The TE Connectivity 5558068-1 is a shielded modular jack in the 10p10c (RJ50) form factor — 10 positions with 10 conductors, one row. This is the wider cousin of the familiar 8p8c RJ45 used for Ethernet; the extra two positions serve applications like serial data, console ports, or proprietary multi-conductor signaling where a standard RJ45 won't carry enough circuits. The right-angle orientation and through-hole solder termination place the jack flush against the PCB edge, with the mating face perpendicular to the board plane — a common layout for rear-panel I/O on industrial controllers, telecom equipment, or test gear that needs a shielded connection. The housing is molded from PCT, a high-temperature thermoplastic that withstands wave-solder and reflow profiles without distortion.
This jack is rated Cat3, which limits its certified performance to frequencies up to 16 MHz — adequate for voice (POTS), 10BASE-T Ethernet, and low-speed serial protocols like RS-232 or RS-485. It is not rated for 100BASE-TX (Cat5) or Gigabit Ethernet (Cat5e/6). If your BOM calls for an RJ45 Ethernet jack, this 10p10c footprint will not match the pinout or the frequency rating; the 5558068-1 is built for applications that need the extra conductor count of RJ50, not higher data rates.
Shielding, Board Lock, and Keying — Built for Industrial Environments
The shielded shell bleeds EMI from the cable shield to the PCB ground plane — critical when the jack is mounted on a panel opening near switching power supplies or motor drives. The keyed design prevents inserting a mismatched plug, which protects both the jack contacts and the downstream circuitry from mis-wiring.
It is RoHS compliant.