Written 22 Aug 2026. Specs from the maker pages linked below. Prices from those stores. I haven't used these.
SFP+ DAC cables for a closet 10G hop
The cheapest short cable between two boxes that already have a fiber-style cage. No glass fiber. No tiny optics to mix up. Skip if neither box has that cage yet.
Stay under 3 m for NIC runs unless the listing says otherwise. 10Gtek’s own copy warns against longer passives on NICs. Pair with hook-and-loop, not zip ties, a DAC jacket is easy to nick. If you don't have cages yet, read new 10G SFP+ vs 2.5G copper first.
What to buy
| Cable | What it is | Street, 22 Aug 2026 | Buy if |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10Gtek CAB-10GSFP-P2M | Cisco-coded 2 m passive DAC. ASIN B00U8BL09Q. | Listing $16.99. Other-sellers from $13.59. Sold by 10Gtek / FBA. | Default closet hop. Switch to NAS, or NIC to switch. |
| 10Gtek CAB-10GSFP-P0.25M | 0.25 m. ASIN B099S3THR3. | Listing $9.99. | Two cages in the same rack unit. |
| 10Gtek Ubiquiti-coded 2 m (white) | ASIN B092M5JPMC. | Listing $17.99. | The other end is UniFi and you want the coded lead. |
Skip
Skip the 8 m passive (ASIN B0BGMYZJWY, listing $35.99) for NIC-to-switch closet runs. Skip random optics until a DAC will not reach. A fanless 2.5G copper switch is still the first buy if you have no SFP+ yet.
Sources
Amazon 10Gtek 2 m Cisco-coded. Amazon 10Gtek 0.25 m. Amazon 10Gtek Ubiquiti-coded 2 m. 10Gtek product copy on those pages (stay under 3 m on NICs).