Purpose:
To wire network cable throughout the home. This allows computers, or other network devices to be connected to your home network, and if there is an "always on" Internet connection this allows Internet throughout the home.
Tools used:
Staple Gun
Electric Drill with wood bit
Sharpe ink pen
Hammer
Wire cutters
Punch down tool with 110 bit
Equipment:
Cat 5e cable (2 boxes)
Blue wall boxes (12)
Face plates (12)
RJ-45 inserts (24)
Notes:
The following steps are assuming you have a home under construction and you can install your cable before the sheetrock goes up. Some builders will allow you to install your own cable, some will not. If the builder doesn't allow this, do it anyways. It's your house and they never really notice the extra wire in the walls anyways.
Take this time to install any speaker wire for a home surround sound system also.
Steps:
  1. Plan out how many outlets you wish and where to put them. This will determine how many outlet boxes to purchase, length of cable, face plates etc...
    I bought 2 boxes of 1000' Cat 5e; rated for gigabit speed. I used about 80% of the cable to make 24 runs throught my house which is a single story 2500 square foot home.
  2. Find a good retailer to purchase your equipment from; hopefully one that you can get a good discount from. Home Depot or any other home store will have most of the items you will need. But again check for cost and quality as not everything is the same.
    I had purchased most of my equipment and cable from GrayBar. I was able to get my company's discount on everything. :)
  3. When your cable day arrives first double check the locations to install the outlet boxes. Make sure it's in a location you can drill holes for cable and it's not too close to power cables or outlets. Then hammer the boxes into location.
    I noticed that the outside walls had much thicker wood studs and I could not drill through them. I had to use existing holes in some cases so my original layout plan changed.
  4. Find your central location to terminate all your cable, normally in a closet or garage. Then set your cable boxes down and start to pull cable to each of the outlet boxes. Use your wood bit and drill to get through any wall studs in your way.
    Make sure to mark each cable with your sharpe pen, use either numbers or letters so to identify the cables later. Put the same make on each end.
    I completely forgot to do this until halfway finished. It created a lot of work trying go back and figure out which cable went where.
  5. Always leave extra cable! I left 6' at the outlet box and 12' at the central hub closet. This way you will not run short. Use the staple gun to set the cable to the wall studs and zigzag the cable between studs to take up the extra cable. Later when the walls are in and you need more cable just pull the cable from the box and the staples will pull out to give more length.
  6. When the cable is finished you'll have to wait till the sheetrock walls go up so to finish terminiating the cable. When the contractors are finished you can now strip the wire off about 1/2 inch and punch down into the RJ-45 inserts. Follow the color code on the inserts, or your own system. As long as the wires match on both ends that's fine.
    image
  7. Put the inserts into the face plates and mount the plates. The last step is to terminate to a patch panel in your central cable location. This is where the cost can get high. I bought a 6' 19" chatsworth rack and Panduit 48port patch panel. See my section on building the network rack.
  8. Finding the numbered cable ends for each outlet I punched down in order into my patch panel. The result is a completely wired ethernet home. For what to do with it, read my other projects.