AV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables

Summary: ProAV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables

ProAV Cabling for Commercial and Industrial Projects

Windy City Wire supplies low-voltage SmartWire® cabling for professional audio-visual installations that demand dependable performance and streamlined deployment. Our pro av cable portfolio centers on Category 6A performance for AVoIP, control, and data transport—supporting 10G networks and POE (power over ethernet) across enterprise, education, healthcare, hospitality, and venue environments.

Why SmartWire for ProAV

• U.S.-manufactured SmartWire low-voltage cable for consistent quality and reliable supply across large rollouts. SmartWire is our cable brand—not a technology—and is built for repeatable results on every project.
• Category 6A performance using 23 AWG, 4-pair, bare copper conductors for stable 10 Gigabit applications and robust POE (power over ethernet) delivery, including higher-power endpoints in dense bundles.
• Plenum constructions for use in air-handling spaces and mixed-use commercial environments.
• Shielding options to match the interference profile of each space—unshielded for typical office or education runs; shielded for venues with elevated EMI (e.g., broadcast, industrial, healthcare imaging).
• Nominal OD of 0.300 in to simplify pathway fill calculations and conduit sizing.
• Standard conductor color code for Category cabling: white-blue/blue, white-orange/orange, white-green/green, white-brown/brown.
• Jacket choices include black and orange, with additional jacket and stripe color combinations available to support company or project standards.
• Lengths: 1000, 500, and 250 FT options to align with project takeoffs and reduce leftover material.
• SmartWire Glide Technology® lubrication is applied to the cable jacket during manufacturing and reduces pulling friction by up to 70%, helping teams pull more quickly with less effort and fewer re-pulls.

Designed for Today’s ProAV Workflows

• AV over IP distribution (including 4K/8K transport) and 10G network backbones
• Control systems, DSPs, audio networking (Dante, AES67), encoders/decoders, and matrix endpoints
• HDBaseT runs within Category 6A channel guidelines
• PTZ cameras, room schedulers, and touch panels powered via POE (power over ethernet)
• Networked AV in classrooms, conference rooms, hospitals, hospitality, stadiums, and houses of worship

How We Help You Deliver

• Performance you can specify: Cat 6a cabling built with 23 AWG bare copper conductors for low attenuation, stable return loss, and dependable long-run performance.
• Installation efficiency: SmartWire Glide lubrication reduces friction for faster pulls and cleaner pathways, minimizing time on lifts and ladders.
• Project standardization: Choose from black or orange jackets and ask about custom jacket and stripe colors to simplify identification across campuses and multi-site deployments.
• POE-ready builds: Constructions suited for POE (power over ethernet) signage, cameras, encoders, and control—so power and data share the same pathway.
• B2B focus: Products and solutions tailored for integrators, electrical contractors, and facilities teams—not consumer-grade cable.

ProAV Network Cabling Best Practices

• Use bulk cat 6a ethernet cable for permanent links and pair it with a high-quality cat6a patch cable at the rack and device to complete the channel.
• Select unshielded cable for typical office/classroom spaces; choose shielded when runs pass near lighting dimmers, motors, broadcast equipment, or dense power distribution.
• Plan for POE thermal performance in bundles and pathways; 23 AWG conductors help manage heat rise and voltage drop for higher-power devices.

Available Constructions

• 23 AWG 4 Pair Bare Copper Plenum Low-Voltage: Category 6A U/UTP (non-shielded) bulk pro av cable for 10G runs in typical commercial spaces. Nominal OD 0.300 in; black or orange jacket options; supports POE (power over ethernet) and AVoIP links.
• 23 AWG 4 Pair Bare Copper Plenum Low-Voltage: Category 6A F/UTP (shielded) for EMI-prone areas and extended device density. Nominal OD 0.300 in; black or orange jacket options; well-suited for broadcast, industrial, and healthcare environments.

Specifications at a Glance

• Category: 6A
• Gauge/Conductor: 23 AWG, 4 Pair, bare copper
• Shielding Options: Unshielded (U/UTP) and Shielded (F/UTP)
• Jacket Colors: Black, Orange; additional jacket/stripe color combinations available
• Conductor Color Code: white-blue/blue, white-orange/orange, white-green/green, white-brown/brown
• Nominal Outside Diameter: 0.300 in
• Lengths: 1000, 500, and 250 FT

Summary: Value for Your Next Project

Windy City Wire’s SmartWire Cat 6A solutions give ProAV teams a dependable foundation for 10G-ready networks, AVoIP transport, and POE (power over ethernet) devices. With U.S.-manufactured low-voltage cable, shielding choices for any environment, SmartWire Glide lubrication to speed installation, and options for jacket and stripe colors to standardize your builds, our products and solutions help you deliver consistent results from design through commissioning. Talk with our team to match the right construction to your project requirements and timelines.

Solutions: ProAV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables

CAT 6A Plenum Cables for Professional AV

Windy City Wire’s CAT 6A plenum solutions are built for the demands of commercial and industrial audio visual systems. As a pro av cable used in structured networks, our 23 AWG solid bare copper, four-pair construction delivers dependable bandwidth for 10 Gigabit applications, helps minimize crosstalk, and supports POE (power over ethernet) across a wide mix of ProAV endpoints. Plenum-rated jackets allow installation in air-handling spaces while meeting code requirements, and both shielded and unshielded options let you match the cable to the electrical environment of each project. For project flexibility, select from multiple bulk lengths: 1000, 500, and 250 ft.

