To jack in means to establish a hardwired connection, usually by plugging an Ethernet cable into a wall port or switch. In hacker and IT culture, it also refers to authenticating into a remote server or virtual environment. The term originates from the physical action of inserting a patch cable into a telecom jack.
Heard on the job
Grab your laptop and jack in to the console port on that router so we can see the boot sequence.
Also heard as
- plug in
Related terms
Patch
A software update designed to fix bugs, close security vulnerabilities, or improve performance.
Ethernet card
An expansion board that provides a physical connection between a computer host and a local area network.
Hacker
A skilled computer expert who explores, modifies, or exploits systems and networks.