tools & tips for installing CAT6 in house?

[gorcorps]

I've had this project in mind since I bought the house (a few years) and over time I've bought most of the parts necessary for it (switch, patch panel, cable, etc). Now that I'm pretty sure I have what I need, I'm asking for anyone who has done such things before for installation tips. The current concern being the best way to get the cable to where it needs to be behind finished walls.

I live in a ranch with partially finished basement which has a drop ceiling. The ceiling in the basement will make it easier to run the cable from the switch (which I plan to put in a cabinet in the unfinished part of the basement) to the rooms on the main floor that I want to network. What I don't know is the best technique to get up from the basement ceiling into the wall above it, especially if I don't have easy access to that part of the wall from below.

I know it's kind of a general question, but I'd like to know if anybody else has handled a similar project, and what they did.

 

[Aikouka]

I'm in the middle of doing mine at the moment. Fortunately, part of mine was in a crawlspace, which is more like a slightly-hunched-over-space, and that was rather easy. Right now, I'm dealing with running the wires. You'll definitely want to start finding out which wall cavities you'll want to run the wires.

It also definitely helps if you then look into the validity of actually putting holes where they need to be as I ran into that problem in the attic. My plan was to go from the attic straight down into (the wall of) a closet in a downstairs "bedroom" (more useful as an office). The problem is that a truss (I think that's the right term) goes directly over the joist where I'd need to drill, which left me about 1-2 inches of space. It'd work fine if I drilled from below, but that would be even more mess in that I'd have to remove drywall to even do that! So, the point of that is to plan and then verify that it will even work.

I also originally planned on using a patch panel, but I scrapped that idea. I didn't have a single entry point like it sounds like you will, so a patch panel didn't seem nearly as neat. I'm using wall plates, which have their own issues... namely in that the Ethernet keystones that I have are too thick, so you can't put two beside each other in a 2x2 keystone.

 

[NutBucket]

All I can say is fishing wires is as much an art as it a science. I don't follow how you have a drop ceiling yet don't have access to the bottom of the wall? I think the best route for the amateur to follow is to take the path of least resistance. You may have to alter you wall placement to facilitate an easier cable pull.

Generally, to get a wire from the wall into the basement do this:
1.) cut a hole in the wall for the box/ring. Make it the correct size, not oversized.
2.) use a long drill bit (http://amzn.com/B00004YO6E) to drill through the bottom plate/subfloor/etc. into the basement.
3.) feed wire from the top into the basement so you can find it

 

[skyking]

you can find much of what I'd say in this post:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=29417075&postcount=3

In your specific case, use a stud finder and a tape measure to scope things out. Take careful measurements and you can approximate where the walls upstairs are.
That is all you need to do.
Now cut in a hole for the wall plate, and then drill down from there into the basement. You know more or less where it will pop through and have already insured you won't be drilling into anything.
Go downstairs and tie on a pull wire to the hole in the end of your long bit and pull it back up.
Repeat till you are happy.
Go back and pull in your runs and follow the suggestions in the link above.
Edit:
Example of bellhanger drill bit with hole.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/accessories/drilling/48-13-7237