Optic.ca NGQ4X25-AO3M-OC — 100G QSFP28 to 4×25G SFP28 breakout active optical cable
The Optic.ca NGQ4X25-AO3M-OC is a 3-meter QSFP28 to 4×SFP28 breakout active optical cable (AOC) designed for high-density 25G/100G data centre and enterprise network deployments. It enables a single 100G QSFP28 port to fan out into four independent 25G SFP28 connections, making it ideal for spine-to-leaf cabling, server connectivity, and bandwidth aggregation scenarios. Fully certified for use with NETGEAR M4350 and M4500 series switches, it includes built-in Digital Diagnostic Monitoring (DDM) for real-time link health visibility. Coded in-house by Optic.ca for guaranteed interoperability, the cable is built to Tier 1 MTBF standards and backed by Optic.ca's limited lifetime warranty.
QSFP28 to 4×SFP28 Breakout Flexibility
The NGQ4X25-AO3M-OC splits a single 100G QSFP28 port into four independent 25GBASE channels over SFP28 connectors. This breakout architecture lets network designers connect up to four servers or access switches from a single high-density switch port — dramatically increasing port utilisation and reducing the number of uplink switches needed. In practice, this means a data centre operator can connect four 25G-capable servers directly from one spine port without needing additional aggregation hardware, simplifying topology and lowering total infrastructure cost.
Active Optical Design for Longer Reach
As an active optical cable (AOC), the NGQ4X25-AO3M-OC uses integrated optical transceivers and a fibre core to achieve distances and signal integrity that passive copper TwinAx cables cannot match at 3 metres and beyond. AOC cables are lighter, more flexible, and produce less EMI than copper alternatives — an important factor in high-density racks where cable management and airflow are critical. The optical signal path also makes these cables immune to ground loops and electrical interference, which improves link stability in mixed-power environments.
100% NETGEAR Certified — No Compatibility Risk
Optic.ca is an official NETGEAR partner, and every NGQ4X25-AO3M-OC cable is coded in-house specifically for NETGEAR M4350 and M4500 series switches. This is not a generic third-party cable — NETGEAR's own knowledge base lists Optic.ca products as certified supported accessories. For anyone deploying into NETGEAR switching environments, this eliminates the risk of switch lockouts or unsupported-module warnings that uncertified cables can trigger, and ensures the cable works from the moment it is plugged in without any manual override or special configuration.
Built-in DDM for Real-Time Link Monitoring
Digital Diagnostic Monitoring (DDM) is built into both ends of the cable, exposing real-time parameters — including optical transmit/receive power, temperature, and supply voltage — directly to the switch's management interface. This allows network operators to spot signal degradation or a failing cable end before the link drops, rather than troubleshooting a sudden outage. In production environments where unplanned downtime is costly, DDM turns cable health into a monitorable metric alongside all other switch statistics.
Tier 1 Quality with Lifetime Warranty
Optic.ca manufactures to Tier 1 MTBF standards and pre-tests every cable before shipment. The transceiver components carry a limited lifetime warranty, and the cable assembly is covered against manufacturing defects. For IT infrastructure projects where a cable failure means a service interruption and an emergency truck roll, this level of quality assurance and warranty backing reduces lifecycle risk and total cost of ownership compared to generic commodity cabling.
