The short answer
Low voltage cabling is any wiring that carries signals or small amounts of power rather than the 120/240-volt power that runs lights and outlets. In a business that mostly means network cable (Cat6, Cat6A), fiber optic cable, phone lines, and the wiring for cameras, door access, Wi-Fi access points, audio/visual and building controls.
What counts as low voltage
- Data and network: Cat6/Cat6A copper and fiber from the network room to desks, access points and equipment.
- Wireless: the cable runs that feed Wi-Fi access points, cellular boosters and private LTE/5G radios.
- Cameras and access control: PoE cameras, door readers, locks and controllers.
- Voice: phone lines and the copper still used by fax, elevator and alarm panel lines.
- AV and controls: displays, speakers, sensors and building automation.
How it differs from electrical work
Electricians install the building's power: panels, circuits and outlets. Low voltage installers handle the communication side: pathways, cable, terminations, testing and labeling. Many devices now get their power over the network cable itself (Power over Ethernet), so a good low voltage design plans for power and heat too, not just data.
What "structured cabling" means
Structured cabling is the organized version of low voltage cabling: every run goes from a patch panel in a network closet (MDF or IDF) to a labeled jack, follows supported pathways, and is tested and documented. It is what makes a network easy to support and expand instead of a tangle nobody can trace.
What a good install includes
- A site walk and a drop count tied to a floor plan
- The right cable type and jacket rating (plenum or riser) for the building
- J-hooks, tray or conduit, never cable lying on ceiling tiles
- Firestopping where cable passes through rated walls
- Printed labels on every jack and patch panel port
- Test results and as-built documentation at handoff
Need cabling for an office, warehouse or new building? See our low voltage cabling services or request a quote.