Nippon Labs Cat6 UTP Bulk Ethernet Cable, 1000ft 23AWG Solid Copper, CM 600MHz

This is a 1000 ft pull box of Cat6 UTP cable for general indoor network wiring. Against the Cat5e in the range it steps up to a heavier 23 AWG conductor and a 600MHz rating, which is the headroom most people are buying Cat6 for. The CM jacket keeps it in general indoor territory, so it suits single floor runs in open air or surface raceway.

Specifications

• Category: Cat6
• Packaging: 1000 ft pull box
• Conductor: 23 AWG solid bare copper
• Construction: 4-pair UTP unshielded
• Bandwidth: 600MHz
• Jacket rating: CM
• Certification: ETL verified
• Colors: available in several jacket colors

Good for

• New build or remodel drops on one floor where you want more headroom than Cat5e
• Access point and camera drops back to a single switch closet
• Surface raceway and open air runs in a home lab, office or workshop

Which jacket rating do I need?

• CM: general indoor use, run in open air or surface raceway on a single floor
• CMR riser: vertical runs between floors, through risers and shafts. Required by code where cable passes floor to floor
• CMP plenum: runs inside air handling spaces such as above a drop ceiling or under a raised floor. The strictest fire rating and usually what a commercial inspector asks for
• CMX outdoor: exposed outdoor runs, with a UV resistant jacket

This box is CM rated, the general indoor grade. Step up to the CMR riser Cat6 if the run passes floor to floor, to the CMP plenum Cat6 if it enters an air handling space above a drop ceiling or under a raised floor, and to a CMX cable if any part of the run is outdoors.

FAQ

Solid or stranded? Solid conductor cable is for permanent in wall runs terminated into keystone jacks or patch panels. Stranded cable flexes and is for patch cords that get moved. Using the wrong one is a common cause of intermittent links.

How is it packaged? A 1000 ft pull box that feeds the cable out as you run it, so it does not tangle or kink during a pull.

Why is Cat6 thicker than Cat5e? The conductor is 23 AWG rather than 24 AWG, so the cable is stiffer and takes a larger bend radius. Allow for that in tight walls and boxes, and use jacks and panels rated for Cat6.

Is Cat6 worth it over Cat5e? If you are opening walls, Cat6 gives you the 600MHz rating and the heavier conductor for the same labor. Cat5e remains the cheaper option for voice, cameras and straightforward desk drops.

Often bought with

• Cat6 UTP Riser Bulk Cable, 1000ft 23AWG Solid Copper, CMR 600MHz: riser rated version of the same 23AWG solid cable
• Cat6 UTP Plenum Bulk Cable, 1000ft 23AWG Solid Copper, CMP 600MHz: plenum version for air handling spaces
• Cat6A Riser Bulk Cable, 23AWG Solid Copper UTP, CMR, 10G, 1000 ft: Cat6A riser cable rated for 10G