Cat8 Networking Cables

Cat8 is the fastest twisted pair standard ratified by the TIA, carrying 40Gbps at frequencies up to 2000MHz over runs of 30 metres or less. It is built for short, dense, high throughput links: switch to server, top of rack, and backbone jumps inside a data centre.

Every Cat8 cable here is S/FTP, meaning each pair is individually foiled and the bundle carries an overall braided screen. That double shielding is what makes 2000MHz achievable, and it is also why Cat8 needs shielded RJ45 terminations and a properly bonded path to ground in order to perform as rated. Running Cat8 into unshielded keystones gives away most of what you paid for.

Choosing a conductor gauge

24AWG has the lowest insertion loss and suits runs at or near the full 30 metre limit. 26AWG and 28AWG trade a little reach for flexibility and are far easier to dress into a crowded rack. 30AWG slim cable is for high density patch fields where bundle diameter rather than distance is the real constraint.

Weatherproof jacketed Cat8 is available where a run leaves conditioned space, and multi-pack quantities are stocked for patch panel work.

Further reading: Cat6 vs Cat7 vs Cat8: What Actually Changed? · From Cat3 to Cat8: A History of Ethernet Cable · How Long Can an Ethernet Cable Run? · Slim vs Standard Ethernet Cable: Is 28 AWG Worth It? · Shielded vs Unshielded Ethernet Cable Explained