VIVO Gray 250ft Bulk Cat6, CCA Ethernet Cable, 23 AWG, UTP Pull Box, Cat-6 Wire, Indoor, Network Installations CABLE-V015

Why I reached for this cable

I needed a compact spool for a handful of indoor runs—some short drops to a home office rack and a couple of attic pulls for cameras and access points. A 500 ft box would have been overkill and awkward to manage in tight spaces, so I picked up the 250 ft VIVO Cat6 CCA bulk cable. The format was exactly what my situation called for: enough length to wire a small project end-to-end, connector-free for custom terminations, and a pull box that could sit in the hallway without turning into a tripping hazard.

Build and handling

This cable is 23 AWG solid copper-clad aluminum (CCA) in a four-pair UTP configuration, wrapped in a dark gray jacket. There’s no shielding, which keeps it flexible and easier to route than many stiffer Cat6 variants. The jacket has decent abrasion resistance for indoor use and tolerates light scuffs as it passes through studs and low-friction bushings. It’s not UV rated and it’s not intended for outdoor or direct-burial runs, so keep it inside the envelope of the building.

The pull box is compact and easy to carry around a jobsite, but it’s worth a note about feed behavior. On one of my longer attic pulls, the coil inside bound up and the cable developed memory that wanted to kink when the feed angle changed. That’s not uncommon with budget pull boxes, but it’s something to anticipate. A couple of habits helped:

• Lay the box flat with the payout hole facing the direction of travel.
• Pull in steady, moderate tension rather than sharp tugs.
• If you feel resistance, stop and rotate the box 90 degrees or unspool a few feet to relieve twists.
• For big pulls, pre-stage 25–30 feet outside the box so you’re not fighting the inner coil.

With those adjustments, I was able to complete the runs without crushing the conductors or marring the jacket.

Termination experience

This cable strips cleanly, and the solid conductors seat well into standard Cat6 keystones and pass-through RJ45 plugs rated for solid core. The pair lay is tight enough for crosstalk control but not so aggressive that you’re wrestling the twists when lining up your pinout. I found the jacket easy to score with a precision stripper, but it does like to keep splitting if you nick it too deeply. A light touch is best: score, bend, and peel rather than cutting through.

Punch-downs felt consistent, and pass-through terminations snapped in with no surprises. I crimped half a dozen connectors during testing and all passed continuity and wiremap on the first try.

Indoor installation notes

Used indoors, the cable routes well through studs and along joists. In an attic during a cold snap, the jacket stiffened noticeably; it didn’t crack on me, but it lost flexibility and wanted larger bend radii. If you’re pulling in an unheated new build or a garage in winter, warm the box indoors first and avoid tight 90-degree turns until the cable acclimates. Once inside conditioned space, the jacket behaves as expected.

The 250 ft length is tailor-made for small projects: a couple of home runs to a switch, an office or two, and a camera line, with a little headroom for mistakes. It’s also a handy length to keep on the shelf for quick add-ons without committing to a massive spool.

Performance testing

I ran three lines between 30 and 45 meters (98–148 feet), terminated to Cat6 keystones on one end and pass-through RJ45s on the other. With 1 Gbps links, iperf3 saturated at ~940 Mbps in both directions and remained stable in multi-hour tests. Latency and jitter stayed low, and I didn’t observe packet loss under sustained load.

I also tested with 2.5GBASE-T over a 38-meter run. The link negotiated at 2.5 Gbps and held up under file transfers without drops, though I’d reserve multi-gigabit expectations for shorter runs, clean terminations, and low-interference environments. I wouldn’t plan for 10G on this cable.

Crosstalk and return loss are hard to quantify without a certifier, but the real-world indicators were positive: no retrains, no flapping, and consistent throughput across multiple devices.

PoE considerations with CCA

The elephant in the room is CCA. Copper-clad aluminum comes with trade-offs: higher resistance than solid copper, more voltage drop over distance, and more heat under load. For data-only links or low-power PoE (802.3af) on modest runs, it can be perfectly serviceable. For higher power devices (802.3at and especially PoE++), long runs, or bundles with limited airflow, it’s not my first choice.

In my testing, a PoE camera and a Wi‑Fi access point powered fine over ~35–45 meter runs via 802.3af injectors, and the cable did not warm noticeably. When I tried an 802.3at injector on a longer path with an AP that draws near the top of that budget, the voltage at the far end dipped under peak load more than I’d like. The device still ran, but the margin was slim. If your project is heavy on PoE—particularly pan–tilt–zoom cameras, heaters, or multi-radio APs—solid copper Cat6 is the safer pick.

Also be aware that many codes and standards for commercial installs expect solid copper conductors. If you need certification or plan to submit test results, verify requirements before you pull a single foot.

Where this cable fits well

• Small, indoor networks where you need a compact spool and predictable 1 Gbps performance.
• Short to medium runs for desktops, media centers, printers, and non-critical links.
• Low-power PoE devices within conservative distances.
• Patch or crossover fabrication where flexibility and easy termination matter.
• Budget-conscious upgrades where certified commercial compliance isn’t required.

Where I’d look elsewhere

• High-power PoE loads, long horizontal runs, or dense cable bundles.
• 10G or noise-sensitive environments.
• Outdoor, UV-exposed, or direct burial applications.
• Projects that require full TIA certification and documentation.

Practical tips for success

• Use connectors rated for solid conductors; pass-through plugs can make neat work of CCA.
• Keep bend radius gentle, especially in cold conditions.
• Pull slowly and mind the feed angle out of the box to prevent kinks.
• Label runs and test with a basic network tester at a minimum; an inexpensive TDR/wiremap tool is well worth it.
• For PoE, keep runs shorter than you might with copper, and give yourself headroom on power budgets.

Pros

• Handy 250 ft length for small installations
• Easy termination; solid conductors seat reliably
• Stable 1 Gbps performance with clean terminations
• Flexible enough for tight routing compared to stiffer Cat6 options
• Budget-friendly for data-only or light PoE uses

Cons

• CCA means higher resistance, less headroom for PoE and long runs
• Pull box can bind; cable can kink if rushed
• Jacket can stiffen noticeably in cold; not UV rated or outdoor-ready
• Not ideal for 10G or environments needing certification

The bottom line

The VIVO Cat6 CCA bulk cable proved dependable for my indoor, small-scale runs. It terminated cleanly, delivered steady gigabit performance, and the 250 ft box was the right size to keep waste down and handling simple. The CCA construction imposes real limits: plan conservatively for PoE, avoid long, high-power runs, and don’t use it where certification or long-term commercial reliability is a must. Within those boundaries, it’s a practical, cost-effective option that gets everyday wiring jobs done without fuss.

Recommendation: I recommend this cable for budget-conscious, indoor installations where you need solid 1 Gbps networking and only modest PoE demands, especially in home and small office scenarios. If your project involves high-power PoE, long runs, 10G ambitions, or compliance requirements, spend the extra on solid copper Cat6 instead.