Category Cables CAT 6A

Summary: Category Cables CAT 6A

Category Cables CAT 6A

Windy City Wire manufactures SmartWire low-voltage Category Cable in Bolingbrook, IL for professional integrators, electrical contractors, and distribution partners. Our CAT 6A offering delivers consistent, standards-based performance for 10GBASE‑T networks, PoE/PoE+ and high-power PoE applications, high-density Wi‑Fi, IP surveillance, and AV over IP—built for commercial and industrial environments where uptime, code compliance, and jobsite efficiency matter. We partner directly with the trade and do not sell to end users.

Engineered as part of the SmartWire lineup, our cat 6a cabling is made with 23 AWG solid bare copper conductors and precision twisted pairs to control crosstalk and maintain signal integrity at 10 Gb/s up to 100 meters. Options include unshielded and shielded constructions in plenum or riser designs to match your pathway and EMI environment, while adhering to ANSI/TIA/EIA‑568 Category 6A and ISO/IEC 11801 performance requirements. SmartWire Glide lubrication is applied to every cable jacket during manufacturing to reduce pull friction—helping crews pull longer runs with fewer re-pulls and less risk of jacket damage—at no additional cost.

• Performance built in: 23 AWG solid bare copper, four balanced pairs, optimized for 10G Ethernet and stable PoE delivery.
• Application flexibility: Unshielded for typical enterprise pathways; shielded options for areas with elevated EMI from drives, generators, or dense AV/IT equipment.
• Code-driven choices: Plenum for air-handling spaces and riser for vertical shafts and general building risers.
• Installation efficiency: SmartWire Glide lubrication reduces pull friction by up to 70% to speed installation, minimize pull tension, and help protect cable geometry.
• Environmental range: Installation 0°C to 60°C; operation -20°C to 60°C.
• Lengths: 1000 FT standard, with 500 FT and 250 FT options available on select items.
• Identification and standardization: Broad availability of jacket and stripe colors, with custom color options to support enterprise standards and quick field identification.

Who we serve
We supply products and solutions directly to integrators, contractors, and distributors. Talk with our team to align the right cat 6a ethernet cable construction—plenum, riser, shielded, or unshielded—to your environment, pathway, and testing requirements.

How our CAT 6A Category Cable adds value
SmartWire CAT 6A balances electrical performance, code compliance, and jobsite productivity. Trade partners benefit from consistent cable geometry for predictable test results, shielded options for noise-prone spaces, a full low-voltage portfolio that supports converged OT/IT networks, and friction-reducing SmartWire Glide lubrication that helps crews stay on schedule. Whether you’re building out a new IDF, supporting high-density APs, or extending 10G to the edge, our products and solutions are designed to keep projects moving and pass certification the first time. Our bulk Category Cable integrates seamlessly with your connectivity and works alongside any cat6a patch cable used at cross-connects or work areas.

Available constructions

• 23 AWG 4 Pair Solid Bare Copper Non‑Shielded Plenum Low‑Voltage: Plenum-rated UTP for 10GBASE‑T in return‑air spaces; ideal for enterprise pathways where EMI is controlled.
• 23 AWG 4 Pair Solid Bare Copper Shielded Plenum Low‑Voltage: Plenum-rated F/UTP for air-handling spaces with elevated EMI; supports cleaner signals in electrically noisy zones.
• 23 AWG 4 Pair Solid Bare Copper Shielded Riser Low‑Voltage: Riser-rated F/UTP for vertical shafts and floor-to-floor runs where additional noise immunity is needed.
• 23 AWG 4 Pair Solid Bare Copper Non‑Shielded Non‑Plenum Low‑Voltage: General-purpose UTP for non-plenum areas and open pathways with typical EMI conditions.

Summary
Selecting Windy City Wire for CAT 6A Category Cable means you get U.S.-manufactured SmartWire bulk cable, consistent test-ready performance, and construction choices that align with building codes and site conditions. With plenum and riser options, shielded and unshielded designs, custom jacket color availability, and friction-reducing SmartWire Glide lubrication, we help integrators and contractors deliver reliable networks on time and within spec. Contact us to specify the right cat 6a solution for your next project.

