Ethernet Port is too small?

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The Ethernet port on my new Dell Latitude 3500 BTX laptop is too small !!??? I tried to plug in my Ethernet cable and it won’t insert properly. There seems to be a small door of some sort that won’t open easily. It’s impossible to believe that this PC won’t connect to an Ethernet cable. What am I doing wrong? And what do I have to do to plug in the Ethernet cable?

Thanks for any suggestions.

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According to everything I am reading and seeing, it has a standard 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet port. So I can only assume your cable is not standard.

As what do you need to do, all you have to do is make sure the connector is oriented correctly since it can only go in one way. By that picture, with the release tab down.

Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom isn't free!

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Bill, thanks for your response.  My ethernet cable is a standard cable with a standard connector that works just fine on my current PC.  Your picture of the ports on my new PC is accurate, but note that the Ethernet port appears to have a small cover or clip that prevents the cable connector from entering the port.  This small cover actually moves and looks like it should move down to allow the  cable connector to enter, but it doesn’t more far enough and I am afraid to push too hard and break the plastic.  There must be some way to release the cover or something but so far I can’t figure out what to do.  I’m guessing that Dell did this to save a millimeter or two of space but there are no instructions of what to do.  If anybody has a PC like this, or with a similar cover on their Ethernet port, I would be glad to know what to do to enable the ethernet cable connector to enter the port.  Thanks for any further suggestions.

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Have fooled with this on a few machines. Can usually plug it in by going at an angle from the top. I’ve found using a fingernail to pull the clip down and inserting the connector at an angle generally works.

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doriel

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Problem solved !  Thanks Bill.  I pushed the cable connector in at an angle as you suggested and the cover moved just enough to allow the connector to enter, and then the wired connection worked just fine.  But I do wonder what advantage this change makes as it is more difficult to get the cable attached.  In any event, all is OK now.  Thanks again.

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It is (should be) a one-handed operation but takes a little getting used to and seems the clip loosens up after done a few times. I assume the clip is there to keep your cable inserted if the connector is worn or broken. First time I ran across one took me a little playing with it to make it work.

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Well, keeping the connector securely connected is the purpose of the lever/clip on the cable’s connection. So I don’t see why Dell would think another latch is needed on the female side too. Odd – unless it serves as a dust cover too. But from the image it does not look like that.

Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom isn't free!

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Well, keeping the connector securely connected is the purpose of the lever/clip on the cable’s connection.

True, but I can’t tell you how many times I have to replace connectors because the clip breaks. My workbench has 2 connectors right now that are missing the clip. I use them as they are and will eventually get around to replacing them. Just have to make sure they are inserted fully and don’t move too much I’m just guessing that is the idea behind Dell’s design. Not positive, but I think I’ve also seen that on other brands too lately.

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My Dell G3 has a similar trapdoor (or whatever it is officially called) for the ethernet port. Notice in the pic how the bottom of the laptop is contoured? If the trapdoor were to be removed, the locking tab on the ethernet cable’s connector would not have anything to grab onto, since the bottom of the unit is beveled there, and the locking bits of the tab would be in the air.

To fix that design without a trapdoor, Dell would have had to design the laptop so that the ethernet connector went in more deeply, and that would make it harder to release the cable.  The opening for the ethernet port would be quite big (and unsightly), inviting foreign objects to get in there and damage the pins (if the laptop is thrown into a bag or something).

The trapdoor isn’t a dust cover (as you’ve noted, it only partly covers the port, so dust will still get in), but it makes the effective size of the ethernet port that could end up having some thing stuck in there much smaller, and allows the cable to only have to go in a normal amount even with the contoured bottom of the laptop.

 

Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon 6.2
XPG Xenia 15, i7-9750H/32GB & GTX1660ti, Kubuntu 24.04
Acer Swift Go 14, i5-1335U/16GB, Kubuntu 24.04 (and Win 11)

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Yeah, they are critical but very fragile devices. Of course the clip breaking does not prevent them from working, but it does mean they can slip out easily.

I started making my own Ethernet cables many years ago. So when a clip breaks, I just cut off the connector and crimp another on.

Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom isn't free!

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Please be careful, which cabel you use. I wittnessed two times cable stuck in this small door. I relized that the cable was from the same manufacturee and immediatelly I throw them all away. It was 3M ethernet cables, do not use them. It was caucht on these two small areas and it was quite surgery to take it out! hope this will help.

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Don’t know why they do this. We have a laptop with a door; when’s it going to fall off?  Never, I pulled it off, stupid design.

Optical audio cable ports have a door so they stay cleaner but ethernet?  Our printer has its ethernet port recessed between two molded “walls.”  I can get a pinky finger between the walls; my thumb? No way.  Takes two hands and two pinkies to remove the connector.  Or needle nose pliers.

Brilliant!

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But you know that we absolutely must have laptops that are only ½ inch or less thin!  No matter that all the drives and ports we used to have are gone.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

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This was always going to happen with the move to wireless, but there is still room for a USBC port and that will do almost anything.

cheers, Paul

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OK.. thought I would brake my Ethernet connection but finally, I inserted the dam thing. The trick… you need to completely change your mind-set before trying to insert your Ethernet connection:

1. This is NOT one hand operation. You required both hands.
2. Shutdown everything, and ensure the power is off.
3. Disconnect all cables, including power cord, mouse,HDMI & any other cables
4. Turn the laptop vertically, thus you can see the Ethernet connection in front of you.
5. And with the other hand insert in angle to the top of the Ethernet connection, ensuring the trapdoor is completely open.

PS 1): if this doesn’t work, play around with the trapdoor by opening & closing for several minutes to loose it a little bit and repeat the operation.

PS 2): Ask for your significance other, for an extra hand.

Good Luck, Tony

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