Patch Cables

Summary: Patch Cables

ProAV Low-Voltage Cabling for Commercial and Industrial Projects

Windy City Wire supplies ProAV integrators with SmartWire® low-voltage cable designed for reliable audio, video, control, and network signal transport across commercial and industrial environments. As a manufacturer, we focus on product performance, installation efficiency, and supply consistency so you can standardize your bill of materials and keep jobs on schedule.

SmartWire is the brand name of the low-voltage cable Windy City Wire manufactures in the United States. SmartWire is not a technology; it’s the cable brand that is part of our complete RackPack Field Systems Solution, built to help improve jobsite safety and efficiency while reducing labor costs.

• Consistent performance for Pro AV: Engineered for dependable bandwidth and signal integrity across AV-over-IP, control networks, Dante/AVB audio, and conferencing ecosystems.
• Installation efficiency: SmartWire Glide Technology® lubrication (our name for the cable lubrication applied during manufacturing) reduces friction during pulls by up to 70%. It coats the jacket with a low-viscosity layer that you cannot see or feel, and it comes standard on stock SmartWire cables at no additional cost.
• Planning and waste reduction: FastFIND Footage Markers appear every two feet to simplify footage calculations, verify received quantity, and help installers use more cable from every box.
• Lower total install cost: The combined SmartWire product features and our complete solution help crews work faster with fewer re-pulls and less scrap, supporting aggressive project timelines.
• Color standardization: Choose from a wide range of SmartWire jacket and stripe color options to align with your organization’s standards and simplify cable identification on site. Contact our team to discuss custom color requests.
• Commercial supply confidence: SmartWire bulk cables are supplied in 1000 FT lengths to support estimating accuracy and consistent stocking for multi-site rollouts.

How FastFIND Footage Markers Help Your Team

• Simplify point-to-point length estimates and balance pulls across multiple runs.
• Verify you received 1,000 feet of cable for each item ordered.
• Reduce indiscriminate waste by 15–25% and make it easier to use remaining footage on future service calls.

Available Constructions

• 23 AWG 4 Pair Solid PVC 300V: Category 6 UTP bulk network cable supporting AV-over-IP, control, and Ethernet backbone links. A solid, low-voltage design that provides stable electrical performance for ProAV transport layers.

Why ProAV Teams Choose Windy City Wire

• SmartWire® low-voltage cable made in the USA for commercial and industrial environments
• Performance features that promote cleaner pulls, faster terminations, and better outcomes
• Options for jacket and stripe colors to streamline identification across trades
• Part of the complete RackPack Field Systems Solution for greater jobsite efficiency

Ready to standardize your next Pro AV installation on SmartWire? Talk with Windy City Wire to align on the right constructions, colors, and stocking approach for your upcoming projects.

Solutions: Patch Cables

Patch Cables for Professional AV provide the short, flexible connections that tie your AV systems together—from device to switch, rack to patch panel, and encoder to decoder. For commercial integrators and facility teams, these low-voltage interconnects are essential for reliable AV over IP, control, and audio networking. Windy City Wire offers CAT6 RJ45-to-RJ45 patch cords built with stranded copper conductors and a durable PVC jacket to maintain performance while delivering the flexibility needed in racks, enclosures, and equipment spaces.

Where these CAT6 patch cables fit in your ProAV ecosystem

• AV over IP and Networked Video: Connect encoders/decoders, media servers, and switches for streaming, multicast distribution, and video wall processing.
• Unified Communications and Collaboration: Tie codecs, room PCs, touch panels, PoE room controllers, and DSPs to network switches for conference rooms and huddle spaces.
• Digital Signage: Link media players, signage controllers, and content distribution gear to edge switches in lobbies, campuses, and retail environments.
• Control Systems: Patch control processors, network gateways, and interface devices across racks and patch panels for reliable room and building control.
• Professional Audio Networking: Support Ethernet-based audio protocols (such as Dante or AES67 endpoints) for consoles, stage boxes, amplifiers, and PoE microphones.
• KVM-over-IP and Operations: Connect operator stations, extenders, and servers in control rooms, NOCs, and broadcast suites.
• Streaming and Production: Patch cameras, converters, encoders, and contribution feeds in studios and event racks.

Industries and environments served

• Corporate and Enterprise: Boardrooms, divisible training rooms, experience centers, and campus-wide AV over IP networks.
• Higher Education: Active learning classrooms, lecture capture, and digital signage across academic buildings.
• Healthcare: Telemedicine carts, simulation labs, collaboration spaces, and facility-wide AV distribution.
• Government and Public Sector: Command-and-control, briefing rooms, council chambers, and situational awareness centers.
• Hospitality and Entertainment: Ballrooms, meeting spaces, casino floors, and venue AV networks.
• Stadiums and Arenas: Production control rooms, concourse signage, suites, and back-of-house systems.
• House of Worship: Mixing positions, stage I/O, streaming and overflow rooms.
• Transportation and Utilities: Wayfinding signage, operations centers, and facility paging/control.
• Retail and Financial: Video walls, product displays, trading floors, and collaboration hubs.
• Industrial and Manufacturing: Production line HMIs, training spaces, and plant-wide communications.

Why choose Windy City Wire CAT6 patch cables for AV

• Category 6 performance supports Gigabit Ethernet connectivity commonly used in Pro AV networking, AV over IP, and control systems.
• Stranded 4-pair UTP construction provides flexibility for tight rack layouts and frequent moves, adds, and changes.
• RJ45-to-RJ45 terminations deliver straightforward, standards-based integration with switches, patch panels, and AV endpoints.
• Indoor PVC jacket suited for common equipment rooms, racks, and device-level interconnects.
• PoE-friendly design supports typical Power over Ethernet applications used by touch panels, cameras, microphones, and small AV endpoints.

Common connection points in AV racks and rooms

• Switch-to-patch-panel and switch-to-switch jumpers in headend racks
• Encoder/decoder to switch for AV over IP video distribution
• DSP, control processor, and network gateways to core or edge switches
• Media players and signage controllers to local network drops
• Room PC, codec, or NUC to table box, transmitter, or switch
• Networked audio endpoints (e.g., Dante devices) to stage boxes or PoE switches
• KVM-over-IP appliances to operator workstations and servers

Available lengths

• Multiple standard options to match your rack layouts and device distances: 3 ft, 5 ft, 7 ft, 10 ft, and 15 ft.

Selection and deployment guidance

1. Choose the shortest practical length to maintain clean routing and service loops while protecting bend radius.
2. Use consistent pinouts across your environment and keep pathway separation from power where possible.
3. Plan for PoE devices by confirming power budgets and switch capabilities across each link segment.
4. Label at both ends and maintain documentation to speed troubleshooting and future changes.
5. Test each patched link during commissioning to verify throughput and reduce onsite callbacks.

Windy City Wire CAT6 patch cables help AV integrators and facility teams build dependable, serviceable infrastructures for audio visual systems. From conference rooms and classrooms to production control and digital signage networks, these low-voltage patch cords provide the consistent connectivity required to keep professional AV environments running smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions: Patch Cables

Additional Links:

• Learn more about our SmartWire Cable
• The RackPack - Our patented cable delivery solution
• Our Transporters - RackPack Transportation Devices
• 19 Stocking Locations Nationwide - Find a Branch near you