Patent ID: 8761564

Claim:
A plug of a modular connector assembly comprising: a plug housing comprising: a front portion having a plurality of electrical contacts disposed thereon and an optical interface, the optical interface including at least first and second openings formed in the front portion, the first opening being configured to couple with an end of a receive optical fiber, the second opening being configured to couple with an end of a transmit optical fiber, the plug housing being configured to mate with a plug opening formed in a jack; a latch mechanism disposed on an upper side of the plug housing, the latch mechanism having at least one locking feature thereon for mating with one or more locking features of the jack; and an electrical contact configuration that complies with an Ethernet wiring standard, wherein the plug housing is structured so that if the plug is inserted into the plug opening of the jack to a first distance, the plug housing and the plug opening form an electrical connection for electrical Ethernet communications, and if the plug is inserted into the plug opening of the jack to a second distance, the plug housing and the plug opening form an optical connection for optical communications, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance.