NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-C005E26L QSFP28 100GbE Passive Copper DAC 5m LSZH: This is a 5m passive direct attach copper (DAC) cable engineered for 100GbE Ethernet point-to-point interconnectivity. The cable uses twinax conductors with QSFP28 connectors on both ends. This is a passive copper assembly with no signal conditioning — it is not an active copper cable, not an active optical cable, and not a transceiver. This is a refurbished unit.
Engineering Context
The MCP1600-C005E26L is engineered for 100GbE Ethernet point-to-point copper runs. 100GbE on QSFP28 uses 4x25Gb/s NRZ lane signalling. At 5m this cable is at the upper end of the passive copper reach window for 100GbE, which is why a heavier 26AWG conductor and the LSZH jacket variant are specified. Passive copper introduces zero added latency from signal regeneration, making it suitable for latency-sensitive Top-of-Rack interconnects within a single rack or between adjacent racks.
Deployment & Use Cases
NVIDIA Spectrum SN2000 / SN2700 100GbE switch ToR-to-host links. ConnectX-4 Lx EN, ConnectX-5 EN, and ConnectX-6 Dx EN adapters at 100GbE. Cross-rack switch interconnects up to 5m. Storage fabric uplinks where a 5m DAC reach is sufficient. Edge-of-row aggregation between adjacent ToR switches.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number: MCP1600-C005E26L
Form Factor: QSFP28 to QSFP28
Cable Type: Passive Copper DAC (Twinax CR4)
Data Rate: 100GbE (4x25G NRZ)
Protocol: 100GbE Ethernet
Length: 5m
Wire Gauge: 26AWG
Jacket: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen)
Connector Type: Latching QSFP28
Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with NVIDIA Spectrum SN2000 / SN2700 series 100GbE switches and ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 / ConnectX-6 Dx EN adapters with QSFP28 ports. Requires ports configured for 100GbE. At 5m, this is an upper-reach passive DAC; verify host-side RS-FEC behaviour, as some legacy NIC firmware revisions require RS-FEC for 100GbE-CR4 at this length. Not compatible with QSFP56 (200GbE) ports without rate-step configuration. Fixed 5m point-to-point — does not break out to 4xSFP28. Not a transceiver and not an active cable.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS tests every passive DAC for connector continuity, mechanical condition, and link integrity at rated speed before shipment. We provide expert consultation on high-speed fabric cabling, global shipping, and 1–3 day handling. Visit tes-itsolutions.com to learn more.