Solutions: Category Cables CAT 6A

Category Cables CAT 6A for Commercial and Industrial Projects

Windy City Wire supplies Category Cable solutions designed for professional integrators, electrical contractors, and low-voltage distributors. Our CAT 6A portfolio is built for 10GBASE‑T performance across enterprise networks and harsh commercial environments, supporting higher power PoE applications while maintaining signal integrity. With 23 AWG solid bare copper conductors and engineered pair geometry, this cat 6a cabling delivers consistent channel performance for data, voice, video, and control systems.

Where CAT 6A Fits in Your Network

• 10 Gigabit backbones and horizontal runs: Support 10G to 100 meters for switches, IDFs/MDFs, and work-area connections with a standards-compliant Category Cable channel.
• High‑density Wi‑Fi deployments: Feed Wi‑Fi 6/6E/7 access points with stable bandwidth and PoE++ power (IEEE 802.3bt) using shielded or unshielded designs matched to the environment.
• IP surveillance and security: Connect 4K cameras, NVRs, access control panels, intercoms, and door hardware with robust PoE power delivery and low crosstalk.
• AV over IP and collaboration: Distribute 4K/8K content, conferencing, and digital signage over a reliable cat 6a ethernet cable infrastructure.
• Building automation: Support BAS controllers, sensors, PoE lighting, and environmental systems with stable data and power on one cable plant.
• Voice and UC: Enable VoIP phones, soft client endpoints, and paging systems with predictable channel performance and power.

Industries We Serve

• Enterprise and data centers: Aggregation links, top‑of‑rack to patch fields, and high‑throughput workstation drops.
• Healthcare: Patient areas, nurse call backbones, imaging suites with elevated EMI (choose shielded as needed), and secure networks.
• Education: Classrooms, lecture halls, residence facilities, and campus Wi‑Fi where 10G-ready infrastructure is required.
• Manufacturing and warehousing: Production lines, robotics cells, scanners, and industrial controls with improved noise immunity when shielded.
• Hospitality and venues: Guest Wi‑Fi, IP TV, access control, surveillance, and digital signage in hotels, arenas, and stadiums.
• Retail and financial: POS systems, kiosks, IP cameras, back‑office connectivity, and compliance‑driven network segments.
• Government and municipal: Secure networks, command centers, transportation hubs, and public safety facilities.

CAT 6A Cable Types and Options

• Shielded and unshielded: Choose shielded CAT 6A for environments with significant EMI/RFI (manufacturing floors, mechanical rooms, near large motors) or unshielded for typical office and commercial deployments.
• Plenum and riser ratings: Select plenum for air-handling spaces and riser for vertical runs between floors, aligning with local code requirements.
• Construction: 4‑pair, 23 AWG solid bare copper conductors and precision twisted pairs to help manage insertion loss and alien crosstalk at higher frequencies.
• Jacket colors: Common options include black and orange to aid in pathway identification and project standards.
• Lengths: Available in 1000, 500, and 250 foot options to match project scopes and reduce waste.

Performance Advantages for Integrators

• 10G throughput: CAT 6A is the standard for end‑to‑end 10G Ethernet in commercial environments, supporting high user density and bandwidth‑heavy applications.
• PoE and PoE++ support: 23 AWG solid copper conductors are well‑suited for higher power levels (Type 3/Type 4), helping limit temperature rise and maintain channel performance.
• Noise mitigation: Shielded variants help control external interference and alien crosstalk in congested cable trays and pathways.
• Standards compliance: Built to ANSI/TIA and ISO/IEC Category 6A requirements for consistent, certifiable results with field testers.

Typical System Integrations Using CAT 6A

• Wireless: Multi‑gig uplinks to APs, supporting MIMO and higher PoE budgets.
• Security: IP cameras, access control controllers, readers, and intercom endpoints.
• AV: AV‑over‑IP encoders/decoders, interactive displays, and conference systems.
• BAS and lighting: Networked lighting, occupancy sensing, HVAC controls, and metering.
• Edge compute and IoT: Gateways, sensors, and industrial PCs requiring stable power and data.

Planning Tips for CAT 6A Deployments

1. Match the cable to the environment: Use plenum in return air spaces; select shielded where EMI is present or cable bundles are dense.
2. Design for power: For PoE++ endpoints like PTZ cameras and LED fixtures, consider bundle sizes, pathway fill, and thermal performance.
3. Maintain the channel: Terminate with Category 6A‑rated jacks, patch panels, and cords. When equipment connectivity requires flexibility, pair your permanent link with a quality cat6a patch cable to complete the channel.
4. Certify the install: Test to CAT 6A limits to document 10G readiness and support warranty requirements.

