Latching Tab and Orientation
Modular connectors are designed to latch together. A spring-loaded tab on the plug snaps into a jack so that the plug cannot be pulled out. To remove the plug, the latching tab must be depressed. The most common way to install a jack in a wall or panel is with the tab side down. This usually makes it easier to operate the tab when removing the plug, because the person grabs the plug with thumb on top and presses the tab with the index finger. This orientation is also preferred because any dust or fine abrasive or conductive particles that may enter an unused jack will tend to fall away from the electrical contacts, rather than settling onto the contact surfaces.
The modular connector suffers from a design flaw however, as the fragile tab easily snags on other cables and breaks. When this happens, the connector is still functional, but the crucial latching feature is lost. Some higher quality cables have a flexible sleeve called a boot over the plug, or a special tab design, to prevent this. These cables are often marketed as snagless. Boots are seen mainly on 8P8C data cables, but are also used on other sizes of connectors.
Read more about this topic: Modular Connector
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