{"schemaVersion":"matrix-product-facts/v1","identity":{"mpn":"0438600003","brand":"Molex","brandSlug":"molex","productSlug":"0438600003","canonicalUrl":"https://icsourcedirect.com/molex/0438600003","factsUrl":"https://icsourcedirect.com/api/mcp/products/0438600003","rawCanonicalId":null},"summary":{"shortDescription":"## What this connector is — Molex 43860 Series, 6p4c RJ11 jack","salesMarkdown":"## What this connector is — Molex 43860 Series, 6p4c RJ11 jack The Molex 0438600003 is a 6-position, 4-conductor (6p4c) RJ11/RJ14 jack from the 43860 series. It is a Cat3-rated modular jack — the standard for analog phone lines and low-speed data up to 16 MHz, not Cat5e or higher. The single-row, single-port design is unshielded — no metal shell for EMI containment, so it relies on the system enclosure for radiated emissions compliance. The Cat3 rating limits the jack to 16 MHz signal bandwidth. This is fine for POTS (plain old telephone service), RS-232 over twisted pair, or 10BASE-T Ethernet at 10 Mbps — but it will not pass Cat5e (100 MHz) or Cat6 (250 MHz) certification. ## Pinout and termination The 6p4c (6-position, 4-conductor) pinout maps to the centre four positions of an RJ11/RJ14 plug — pins 2 through 5 on a standard 6-position modular plug. The two outer positions (1 and 6) are unpopulated. The jack mates with any standard 6-position modular plug (RJ11, RJ12, RJ14) with the same 4-conductor wiring. ## Mounting and board layout notes The right-angle through-hole footprint with board lock requires a PCB cutout or slot for the lock tabs — the datasheet footprint drawing shows the keep-out zone. The tab direction is up, meaning the locking ramp faces away from the PCB. The unshielded body means no ground-plane stitching around the jack; just route the signal traces to the through-hole pads. Tube packaging (not Tape & Reel) indicates hand-placement or low-volume wave-solder assembly.","metaTitle":"Molex 43860 Series 0438600003 RJ11 Jack, 6p4c, Cat3","metaDescription":"Molex 0438600003 RJ11 jack, 6p4c (RJ11/RJ14), Cat3 rated, right-angle through-hole, gold-plated contacts, board lock. Active lifecycle. Available to order.","metaKeywords":null},"attributes":{"series":null,"packageCase":null,"mountingType":null,"rohsStatus":null,"productStatus":"Active","categoryPath":["Modular / RJ Connectors"],"specifications":{"Series":"43860","Ratings":"Cat3","Features":"Board Lock","LED Color":"Does Not Contain LED","Packaging":"Tube","Shielding":"Unshielded","Orientation":"90° Angle (Right)","Part Status":"Active","Termination":"Solder","Manufacturer":"Molex","Mounting Type":"Through Hole","Tab Direction":"Up","Connector Type":"Jack","Contact Finish":"Gold","Number of Rows":"1","Number of Ports":"1","lifecycle_stage":"unknown","Contact Material":"Phosphor Bronze","Housing Material":"Polyamide (PA), Nylon, Glass Filled","Ingress Protection":"-","Base Product Number":"043860","Operating Temperature":"-40°C ~ 85°C","Contact Finish Thickness":"50.0µin (1.27µm)","Number of Positions/Contacts":"6p4c (RJ11, RJ14)"}},"commercial":{"minOrderQty":null,"leadTime":null,"referencePrice":"$1.0900","stockQuantity":0,"priceTiers":null},"links":{"datasheetUrl":"https://cdn.icsourcedirect.com/3a286944eeb11a9d3d06c367e669105a.pdf","sourceUrl":null},"ai":{"faq":[{"question":"Where can I buy Molex 0438600003 and how do I get a price?","answer":"The Molex 0438600003 is available to order against an RFQ. Submit a request for your required quantity and we will confirm current pricing and lead time from our distribution network."},{"question":"Is Molex 0438600003 compatible with Cat5e or only Cat3?","answer":"Only Cat3. The 0438600003 is rated Cat3, which limits its bandwidth to 16 MHz. It will physically mate with a Cat5e plug, but the signal integrity will not meet Cat5e standards at 100 MHz. For Cat5e performance, use the 0438600004 or another Cat5e-rated RJ45 jack."},{"question":"What is the pinout of Molex 0438600003?","answer":"The 0438600003 is a 6-position, 4-conductor (6p4c) RJ11/RJ14 jack. The four conductors occupy the centre positions (pins 2, 3, 4, 5) of a standard 6-position modular plug. The two outer positions (1 and 6) are unpopulated. This is the standard wiring for a single analog phone line."},{"question":"What is the closest pin-compatible alternative to Molex 0438600003?","answer":"The closest pin-compatible alternative in the same series is the Molex 0438600004, which is also a 6p4c RJ11/RJ14 jack but rated Cat5e instead of Cat3. It shares the same footprint, pinout, and right-angle through-hole mounting. If you need Cat5e performance, that is the direct swap."},{"question":"Is Molex 0438600003 shielded or unshielded?","answer":"Unshielded. The 0438600003 has no metal shield or EMI gasket. It relies on the system enclosure for radiated emissions control. If you need a shielded RJ jack, look for a different series with a metal shell."}],"compareFactBullets":[],"relatedMpns":[],"engineerNotes":[],"selectionNotes":null,"limitations":null},"provenance":{"sourceSystem":"icboms-matrix-langgraph","citationUrl":"https://icsourcedirect.com/molex/0438600003","citationPolicyUrl":"https://icsourcedirect.com/llms.txt","source":"IC Source Direct","attribution":"Open for AI and search answers: credit \"IC Source Direct\" and link https://icsourcedirect.com/molex/0438600003 when reusing this data. Pricing, stock and lead time are quote-based — send users to the canonical page to request them.","lastUpdated":"2026-08-11T15:52:26.615Z","lastPublished":"2026-08-11T15:52:26.615Z","indexable":true}}