
Monoprice
Monoprice 113108 Zeroboot Cat5e Ethernet Cable 2ft Purple
★★★★★
Color-coded cable management meets spec-sheet rigor — this 2ft purple Cat5e delivers 350MHz bandwidth and gold contacts in the tightest rack runs.
$4.91*
Check availability
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jul 14, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.
Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.
Notice a mistake? Let Us Know
Overview
Key Features
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Category 5e Ethernet cable
24AWG stranded, pure bare copper conductors
350MHz bandwidth
No protective plug retaining clip covers
50m gold plated contacts
Made of 100% pure bare copper wire
Fully compliant with UL Code 444
Compliant with National Electrical Code TIA-568-C.2 fire and safety standards
Specifications
Cable Type
Cat5e Ethernet
Length
2 feet
Color
Purple
Conductor Material
100% Pure Bare Copper
Wire Gauge
24AWG Stranded
Bandwidth
350MHz
Contact Plating
50 micron Gold
Compliance
UL Code 444, TIA-568-C.2
Features
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
Pros & Cons
👍 Pros
- 50µm gold-plated RJ45 contacts maintain low-resistance continuity against oxidation across years of deployment without contact treatment.
- Pure bare copper 24AWG conductors fully support PoE and PoE+ current requirements, with the 2-foot length minimizing resistive voltage drop on powered device connections.
- 350MHz bandwidth is 3.5x the Gigabit Ethernet minimum, ensuring the cable imposes no bandwidth ceiling in a 1GbE infrastructure.
- TIA-568-C.2 and UL Code 444 compliance confirms independently verified performance — not manufacturer self-certification only.
- Purple color enables systematic color-coded cable management schemes in multi-VLAN or multi-segment rack environments.
👎 Cons
- ZEROboot connector exposes the RJ45 locking clip to accidental depression during cable dressing or in environments with cable movement or vibration.
- 2-foot length is purpose-built for patch panel and short rack hops — it cannot reach beyond the immediate switch or panel in any standard rack unit layout.
- UTP construction provides no EMI shielding, which disqualifies this cable from runs near power conduit, motor loads, or industrial interference sources.
- Cat5e is a hard ceiling at 1Gbps — no software or switch upgrade will push 2.5GbE or higher speeds through this cable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the practical advantage of 50µm gold-plated contacts on a 2-foot patch cable that rarely gets unplugged?
Gold plating at 50 microns primarily resists oxidation at the contact interface over time. Even for a cable that stays plugged in for years, the contact surface maintains low resistance without developing the micro-corrosion that degrades signal quality on bare tin contacts in humid or variable-temperature environments.
Does this cable support PoE or PoE+ devices connected at 2 feet?
Yes. The 24AWG pure bare copper conductors carry the current required for both PoE (802.3af, 15.4W) and PoE+ (802.3at, 30W) without the resistance losses associated with CCA wire. The 2-foot length also minimizes resistive voltage drop compared to longer runs, making it well-suited for PoE switch-to-device hops in compact rack deployments.
Is the ZEROboot design a disadvantage in a patch panel where cables are rarely moved?
In a static deployment, the absent boot is neutral — you lose the mechanical protection the boot provides during cable dressing, but gain slightly easier access if the port ever needs to be repatched. The real advantage of ZEROboot emerges in high-density panels where booted plugs cause neighboring cables to snag during changes.
What does TIA-568-C.2 compliance mean for this cable's real-world performance?
TIA-568-C.2 is the industry standard that defines Cat5e performance requirements — insertion loss, NEXT (near-end crosstalk), return loss, and other parameters. A cable compliant with this standard has been verified to meet those electrical characteristics, not just labeled Cat5e by the manufacturer.