Nippon Labs Cat6A Slim Bulk Cable, Green 28AWG Stranded UTP, CM, 10G, 1000 ft

This is a 1000 ft box of slim Cat6A stranded bulk cable in green, meant for making up custom length patch cords. Stranded 28 AWG flexes and takes repeated handling, so it belongs on the patch field and between equipment, not inside a wall. For permanent in wall runs terminated into keystone jacks or patch panels, buy a solid conductor cable instead. What distinguishes this one is its diameter: the source material rates it 60% thinner than standard 24 AWG Cat6A, which is what makes a dense patch field manageable.

Specifications

• Category: Cat6A
• Conductor: 28 AWG stranded bare copper, 100% bare copper
• Cable assembly: 4 twisted pairs with a spline core separator
• Shielding: unshielded twisted pair (UTP)
• Jacket: CM rated PVC, green, UL listed
• Speed: certified for 10 Gigabit Ethernet
• Diameter: 60% thinner than standard 24 AWG Cat6A cable
• Standards: ANSI/TIA-568.2-D, ETL verified, RoHS compliant
• Length: 1000 ft
• Part number: 30SC6A-10X6-28-C6A3TH

Good for

• Making up patch cords to exact length so a 48 port patch field stays tidy instead of buried in slack
• Cabinet jumpers between switch, patch panel and server where standard cable bulk blocks airflow
• Colour coding a rack by function, with green for a separate VLAN or network segment or whatever convention your site uses

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 cable is CM rated, which is the general indoor rating and the right one for patch cords inside a rack or a room. If the cable will pass between floors you need CMR riser, and if it will sit in an air handling space such as above a drop ceiling you need CMP plenum. In both of those cases you are describing a permanent run, so you want a solid conductor cable in the matching rating rather than this stranded cable. There is nothing below CM to step down to.

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 box that feeds the cable out as you run it, so it does not tangle or kink during a pull.

What do I terminate it with? Use mini Cat6/Cat6A modular plugs for stranded wire together with snag proof strain relief boots. Standard plugs sized for 24 AWG solid conductors will not seat correctly on 28 AWG stranded.

Does the thinner 28 AWG conductor cost me anything? It is certified for 10 Gigabit Ethernet, but thinner conductors have higher DC resistance, so keep 28 AWG to patch cord lengths and leave the long horizontal runs to 23 or 24 AWG solid cable.