in instead of a top mounted one. The connector can easily be shrunk 50% or more and it shouldn't affect the speed or anything. Then just include a slim plug adaptor with a short cable that ends in a normal connector. Theres no reason for any PC, netbook, ultrabook etc. to be without a gigabit ethernet port.

Do I need to patent this (or is somebody already working on stealing this idea)?

 

[Golgatha]

Because they can use a custom dongle or a pop out port where you put the cable in perpendicular to the side of the laptop.

 

[WackyDan]

They used these back in the day of PCMCIA card adapters. Rule of thumb... Dongles are a pain in the ass... they get lost, etc... Not everyone uses primarily WiFi for their Laptop.

Ie; I'm on ethernet at home and always use my laptop in my home office. On the road, I usb tether more than I use public wifi. I prefer the full size port.. but my laptop is a mobile workstation... I have the space.

 

[heymrdj]

They used these back in the day of PCMCIA card adapters. Rule of thumb... Dongles are a pain in the ass... they get lost, etc... Not everyone uses primarily WiFi for their Laptop.

Ie; I'm on ethernet at home and always use my laptop in my home office. On the road, I usb tether more than I use public wifi. I prefer the full size port.. but my laptop is a mobile workstation... I have the space.

This is the issue. They get lost, they are proprietary and cost a bundle to have replaced, and you have to remember to take it with you. Really a USB NIC servers the purpose with hardly any of the extra.

Still personally I would take the thin connector dongle that has a regular rj45 coupler on it. I wouldn't want it unless it had a socket (coupler) end, as I never know if I'm going to need 3ft of cable or 50ft.

 

[alent1234]

most people at home are on wifi. my wife would kill me just for suggesting i use wires. no reason to either.

 

[imagoon]

They make low profile connectors. They drove me nuts because they got broken. Check out 3Com's "Xjack connector"

Then realize that those are mostly 10 years old and you never seen them anymore... good reason for it.

 

[WackyDan]

most people at home are on wifi. my wife would kill me just for suggesting i use wires. no reason to either.

No reason to? How about bandwidth? Transferring large amounts of data... stability of connection? How about I use dual monitors so might as well be on a wire anyway? How about security? Yes, I have wifi at home and yes it is secured... but the wife primarily uses it... I don't - and I work in endpoint security.

Lots of reasons to not use wireless... when there are alternatives.

 

[corkyg]

All current laptops have wireless. If you need wired at home or in a specific place, consider a docking station for it.

 

[Anubis]

All current laptops have wireless. If you need wired at home or in a specific place, consider a docking station for it.

prob with that is many/all thin (think ultrabooks) dont have docking ports

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah... lack of gigabit Ethernet is a no go for me. I spend a lot of time transferring large files (disk images, virtual machines, Linux .ISO's, etc), and even the best 802.11n connections take 3 times longer to transfer files like that.

Maybe I could get used to using a USB 3.0 Ethernet dongle... I don't know. It's just one more thing for me to lose in my laptop bag, though.

 

[Herald85]

If you connect to an external screen and you want Ethernet you're obviously not the target group for an ultraportable. Any other laptop has a wired Ethernet port. Manufacturers won't just make a new standard for wired network connections and docking connections fit for Ultraportables for such a small group.

 

[alent1234]

802.11n is limited by the number of antennas in the receiver and transmitter. you need 3 antennas and the right router for best performance

 

[heymrdj]

802.11n is limited by the number of antennas in the receiver and transmitter. you need 3 antennas and the right router for best performance

Even at 3x3 that's still 300mbs, compared to gigabit which is of course 1000mbs.

 

[WackyDan]

Even at 3x3 that's still 300mbs, compared to gigabit which is of course 1000mbs.

And if you can get your wireless to perform at that rate, then you are in a wireless lab of some sort, as it isn't going to happen. You aren't going to get 1000mbs out of gigabit either, but you will still have much faster throughput and more reliable/secure connection.

Look... I get it... For an ultra portable maybe an ethernet USB adapter is the best way...

I've seen the question asked before in here and other forums.. why even have ethernet if you have wireless... It is a simplistic question that doesn't fit reality. Just because you have wireless doesn't mean you have to use it. When I'm at Panera Bread between meetings, I'm tethered to my phone, not their wifi. I do that for specific reasons... I might use the Hotel wifi from time to time, but only if my phone has bad data reception.

 

[TheStu]

And if you can get your wireless to perform at that rate, then you are in a wireless lab of some sort, as it isn't going to happen. You aren't going to get 1000mbs out of gigabit either, but you will still have much faster throughput and more reliable/secure connection.

Look... I get it... For an ultra portable maybe an ethernet USB adapter is the best way...

I've seen the question asked before in here and other forums.. why even have ethernet if you have wireless... It is a simplistic question that doesn't fit reality. Just because you have wireless doesn't mean you have to use it. When I'm at Panera Bread between meetings, I'm tethered to my phone, not their wifi. I do that for specific reasons... I might use the Hotel wifi from time to time, but only if my phone has bad data reception.

Look at the HP Folio and Spectre

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah... I'm surprised that someone hasn't come up with a "Micro Ethernet" port standard yet. Not only would it be useful for netbooks and ultrabooks, but wall plug PC's and blade servers as well!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Do I need to patent this (or is somebody already working on stealing this idea)?

Quick! To the patent office!