Cat6a-Rated RJ45 Plug for Stranded Cable
The Hirose TM31P-TM-88P is an 8P8C (RJ45, Ethernet) modular plug from the TM31P series, rated for Cat6a performance. It terminates round cable with stranded conductors using an IDC (insulation displacement contact) method — no stripping or soldering required at the field termination point. The yellow housing provides quick visual identification on a patch panel or in a harness bundle, useful when color-coding by cable category or run length. The Cat6a rating indicates performance above the Cat5-rated TM21P-88P sibling, suitable for higher-bandwidth structured cabling.
Wire Gauge and Cable Compatibility
This plug accepts 24-27 AWG stranded wire only — the IDC contacts are designed for the finer-strand bundles typical of Cat6a patch cables. Solid conductors will not terminate reliably; for solid-wire installations the TM21P-88P (which accepts solid or stranded 24 AWG) is the correct choice. The round cable entry accommodates standard Ethernet patch cable jackets without a separate strain-relief boot in the base configuration.
Cross-Reference: TM21P-88P vs TM31P-TM-88P
First, the TM21P-88P is Cat5 rated versus the Cat6a rating of the TM31P-TM-88P — a full performance tier lower. Second, the TM21P-88P accepts 24 AWG solid or stranded wire, while the TM31P-TM-88P is stranded-only across a 24-27 AWG range. If the installation uses solid conductors or only needs Cat5 performance, the TM21P-88P is the economical fit; for Cat6a runs with stranded patch cable, the TM31P-TM-88P is the correct part.