What This QSFP28 Cage Delivers
The TE Connectivity 2-2170740-3 is a QSFP28 cage assembly, ganged as a 1 x 3 configuration with an integrated heat sink and a light pipe. This means three QSFP28 ports in a single metal enclosure, each capable of 28 Gbps per lane for 100 GbE and InfiniBand EDR applications.
The heat sink is built into the cage body, not a separate clip-on part. That saves one assembly step and guarantees thermal contact with the module's top surface — no gap-pad selection or torque spec to manage. The light pipe routes the module's Tx/Rx status LED to the front bezel, so the PCB can place the LED anywhere within the pipe's reach. Together they reduce the component count on the BOM by at least two line items versus a bare cage with add-on thermal and optical parts.
Through-hole, right-angle mounting with press-fit termination. The press-fit pins are sized for a standard 0.040-inch finished hole in the PCB — no solder paste, no wave, no reflow. Board layout should account for the cage footprint and the light pipe routing to the panel edge.