High speed connectors that minimize signal skew and crosstalk

An electrical connector comprising:

• a plug housing having a plurality of plug contacts;
• a receptacle housing connected to the plug housing having a plurality of receptacle contacts, wherein the receptacle contacts are substantially parallel to the plug contacts;
• and
• a plurality of connecting contacts, wherein each connecting contact electrically connects a plug contact to a receptacle contact to form a transmission path, wherein each transmission path has a relatively similar signal propagation time as each of the other transmission paths, and wherein a length of a first connecting contact of the plurality of connecting contacts is different from a length of a second connecting contact of the plurality of connecting contacts.

A method of connecting a first device and a second device, wherein the devices are substantially co-planar board, the method comprising:

• connecting a first contact of a first length to the first board;
• connecting a second contact of a second length to the second board;
• connecting the first and second contacts with a third contact of a third length that is angled with respect to the first and second contacts;
• connecting a fourth contact of a fourth length to the first board, wherein the spacing between the first contact and the fourth contact is a first spacing;
• connecting a fifth contact of a fifth length to the second board, wherein the spacing between the second contact and the fifth contact is a second spacing;
• and
• connecting the fourth and fifth contacts with a sixth contact of a sixth length that is angled with respect to the fourth and fifth contacts, wherein a sum of the fourth, fifth, and sixth lengths is substantially similar to a sum of the first, second, and third lengths, and wherein the third length is different from the sixth length.