Cat6 and Cat6A Bulk Ethernet Cable: 1000ft Solid Bare Copper Riser Cable for Structured Cabling Projects
Bulk cable is where a structured cabling project is won or lost. Patch cords are visible and easy to replace; the 90 metres of horizontal cable pulled through a ceiling void is neither. LinkSup manufactures Cat6 and Cat6A bulk ethernet cable in 1000ft (305m) easy-pull boxes and reels, built on 23AWG solid bare copper conductors with a cross-filler spline and a fire-rated jacket, for integrators, electrical contractors, distributors and data-centre builders who need a cable that certifies on a Fluke analyser the first time and keeps certifying five years later. Every production run is made in our own ISO9001 facility in Humen, Dongguan, and jacket colour, printed text, fire rating, packaging and private-label branding are all open for OEM specification.
Solid Bare Copper — the Specification That Actually Matters
The single largest quality variable in bulk network cable is the conductor. A large share of low-cost cable on the market uses copper-clad aluminium, an aluminium core with a thin copper skin. CCA looks identical once jacketed, and it will pass a basic continuity test, which is exactly why it keeps reaching job sites. It also has roughly 55% higher DC resistance than copper, fails Power over Ethernet temperature-rise limits when bundled, work-hardens and snaps at the punch-down, corrodes at terminations, and is prohibited by the National Electrical Code for permanent installation in many jurisdictions. We build this product exclusively in 100% oxygen-free bare copper and verify it three ways on every batch: reel weight against calculated copper mass, loop resistance measurement, and a destructive burn-and-inspect sample. If you are comparing quotations and one price looks impossible, the conductor is almost always the reason.
Cat6 or Cat6A — Choosing the Right Bulk Cable
Our Cat6 bulk cable is tested to 250MHz and supports gigabit Ethernet across the full 100 metre permanent link, plus 10GBASE-T on runs up to roughly 55 metres in low-interference conditions. It remains the volume choice for offices, hotels, schools, retail and residential builds. Cat6A doubles tested bandwidth to 500MHz and adds mandatory alien-crosstalk performance, certifying 10GBASE-T across the whole 100 metre channel — which is why it is now the default specification for new enterprise, healthcare, campus and Wi-Fi 6E/7 deployments where access points need multi-gig uplinks and PoE++ power. Because bulk cable is the component nobody re-pulls, we advise clients to specify Cat6A wherever the building is expected to outlive the current generation of switches; the material cost difference is small next to the labour cost of a second pull.
Jacket Ratings: CMR, CMP, LSZH and Outdoor
Fire rating is a code compliance issue, not a preference. CMR riser-rated cable is the standard indoor choice for vertical runs between floors and general in-wall installation. CMP plenum-rated cable uses a low-smoke fluoropolymer jacket and is mandatory in air-handling spaces such as raised floors and drop ceilings used for HVAC return. LSZH is specified across Europe, the Middle East and in transport and public-building tenders, where halogen-free low-smoke behaviour is required for occupant evacuation. For external runs we supply UV-stabilised PE jackets, and for direct burial a double-jacket or gel-filled waterproof construction. Tell us the jurisdiction and the application and we will confirm the correct rating before production rather than after inspection.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Cat6 Bulk | Cat6A Bulk |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ANSI/TIA-568.2-D Cat6, ISO/IEC Class E | ANSI/TIA-568.2-D Cat6A, ISO/IEC Class EA |
| Tested Bandwidth | 250 MHz (550 MHz tested headroom) | 500 MHz |
| Data Rate | 1 Gbps @ 100 m; 10G @ 55 m | 10 Gbps @ 100 m |
| Conductor | 23AWG solid 100% bare copper (OFC); 24AWG option | |
| Construction | 4 twisted pairs + cross-filler spline; UTP / F/UTP / S/FTP | |
| Insulation | HDPE, foam-skin available | |
| Jacket Rating | CMR riser / CMP plenum / LSZH / PVC / UV-PE outdoor | |
| Jacket Colours | Blue, grey, white, yellow, green, red, black, orange, custom Pantone | |
| Outer Diameter | approx. 6.0 mm | approx. 7.2 mm (shielded) |
| Packaging | 1000ft (305m) easy-pull box, 500ft box, wooden/plastic reel, custom drum | |
| Jacket Printing | Sequential length marking + customer brand text | |
| Impedance | 100 Ω ± 15 Ω | |
| Operating Temp. | −20 °C to +75 °C (outdoor −40 °C to +80 °C) | |
| PoE Support | IEEE 802.3af / at / bt (90 W PoE++) | |
| Compliance | CE, RoHS, REACH, UL wire, VW-1, ISO9001, Fluke tested per batch | |
| MOQ | Typically 50 boxes per colour/spec; samples available | |
Applications
Specified for horizontal structured cabling from floor cabinets to work-area outlets, riser backbone between floors, PoE++ IP camera and access-point infrastructure, hotel and student-accommodation room drops, hospital and campus networks, warehouse and factory data distribution, and pre-wiring in residential and light-commercial construction. Terminate into our RJ45 connectors and keystone jacks, and complete the channel with Cat6 patch cords or shielded Cat8 patch cords at the equipment ends. Space-constrained finished spaces are better served by our flat patch cord range.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify the cable is real copper and not CCA? Three field checks: a 1000ft box of genuine 23AWG solid bare copper Cat6 weighs roughly 11–13 kg versus about 7–8 kg for CCA; strip a conductor and nick it — copper stays copper-coloured through the cut while CCA shows silver aluminium underneath; and copper bends repeatedly without snapping. We supply mill certificates and per-batch test data with every shipment.
Why we refuse to build CCA — read more
Solid or stranded — which do I need? Solid conductor for permanent horizontal runs terminated into punch-down jacks and patch panels; it has lower attenuation and is what the standard assumes for the 90 m link. Stranded is for patch cords that flex. Never punch stranded into an IDC jack, and never use solid cable as a movable patch lead.
Riser (CMR) or plenum (CMP)? CMR for general indoor and vertical runs between floors. CMP is mandatory when cable passes through air-handling plenum spaces such as HVAC return ceilings and raised floors. If the inspector sees CMR in a plenum, the job fails.
Can I use indoor bulk cable outside if I run it in conduit? Not reliably. Standard PVC jackets degrade under UV and absorb moisture, and conduit fills with condensation. Specify our UV-resistant outdoor or direct-burial construction for any external run.
What is the pull tension limit? 110 N (25 lbf) maximum for a 4-pair cable, and never exceed a bend radius of four times the outer diameter. Over-tensioning permanently distorts pair twist and causes NEXT failures that no re-termination will fix.
Do you print our brand on the jacket? Yes — custom jacket text, sequential length marking in feet or metres, printed cartons, private-label boxes and full ODM specification. See our OEM/ODM services and Fluke testing lab.
What is your MOQ and lead time? Typically 50 boxes per colour and specification, samples in 3–5 days, mass production in 10–20 days depending on jacket rating and printing. Send your category, shielding, fire rating, colour and quantity for a same-day quotation.