Identity & Definition
The NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-C002 is a 100GbE enterprise data center passive copper cable (DAC) in new condition. This direct attach cable uses QSFP28 connectors on both ends to deliver 100Gb/s Ethernet bandwidth over a 2-meter reach. The MCP1600-C002 is a point-to-point passive DAC cable — it is NOT an active optical cable (AOC), NOT a splitter or breakout cable, NOT a fiber transceiver module, and NOT an InfiniBand-specific cable. The "-C" suffix designates the Ethernet variant of the MCP1600 series.
Engineering Context
The MCP1600-C002 transmits 100Gb/s using four lanes of 25Gb/s NRZ signaling over its QSFP28 interface. The cable is constructed with 30AWG copper conductors and a PVC outer jacket. As a passive copper assembly, it introduces minimal signal latency and requires no external power beyond what the QSFP28 port supplies, providing a low-cost, low-power alternative to optical interconnects at short distances.
Deployment & Use Cases
The MCP1600-C002 is deployed for short-range 100GbE connections within data center racks. Typical use cases include spine-to-leaf switch links in 100GbE Ethernet fabrics, server-to-switch uplinks for NVMe-oF and RoCE storage workloads, and high-bandwidth connections between adjacent networking equipment. It is compatible with NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5, and ConnectX-6 adapters and Spectrum switch platforms.
Technical Specifications

Part Number (MPN): MCP1600-C002
Cable Type: Passive Direct Attach Copper (DAC)
Data Rate: 100Gb/s (100GbE)
Connector: QSFP28 to QSFP28
Cable Length: 2 meters
Wire Gauge: 30AWG
Jacket Material: PVC
Signaling: 4x 25Gb/s NRZ
Protocol: 100GbE Ethernet
Condition: New

Compatibility & Hard Constraints
The MCP1600-C002 requires 100GbE-capable QSFP28 ports on both endpoints. It is an Ethernet-specific cable — for InfiniBand EDR deployments, the MCP1600-E002 (same length, EDR variant) is the correct part. It is NOT compatible with QSFP-DD (400GbE) or QSFP56 (200GbE) ports. For longer Ethernet reaches in the same series, the MCP1600-C003 (3m) is available.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every MCP1600-C002 cable sold by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS is factory-sealed and new. Our team provides technical consultation on NVIDIA Mellanox cable compatibility, quantity availability, and deployment planning. Orders ship within 1–3 business days with worldwide delivery and protective packaging.