NEXUS CAT8 SFTP Patch Cord | 26AWG | Fully Braided Jacket | 40Gbps 2000MHz | 0.25m to 20m

The Nexus CAT8 S/FTP Patch Cord is the finishing piece for any high-performance network — the cable that connects your switch port to your server, your patch panel to your router, or your wall plate to your workstation. Built to the full CAT8 Class II specification, it delivers 40 Gbps at 2000 MHz while a fully braided outer jacket over S/FTP shielding keeps interference out and the cable looking sharp across every length from 0.25m to 20m.

Made with 26 AWG pure copper stranded conductors for flexibility — this is a patch cord built to flex, route, and bend repeatedly without signal degradation. The braided jacket is not cosmetic: it adds a second layer of mechanical protection and EMI suppression on top of the S/FTP foil-and-braid shielding underneath, making it the strongest, most durable patch cord in the Nexus range.

Technical specifications

Why the fully braided jacket matters — beyond aesthetics

Most patch cords ship with a plain PVC jacket. Some add a thin cloth sleeve. The Nexus CAT8 Patch Cord uses a fully braided outer jacket woven directly over the S/FTP cable — a construction usually reserved for premium AV and data centre interconnects.

26 AWG stranded copper — the right choice for a patch cord

Unlike bulk infrastructure cable (which uses thicker solid conductors for fixed runs), a patch cord is plugged, unplugged, coiled, and bent daily. 26 AWG stranded copper is specifically engineered for this: each conductor is made up of multiple fine copper strands twisted together, giving the cable flexibility without fatigue cracking — the failure mode that kills stiff, solid-core patch cords used repeatedly.

Pure copper (not CCA) means full conductivity at every bend, correct impedance matching at 2000 MHz, and reliable PoE power delivery without resistance-related heat build-up. You get a cable that performs on day one and still performs after 10,000 plug cycles.

Choosing the right length

💡 As a rule: measure the actual routed path and add 20% for cable management — never pull a patch cord tight. A slightly longer cable routed cleanly always outperforms a perfectly sized cable under tension.

Key features

• 40 Gbps / 2000 MHz — full CAT8 Class II rated performance end to end
• Fully braided outer jacket — double EMI suppression, kink resistance, and tangle-free handling in dense installs
• S/FTP shielding — individually foil-wrapped pairs plus outer braid for complete signal isolation
• 26 AWG stranded pure copper — flexible, fatigue-resistant, pure copper conductivity — no CCA
• Gold-plated shielded RJ45 connectors — corrosion-resistant contacts with moulded strain-relief boot
• 10 lengths available — 0.25m to 20m, the exact length for every application
• PoE++ rated — supports IEEE 802.3bt up to 90W for cameras, APs, and powered devices
• Backwards compatible — works in all CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6A, CAT7, and CAT8 infrastructure
• Factory-terminated and tested — ready to plug in, no on-site termination required

Ideal for

• Data center and server room patch panel connections
• Switch-to-server and switch-to-switch direct cabling in rack cabinets
• Office workstation connections to wall outlets and floor boxes
• AV-over-IP and 4K/8K video distribution at 25G–40G bandwidth
• PoE-powered devices — IP cameras, wireless access points, VoIP handsets
• High-performance gaming setups demanding the lowest latency
• Any install where a plain PVC patch cord is not acceptable — commercially or visually

What S/FTP shielding actually means

S/FTP stands for Shielded Foiled Twisted Pair — the highest shielding level available in a twisted-pair patch cord. Here's what that means in practice:

• Each pair individually wrapped in aluminium foil — eliminates crosstalk between pairs at 2000 MHz, where unshielded cables fail
• Outer braided shield over all four pairs — blocks external EMI from power cables, motors, lighting, and other network cables running nearby
• Fully grounded through the shielded RJ45 connector — the shield is connected to earth through the metal connector housing, completing the Faraday cage around your signal
• Braided outer jacket on top — adds a third layer of EMI attenuation unique to this cord

Frequently asked questions

Why is 26 AWG used for a patch cord and not the thicker 22 AWG from the bulk cable?

Solid 22–23 AWG conductors are optimised for fixed infrastructure runs — they carry more current over long distances but are stiff and will crack if flexed repeatedly. Stranded 26 AWG is purpose-built for patch cords: the multiple fine strands move independently under bending, giving the cable the flexibility to be plugged, unplugged, and re-routed thousands of times without failure. Both are pure copper and both deliver 40 Gbps — the conductor design serves the application.

Will this cord achieve 40 Gbps on my current switches?

The cord is rated for 40 Gbps and will support it when both ends of the link are 40GBase-T capable. On 1G or 10G switches it operates at those speeds instead — it is fully backwards compatible with all RJ45 equipment. The cord is future-proofed for when you upgrade your switching infrastructure.

Is the braided jacket just cosmetic?

No. The braid adds measurable EMI attenuation on top of the S/FTP shielding underneath, improves abrasion resistance at bend points, and prevents cables from tangling in multi-cable bundles. It also extends the working life of the cable in high-use environments. The premium look is a side effect of functional construction, not the purpose.

Does S/FTP require grounding to work?

For the outer braid to provide full EMI rejection, it should be grounded at one end through the shielded switch or patch panel port. However, the per-pair foil shielding eliminates inter-pair crosstalk regardless of grounding — so even on ungrounded ports you get significantly better performance than an unshielded UTP cord at CAT8 frequencies.

Which length should I order?

Measure the actual routed path — not the straight-line distance — and add 20% for cable management slack. A patch cord under tension performs worse and fails sooner than one with a clean, managed loop. When in doubt, size up rather than down.

NEXUS CAT8 S/FTP Patch Cord — 26 AWG stranded pure copper, fully braided jacket, 40 Gbps / 2000 MHz, CAT8 Class II. Factory-terminated. Available in 10 lengths: 0.25m to 20m. Select length in the variant selector above.