Ubiquiti UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M 25G Direct Attach Cable
Overview
The Ubiquiti UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M is a 25GBase direct attach copper (DAC) cable engineered for short-run, high-speed interconnection between UniFi network switches and appliances. This 10-foot passive cable operates at 25 Gbps and eliminates the need for separate SFP28 transceiver modules — a cost and complexity reduction that matters when you're building a multi-cabinet UniFi fabric or scaling from 1GbE to 25G uplinks. The cable carries full line rate with no powered intermediaries, making it suitable for data center, warehouse automation, and enterprise network deployments where rack-to-rack or switch-to-NVR backbone speed is non-negotiable.
Key Features
- 25 Gbps throughput: Full-duplex 25GBase performance ensures no bottleneck on uplinks between UniFi switches or from a switch to a high-performance network appliance — critical when aggregating multiple 10G ports or supporting 4K video ingest at frame rate.
- SFP28 connectors (both ends): Direct connection to any UniFi switch or appliance with native 25G SFP28 ports — no adapters, no media converters, no compatibility headaches. Saves inventory and cabling labor.
- Passive copper construction: No transceiver, no power consumption, no thermal load — you're installing a simple cable, not a powered module. Reduces power budget strain on the switch and eliminates one more component that can fail or require firmware updates.
- 10-foot (3-meter) length: Bridges typical rack-to-rack distances or connects adjacent equipment bays without requiring multiple concatenated cables or custom lengths. Standard datacenter spacing is 2–3 meters; this cable fits that reach exactly.
- Black jacket: Standard infrastructure aesthetic; blends into cabling runs and doesn't attract attention from physical security audits.
Integration & Compatibility
The UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M (often searched as UACC DAC SFP28 3M) is designed for Ubiquiti's UniFi switching ecosystem. Confirm your target switch or appliance has a native 25G SFP28 port before ordering — legacy 1GbE SFP or 10G SFP+ ports will not accept this connector. Distance limit is 10 feet (3 meters); beyond that, migrate to active optical transceivers or fiber jumpers. The cable is passive, so it will not auto-negotiate or perform rate adaptation — both ends must support 25 Gbps natively.
When to Choose a Different Model
If you need longer backbone runs (over 3 meters), consider active optical cables or fiber jumpers from the UniFi catalog. If you are still operating 10 Gbps SFP+ or 1 Gbps SFP ports, this cable will not fit — stick with appropriate DAC or transceiver options for your current switch generation. If you require redundancy or daisy-chaining, plan multiple cables and ensure your switch has sufficient 25G ports per device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will the UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M work with non-Ubiquiti switches?
A: The cable is a passive copper jumper and will work with any switch or appliance that has native SFP28 ports supporting 25GBase-CR (direct attach copper). Ubiquiti does not certify third-party compatibility, so validation with your vendor is recommended.
Q: What is the maximum distance for this cable?
A: DAC cables are rated for short-reach applications. The UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M is 10 feet (3 meters). Runs beyond this distance risk signal degradation and link errors — use active optical or fiber solutions instead.
Q: Does the UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M require any power or configuration?
A: No. This is a passive cable. Plug both ends into 25G SFP28 ports, and link should establish immediately. No firmware, no management, no power draw.
Q: Can I use this cable on a 10 Gbps SFP+ port?
A: No. SFP28 and SFP+ are physically incompatible connectors. The UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M will not fit a 10G SFP+ port.
Q: What happens if my switch does not have 25G SFP28 ports?
A: You will need to upgrade your switch or use a media converter or transceiver module to bridge the technology gap. Check your UniFi switch specifications before purchasing.
Ted PerryPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
The UACC-DAC-SFP28-3M delivers 25 Gbps passive copper interconnect in the space where fiber overkill begins and 10G uplinks become a bottleneck. I spec these into UniFi fabric builds where switch-to-switch or switch-to-appliance latency and throughput are non-negotiable, and the cabinet-to-cabinet distance is under 10 feet — which covers most single-aisle and cross-aisle deployments.
Technical Highlights:
- Passive design: No power draw, no transceiver firmware to manage, no thermal footprint. Simplifies switch power budget math and reduces MTBF variables on high-density uplinks.
- 25 Gbps full-duplex: Carries aggregate 4K camera streams or real-time analytics data from a rack of 10G devices without frame loss or CPU jitter on the switch fabric.
- SFP28 connector standard: Ensures backward compatibility with any future UniFi switch generation using the same form factor — unlikely to become stranded inventory if you upgrade platforms.
Deployment Considerations:
- Confirm your target switch or appliance actually has a 25G SFP28 port. Many UniFi models have only 1GbE RJ-45 or 10G SFP+ uplinks. Mismatch = return.
- 10-foot (3-meter) reach is final — this is not a long-run cable. If you need cabinet-to-cabinet across a large facility, you will need fiber or active optical, which kills the passive-cable cost advantage.
Position this cable in any deployment where you are consolidating multiple 10G uplinks into a single 25G spine or feeding high-throughput appliances (redundant NVR storage, analytics engines, hyperscale compute) from a 25G switch port. Not a workhorse for most IP camera networks, but essential if you are building a modern UniFi backbone.