Why Choose CAT 6A Over Lower Categories

• 10G at full distance: CAT 6A supports 10G to 100 meters, while lower categories often require shorter runs or reduced speeds for similar performance.
• Better headroom for modern networks: Ideal for high‑density Wi‑Fi, AV over IP, and cloud‑driven applications that push multi‑gig throughput.
• Higher‑power PoE capability: More robust conductor size to support devices like cameras with heaters, door hardware, lighting, and access points drawing up to Type 4 power.

Compatibility and Ecosystem

• Works with standards‑compliant connectivity from major manufacturers to form a complete Category Cable channel.
• Supports mixed‑speed environments (1G/2.5G/5G/10G) and integrates with existing closets and pathways.
• Complements equipment cords and work‑area connectivity using cat6a patch cable options for moves, adds, and changes.

Whether you are building out a new facility or upgrading legacy infrastructure, Windy City Wire CAT 6A helps you deploy reliable, high‑bandwidth networks that scale with demand. Talk with our team about shielded vs. unshielded selection, plenum or riser needs, and how to configure cat 6a cabling for your next commercial project.

Frequently Asked Questions: Category Cables CAT 6A

• 1. What AWG conductors are available with these SmartWire Category CAT 6A cables?

  All SmartWire® CAT 6A Category Cable options use 23 AWG conductors.

• 2. What other colors are these SmartWire Category CAT 6A cables available in?

  Available color options for this cat 6a cabling include:

  • White-Blue/Blue
  • White-Orange/Orange
  • White-Green/Green
  • White-Brown/Brown
  • Blue/White With Blue Stripe
  • Orange/White With Orange Stripe
  • Green/White With Green Stripe
  • Brown/White With Brown Stripe
• 3. Are these SmartWire Category CAT 6A cables made with solid or stranded copper conductors?

  They are made with solid bare copper conductors (23 AWG, 4 twisted pairs). Both unshielded and shielded constructions are available.

• 4. What lengths are these SmartWire Category CAT 6A cables sold in?

  Windy City Wire manufactures and stocks SmartWire Category Cable in 1,000 ft as the standard length. Additional lengths of 500 ft and 250 ft are also available.

• 5. How is your SmartWire low-voltage Category Cable sold—on spools or in boxes?

  Our SmartWire Category Cable is packaged in our patented RackPack carton to maximize labor savings and efficiency. Learn more about our RackPack: https://windycitywire.com/solutions/rackpack-overview

• 6. What are the main differences between CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6A, and CAT7 cables?
  • CAT5e: Up to 1 Gbps at 100 meters; 100 MHz bandwidth. Good for basic data networks; minimal alien crosstalk control.
  • CAT6: 1 Gbps at 100 meters; supports 10 Gbps to about 37–55 meters; 250 MHz bandwidth. Tighter twists and separator for lower crosstalk than CAT5e.
  • CAT6A: 10 Gbps up to 100 meters; 500 MHz bandwidth. Improved alien crosstalk performance; available in unshielded or shielded designs. Ideal for high-density PoE and next-gen Wi‑Fi backhaul. A cat 6a ethernet cable or cat6a patch cable is the recommended choice for new 10G installations.
  • CAT7: Typically shielded, 600 MHz (CAT7) to 1000 MHz (CAT7A). Uses non-RJ45 connectors in many implementations and is not a TIA standard in North America; CAT6A is more commonly specified for 10G with RJ45.
• 7. What are some popular Category Cable colors and what do they stand for?

  Color conventions vary by organization, but common practices include:

  • Blue: General data/network drops
  • Gray/White: Workstation or standard patching
  • Yellow: PoE devices, cameras, or access points
  • Red: Critical systems, voice, or emergency/secure networks
  • Green: Management networks or crossover (legacy)
  • Orange: Demarc/backbone or special circuits
  • Purple: DMZ or application-specific VLANs
  • Black: Security systems or AV

  Establish a documented color code for your Category Cable to ensure consistency across projects.

Additional Links:

• Learn more about our SmartWire Cable
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