NVIDIA Mellanox® MCP1600-C005 — 100GbE Ethernet Passive Copper DAC, QSFP28, 5m
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MCP1600-C005 is a 5-meter LinkX™ Passive Copper Direct-Attach Cable (DAC) rated at 100 Gb/s Ethernet (100GbE), terminated with QSFP28 connectors on both ends in a 1-to-1 straight configuration. The cable carries the signal entirely over copper conductors — no signal-conditioning electronics, no retimers, and no optics — which keeps latency minimal and power draw effectively zero. The "C" in the MCP1600-C suffix denotes the 100GbE Ethernet variant of the LinkX passive copper family. Length 5 m is the upper end of the passive copper reach for 100GbE and is intended for top-of-rack, mid-rack, and short adjacent-rack connections. Condition: New, factory-sealed.
Specifications

Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MCP1600-C005
Product family: LinkX Passive Copper Cables (DAC)
Product type: Passive Copper DAC, 1-to-1 straight
Protocol: 100GbE Ethernet (IEEE 802.3bm)
Data rate: 100 Gb/s (4 × 25 Gb/s NRZ)
Connectors: QSFP28 — QSFP28 (both ends)
Length: 5 m
Medium: Passive twinax copper (no active electronics)
Latency: Cable propagation only — no electronic delay
Power draw: 0 W (passive)
Condition: New, factory-sealed

What This Is NOT

NOT an active cable (ACC or AOC). No signal-conditioning electronics and no optical engine — pure passive copper only. For longer reach, choose an ACC or AOC.
NOT a QSFP56, QSFP-DD, or QSFP112 cable. Uses standard QSFP28 cages — physically the QSFP form factor but electrically 4 × 25 Gb/s NRZ. Will not negotiate to 200G/400G rates.
NOT a splitter or breakout cable. 1-to-1 straight 100GbE only.
NOT InfiniBand. The "C" suffix marks the Ethernet-only variant. For 100Gb EDR InfiniBand use the MCP1600-E series.
NOT supplied with adapters, transceivers, or installation accessories — sold standalone.

Compatibility & Constraints

Switch side: NVIDIA Spectrum and Spectrum-2 100GbE switches (SN2000 / SN3000 families) and any third-party 100GbE switch with QSFP28 cages that accepts passive copper DAC at 5 m reach.
Adapter side: NVIDIA ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5, and ConnectX-6 adapters configured for 100GbE Ethernet on a QSFP28 port.
Reach class: 5 m is intra-rack and short inter-rack only; for cross-row or row-to-row runs use AOC or transceivers + fiber.
Pre-deployment: Verify both ports are configured for 100GbE Ethernet (not 100Gb IB), QSFP28 cage type, and that passive DAC is enabled in the port profile. Firmware and driver versions on both ends should be current.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MCP1600-C005?
A 5-meter NVIDIA Mellanox LinkX Passive Copper Direct-Attach Cable, 100GbE Ethernet, with QSFP28 connectors on both ends in a 1-to-1 straight configuration.
Q. Is the MCP1600-C005 active or passive?
Passive. No signal-conditioning electronics and no optics — pure copper signal path. For longer reach or tighter signal-integrity margin, consider an ACC or AOC cable.
Q. What connector does the MCP1600-C005 use?
QSFP28 on both ends — physically the QSFP form factor, electrically 4 × 25 Gb/s NRZ. Not compatible with QSFP56, QSFP-DD, or QSFP112 cages.
Q. Is the MCP1600-C005 InfiniBand compatible?
No. The "C" suffix marks the Ethernet-only variant. For 100Gb EDR InfiniBand select the MCP1600-E series instead.
Q. Which switches and adapters does the MCP1600-C005 work with?
Switch side: NVIDIA Spectrum / Spectrum-2 100GbE switches and any third-party 100GbE switch with QSFP28 cages accepting passive DAC at 5 m. Adapter side: NVIDIA ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 / ConnectX-6 adapters configured for 100GbE Ethernet.
Q. What condition does T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS supply?
New factory-sealed, verified, EU stock, with global B2B express shipping.
Why buy from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS is a Europe-based NVIDIA Mellanox specialist serving HPC, AI, and enterprise data-center procurement teams. Every unit is identified by MPN before it leaves our warehouse. EU stock, multi-currency B2B invoicing, worldwide express shipping, and free pre-sale compatibility consultation for switch, adapter, and cable pairing. See tes-itsolutions.com.