# How to tell sex of RPTNC connectors?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-sex-of-rptnc-connectors/234226
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 14, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-sex-of-rptnc-connectors/234226 "2004-03-14T13:11:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-sex-of-rptnc-connectors/234226/1 "2004-03-14T13:11:01Z")
How do I determine the gender of RPTNC connectors? Among other things, these are the connectors between the Linksys WAP11 wireless access point and its antennas.
According to this site:
[http://www.wirelessnetworkproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=393](http://www.wirelessnetworkproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=393)
I want to buy a cable with RPTNC male connector to mate to the WAP11. But the cable end they show (which is pretty complicated for a coax) has female threads and a female socket for the center conductor.
So, do a male RPTNC connector have female threads and a female socket, and a female RPTNC have male threads and a male socket? How does that make sense? How exactly are “male” and “female” defined for connectors (I thought it was by the gender of the smallest diameter center element)?
Or is the site incorrect?
I have two WAP11’s on order but they aren’t here yet, and photos I’ve found uselessly show the decorative “front” of the product which doesn’t matter.
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### Author:  [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2004, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-sex-of-rptnc-connectors/234226/2 "2004-03-14T13:12:25Z")
“…and a female RPTNC have male threads and a male socket?”
I meant “…and a male pin?”
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### Author:  [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-sex-of-rptnc-connectors/234226/3 "2004-03-14T13:57:37Z")
The RP stands for reversed polarity.
[http://www.jfwindustries.com/jfwads/email/rpt/rpts.htm](http://www.jfwindustries.com/jfwads/email/rpt/rpts.htm)
But just to check:
[http://www.hdcom.com/pigtails.html](http://www.hdcom.com/pigtails.html)
[http://www.wlanantennas.com/antenna\_connectors.htm](http://www.wlanantennas.com/antenna_connectors.htm)
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### Author:  [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-sex-of-rptnc-connectors/234226/4 "2004-03-15T02:15:43Z")
Wow… it’s Opposites Day…
So, this FCC strategy works because nobody manufactures the connectors so nobody can adapt a new antenna to existing equipment? But, as soon as manufacturers started making the connectors (which the FCC has in effect forced to happen), the strategy doesn’t work anymore? Or is there something less bizarre that I am missing?