Cat8 Flat Ethernet Patch Cable: 40Gbps S/FTP Shielded RJ45 Cord for Data Centers, Offices and Gaming Networks
The LinkSup Cat8 flat Ethernet patch cable is a fully shielded, factory-terminated network cord engineered for installations where 40 Gigabit throughput and a low-profile cable route have to coexist. Built from four pairs of 100% bare copper conductors in an S/FTP construction and terminated with 50-micron gold-plated RJ45 plugs, it delivers the full 2000MHz bandwidth defined for Category 8 cabling while measuring only 3.2 mm thick — thin enough to disappear under a carpet tile, behind a skirting board, or beneath an office door. As a direct manufacturer in Humen, Dongguan since 2013, we supply this cable in bulk to distributors, system integrators and consumer-electronics brands worldwide, with full OEM/ODM control over length, jacket, color and packaging.
Why Choose a Flat Cat8 Patch Cord Instead of a Round Cable?
Round Cat8 cable is typically 6–8 mm in diameter with a stiff, heavily jacketed body and a large minimum bend radius. In dense patch panels, wall-mounted cabinets, apartment installations and retail-facing consumer packaging, that bulk becomes a real cost. A flat ribbon geometry solves three problems at once: it lies flush against flat surfaces so it can be routed where round cable cannot; it stacks neatly in high-density racks without the “cable snake” effect; and it ships at lower volumetric weight, which measurably reduces air-freight cost per thousand units. Because our flat design keeps each twisted pair correctly balanced and individually foiled, the electrical performance is not sacrificed for the form factor — every production lot is verified on Fluke analyzers before it leaves the line.
S/FTP Shielding and Signal Integrity
Category 8 runs at frequencies up to 2000MHz, which is four times the frequency band of Cat6A. At those frequencies, unshielded construction is not permitted by the standard, and alien crosstalk between adjacent cords becomes the dominant failure mode. This cable uses an S/FTP (also written SSTP) architecture: each of the four twisted pairs is wrapped in its own aluminum-mylar foil, and all four are enclosed in an overall tinned-copper braid bonded to the fully metal-shelled RJ45 connector. The result is a continuous 360° shield path from plug to plug that drains interference from fluorescent ballasts, VFDs, power runs and adjacent high-speed links. In our lab, NEXT, PS-ANEXT, return loss, insertion loss and propagation delay skew are all measured per batch, and the certified report can be issued with your shipment on request.
Conductor, Connector and Jacket Construction
Conductors are 26AWG (or 28AWG for the slimmest variant) stranded oxygen-free copper — never copper-clad aluminum, which raises DC resistance and fails Power-over-Ethernet heat-rise testing. The RJ45 plugs use 8 gold-plated phosphor-bronze contacts at 50U” thickness, giving low contact resistance and reliable performance after hundreds of insertion cycles. A molded snagless boot with an integrated latch guard protects the locking clip, the most common point of field failure. Jacket material can be specified as standard PVC, low-smoke zero-halogen LSZH for public buildings and transit projects, UV-resistant PE for outdoor runs, or a nylon-braided finish for premium retail SKUs. Every material set is RoHS and REACH compliant and carries VW-1 vertical flame-retardant rating.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Category / Standard | Cat8 (Category 8), ANSI/TIA-568.2-D, ISO/IEC 11801 Class I |
| Bandwidth | 2000 MHz |
| Data Rate | 40 Gbps (25G/40GBASE-T up to 30 m channel) |
| Shielding Type | S/FTP (SSTP) — foiled pairs + overall braid |
| Conductor | 100% bare copper, stranded, 26AWG / 28AWG |
| Connector | RJ45 8P8C male–male, 50U” gold-plated, shielded metal shell |
| Cable Profile (OD) | Flat 3.2 × 9.2 mm |
| Jacket Material | PVC / LSZH / PE / nylon braided |
| Jacket Color | Black, white, blue, red, grey, or custom |
| Available Lengths | 0.1 m – 15 m (0.3 ft – 50 ft), custom lengths supported |
| Impedance | 100 Ω ± 15 Ω |
| Operating Temperature | −20 °C to +75 °C |
| PoE Support | PoE / PoE+ / PoE++ (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt) |
| Wiring Standard | T568B (T568A available) |
| Backward Compatibility | Cat7, Cat6A, Cat6, Cat5e |
| Certifications | CE, RoHS, REACH, UL wire, VW-1, ISO9001, 100% Fluke tested |
| MOQ / Packaging | 100 pcs; poly bag, blister, color box, private label |
Typical Applications
This cord is specified for switch-to-server and top-of-rack interconnects in data centers, 10G/25G/40G uplinks in enterprise LANs, PoE camera and access-point drops, esports and console gaming setups (PS5, Xbox Series X, gaming PCs), NAS and 10GbE workstation links, smart-home and fiber-to-the-home router installations, and broadcast or AV-over-IP racks. For projects that need round cable, patch panels or bulk reels, see our full Cat8 patch cord range, our flat patch cord series, and the more cost-optimized Cat6 & Cat6A patch cords. Matching field-termination parts are available in our RJ45 connectors category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cat8 actually faster than Cat6A in a real network? Only if both endpoints support 25GBASE-T or 40GBASE-T. On a 1G or 10G port, Cat8 will not raise your line rate — what it gives you is far greater electrical headroom, better shielding, and a link that will not need replacing when the switches are upgraded.
What is the maximum distance for Cat8? 30 metres for a full 40GBASE-T channel (two connectors). At 10GBASE-T and below, the cable performs normally up to 100 m, though for long horizontal runs we recommend solid-conductor bulk cable rather than a stranded patch cord.
Does a flat cable perform worse than round? Not when built correctly. Pair twist ratios, foil coverage and impedance are controlled to the same tolerances; our flat Cat8 passes the same Fluke test suite as our round Cat8.
Do I need to ground the shield? The shield is bonded through the metal RJ45 shell. For full benefit, connect to shielded (STP) keystone jacks and shielded switch ports; when plugged into unshielded gear the cable still functions normally.
Can it carry Power over Ethernet? Yes. Bare copper 26AWG conductors handle PoE up to 802.3bt (90 W) with low heat rise — one reason we refuse CCA conductors.
Can you produce our brand and packaging? Yes. Custom lengths, jacket printing, cable ties, logo boots, barcoded retail boxes and Amazon FBA-ready cartons are all supported. Review our OEM/ODM services and testing equipment pages, then send your spec sheet for a same-day quotation.