Where CAT 6A Plenum Excels in AV Systems

• AV over IP distribution: Carry high-bandwidth video and audio streams between racks, switches, encoders/decoders, and displays. CAT 6A cabling offers the channel performance headroom integrators expect for modern networked AV.
• Unified communications and conferencing: Connect conference room codecs, cameras, microphones, DSPs, and touch panels. Stable links reduce latency and help maintain high-quality calls across large office floors and multi-room deployments.
• Networked audio: Transport multi-channel audio between stage boxes, amplifiers, and control rooms over standard Ethernet. Shielded options are available for runs near lighting dimmers or motor loads.
• Digital signage and IPTV: Drive displays, media players, and content servers over a common network backbone. CAT 6A supports long horizontal runs and dense device counts in retail, hospitality, and corporate campuses.
• Control and automation: Connect processors, touch interfaces, sensors, and network relays. Reliable layer-1 performance helps keep building-wide control responsive and consistent.
• Streaming, lecture capture, and eLearning: Tie cameras, encoders, and NVR/storage nodes together for classrooms, training facilities, and distance learning suites.
• Stadiums, arenas, and live venues: Back-of-house distribution to production racks, broadcast booths, and concourses, with the option to select shielded plenum for high-EMI areas.
• POE (power over ethernet) endpoints: Support network-powered devices such as displays, small amplifiers, touch panels, occupancy sensors, and cameras on a converged AV network.

Industries We Serve

• Corporate and enterprise: Boardrooms, huddle spaces, divisible training rooms, and networked collaboration floors.
• Higher education and K–12: Lecture halls, classroom AV, campus-wide signage, libraries, and esports labs.
• Healthcare: Simulation labs, telemedicine suites, conference centers, and wayfinding signage.
• Hospitality and entertainment: Hotels, casinos, theme venues, restaurants, and multi-purpose event spaces.
• Retail and mixed-use: Digital merchandising, background audio, and centralized content distribution.
• Government and public sector: Council chambers, courtrooms, training facilities, and operations centers.
• Industrial and manufacturing: Plant floor control rooms, safety signage, and networked PA systems; shielded options for electrically noisy areas.
• Transportation hubs: Airports, rail stations, and terminals for public information displays and paging.
• Houses of worship: Distributed audio, video capture, and overflow spaces.
• Sports and recreation: Campus athletics, arenas, and broadcast/streaming suites.

Choosing Shielded vs. Unshielded CAT 6A Plenum

• Unshielded (U/UTP): A solid choice for offices, classrooms, and typical commercial spaces with moderate EMI. Easier termination and excellent channel performance for most ProAV networks.
• Shielded (F/UTP or similar): Recommended near fluorescent fixtures, variable frequency drives, elevator equipment, or long parallel runs with power conductors. Added noise immunity supports mission-critical AV transport.

Design and Installation Notes

• Plenum rating: Suitable for air-handling spaces to help meet code in return ceilings and shafts where plenum cabling is required.
• 23 AWG solid copper pairs: Low resistance and stable electrical characteristics for long horizontal runs and consistent channel performance.
• Standards-based color coding: Facilitates fast terminations and testing across large rollouts and multi-trade job sites.
• Length options: Choose 1000, 500, or 250 ft to match project scope, reduce waste, and streamline material planning.
• Bundling and thermal practices: When deploying high-wattage POE (power over ethernet), plan pathway fill, bundle size, and ventilation to maintain performance.
• Pathway planning: Observe recommended separation from power, respect bend radius, and use shielded variants where EMI risk is present.

Backbone and Patching

Use bulk CAT 6A cabling for permanent links in the ceiling and walls, then connect endpoints with a quality cat6a patch cable at the rack and device locations. This approach keeps the structured cabling compliant and serviceable while allowing device changes and moves without touching the in-wall infrastructure. For network engineers and AV integrators standardizing on a cat 6a ethernet cable plant, this strategy simplifies moves, adds, and changes and supports long-term scalability.

Why CAT 6A Plenum for Pro AV?

• Supports 10G network links commonly used by modern AV transport and control systems.
• Accommodates dense device counts across campus and enterprise deployments.
• Provides a reliable medium for converged AV data and power, simplifying infrastructure.

Plan Your Next System

Whether you are building a new collaboration hub, upgrading a campus-wide digital signage network, or designing AV over IP in a high-EMI environment, Windy City Wire’s CAT 6A plenum portfolio gives you the flexibility to specify shielded or unshielded construction and select the bulk length that matches your scope. Our team can assist with specification review, takeoffs, and best practices for routing, termination, and testing to help streamline your ProAV deployment.

Frequently Asked Questions: ProAV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables

• What AWG conductors are available with this SmartWire AV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables cable?

  23 AWG conductors.

• What other colors is this SmartWire AV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables cable available in?

  White-Blue/Blue, White-Orange/Orange, White-Green/Green, White-Brown/Brown.

• Is this SmartWire AV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables cable made with solid or stranded copper conductors?

  Solid bare copper conductors (23 AWG, 4-pair).

• What length is this SmartWire AV Category Cable CAT 6A Plenum Cables cable sold in?

  We manufacture and stock SmartWire Building Wire in 1,000 ft as our standard length. This CAT 6A plenum cable is offered in 1,000 ft standard lengths, with additional 500 ft and 250 ft options available.

• How is your SmartWire ProAV cable sold on spools or in boxes?

  Our SmartWire ProAV cable is packaged in our patented RackPack carton for maximum efficiency and labor savings. Learn more about our RackPack: https://windycitywire.com/solutions/rackpack-overview

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