Monoprice 131097 Cat8 Ethernet Cable 5ft — main product image

Monoprice 131097 Cat8 Ethernet Cable 5ft

Monoprice

Monoprice 131097 Cat8 Ethernet Cable 5ft

Name: Monoprice 131097 Cat8 Ethernet Cable 5ft
Brand: Monoprice
SKU: 131097

★★★★★4.7 (179 reviews)

40Gbps throughput and 2GHz bandwidth in a 5-foot run — Cat8 S/FTP copper that future-proofs your 10G and 40G switch connections today.

$12.48*

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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jul 14, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The Monoprice 131097 is a Cat8 S/FTP Ethernet patch cable built around a 24AWG copper core terminated in standard RJ45 connectors. The Cat8 specification is currently the highest standardized category for copper Ethernet, supporting bandwidths up to 2GHz and data rates up to 40Gbps at distances up to 30 meters. At 5 feet, this cable is designed for patch panel connections, server rack inter-switch links, and NAS-to-switch runs where distance is short but signal integrity and future bandwidth headroom matter. The S/FTP shielding — foil around each individual twisted pair plus a braided screen over the entire assembly — provides the EMI rejection that the 2GHz frequency range demands in electrically noisy environments.

For most buyers in 2024, the 40Gbps ceiling of this cable is forward-looking infrastructure investment. Current consumer networking gear — even high-end prosumer switches — largely operates at 1G, 2.5G, or 10G. The Monoprice Cat8 will carry all of those speeds without being a bottleneck, and it will continue to do so when 25G and 40GBase-T equipment eventually becomes the norm in small business and prosumer racks. The practical argument for choosing Cat8 over Cat6A in a new installation is simple: the price delta is small, the connectors are identical, and you avoid a cable recrimping project when your switching infrastructure catches up to the bandwidth spec. For anyone building a rack intended to last a hardware generation, the Entegrade Cat8 is a reasonable default choice for short patch runs.

Key Features

Buy with Confidence: With Monoprice's Lifetime Warranty on all Cables, you can rest assured we stand behind our products and our customers.

Superior Performance: Entegrade Cat8 brings higher frequency characteristics, which enables higher data transfer speeds.

Up to 2GHz Bandwidth: Entegrade Cat8 Ethernet Network Cables are the first to bring up to 40Gbps transfer speeds and up to 2GHz bandwidth using copper conductors and RJ45 connectors.

Future Proof: Monoprice's Entegrade Cat8 Cables are an excellent, future proof solution for current and upcoming generations of active 10G and up to 40G networks.

Quality at a Fair Price: Monoprice's rugged design and rigid quality control standards deliver high quality products at fair prices.

Specifications

Cable Length

5ft

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

40Gbps rated throughput and 2GHz bandwidth headroom mean this cable won't be the limiting factor as 25G and 40GBase-T switching infrastructure becomes more accessible in prosumer environments.
S/FTP shielding with individual pair foils provides robust EMI rejection — useful in rack environments where cables run near power supplies, PDUs, or RF-emitting equipment.
24AWG conductors support full PoE and PoE+ current loads without derating, making this suitable for powered device connections in addition to data runs.
RJ45 termination ensures plug-and-play compatibility with all existing network infrastructure without proprietary connectors or adapters.
5-foot length is optimized for patch panel to switch connections and short rack-to-rack runs where cable management matters.

👎 Cons

At 5 feet, the S/FTP shielded construction makes the cable noticeably stiffer and less flexible than unshielded Cat6 patch cables — routing around tight bends or in dense patch environments requires more planning.
The 40Gbps and 2GHz specifications deliver zero practical throughput improvement over Cat6A on any current consumer or prosumer networking hardware — you're buying future headroom, not present-day performance.
S/FTP cables require proper grounding at both ends to fully realize shielding benefits; improper grounding can create ground loops that introduce noise rather than eliminate it.
The shielded jacket adds diameter and weight compared to unshielded alternatives, which can matter in high-density patch panels where 24 or 48 ports are being managed simultaneously.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cat8 actually deliver 40Gbps over standard RJ45 connectors to consumer networking gear?

Cat8 is rated for 40Gbps up to 30 meters using standard RJ45 connectors, which this cable uses. However, realizing 40Gbps requires both ends of the connection — switch, NIC, or router — to support 40GBase-T. Most current consumer and prosumer gear tops out at 2.5G or 10G, so this cable's bandwidth ceiling is forward headroom, not a day-one capability for typical home or small office setups.

What does S/FTP shielding mean, and why does it matter for a short 5-foot cable run?

S/FTP (Screened/Foiled Twisted Pair) means each twisted pair has its own foil shield, and the entire cable bundle has an overall braided screen. At 5 feet, EMI rejection matters most in dense patch environments — server racks, AV switching bays, or anywhere cables run alongside power lines or high-frequency equipment. The shielding ensures signal integrity isn't compromised by adjacent interference sources.

Is this cable backward compatible with Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A networks?

Yes. Cat8 is fully backward compatible with lower category standards. The same RJ45 connector terminates to Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6A ports without issue — you'll simply operate at the speed of the lowest-rated component in the link.

What is the 2GHz bandwidth rating, and how does it compare to Cat6A?

Cat6A supports up to 500MHz bandwidth; Cat8 extends that to 2000MHz (2GHz). The higher frequency headroom is what enables 40Gbps transmission — more bandwidth means more data can be encoded per unit time over the copper conductors. For 10Gbps and below, the bandwidth advantage of Cat8 over Cat6A is functionally irrelevant; it becomes meaningful only when the network infrastructure supports 25G or 40GBase-T.

Is the 24AWG wire gauge appropriate for PoE (Power over Ethernet) applications?

Yes. 24AWG is the standard wire gauge for Cat8 and handles PoE and PoE+ current loads within spec. The S/FTP construction also helps manage heat generated by PoE current in bundled cable runs.