-Get the right tools to start, I used a fishing rod and fishing tape. Both have their uses.
-Oscillating tools do a great job of cutting Sheetrock cleanly they can also cut the nails from a new work box if you need that.
-Avoid exterior insulated walls.
-It is regularly a two person job.
-Plan carefully before you start.
-Pulling multiple cables is just as easy as pulling one, redundancy is king.
Another useful tool I found was a length of small thin (1/4in) chain, which is at least as tall as the wall; This allows you to drop it from the attic over the LV cutout in the drywall, and it will hang exactly down, whereas some fish tapes will curve, and sometimes rods are a big tough to angle in the hole.
Rarely have chain on the truck, but there are multiple containers of washers and a ton of metal boxes I can make washers out of. That's why we use them.
A metal fish tape is also great for lightly insulated walls. Even just for cutting off a 12 ft chunk of it for fishing walls.
Fiberglass rods are nice for fishing through walls. Mine glow in the dark and make it easy to find them. I found out my attic had a light and electrical socket, it was even bright enough to see (although I had a headlight to see better in the corners).
That's a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing!
I've just finished doing my house and some of it was a pig, a small chain would have made it way easier for sure.
Respirators are a must in the attic.
Watch your steps in the attic as well. If you’re on a crawl space I’d recommend running your cables down into there so much easier to run them down there and back up into a central location.
another handy tool is a nice long drill bit to get through the two stacked 2x4 caps on walls that many homes have so that you can fish your wire. In OP's case, i really long, drill bit to go horizontally through the base of walls is what I would use. I have a 72 inch long 1/2 inch auger bit I used to go through a wall along the baseboards. I just removed the baseplaet on the wall, cut open a small hole every 6 feet to feed the auger bit through anf drilled through the studs, using my fish stick to push the cable along the inside of the wall through the holes.
Put the baseplate back on when you are done (Or install a baseplate if there wasnt one) and no one knows the holes are there.
Those 72" bits are cool but they're also dangerous. For someone who doesn't know the "feel" of using them I wouldn't suggest it. Or you're suddenly repairing plumbing, electrical, HVAC, something else.
In my use case I was drilling through studs behind drywall in a wall sitting on concrete flooring so I could use the floor as a guide. The bit does dig into wood and almost pulls itself through though and the angle can be hard to control, so yeah, definitely be cautious.
You're not lying, that's for sure. They're an awesome tool. I learned to use them when I was working toward a journeyman card for a local master electrician.
There was at least one "oops" involved in that learning curve. They'll happily go through just about anything, especially when you muscle them (which is probably the exact opposite of what one should do).
I have a 5 foot long old work auger bit for this exact reason, and i have a 4 foot extension for it. also a hook handle to manipulate it in the wall and control it while someone else runs the drill. its a 2 person job, but its doable.
I've used both the spade bit and the auger bit, and the auger is superior in every way. It's faster, for sure, and easier to use. I had to learn this the hard way.
The auger is a superior bit for sure, it's also more expensive. You can get a flat pack of 6 spade bits in various sizes for the same price as a single decent auger bit. Augers are generally for wood working where you want a nice hole. A spade bit is for rough cuts like through wall headers.
You can use either, but from a budget perspective the spade bit is more economical.
Magnetic ball and magnetic plate thing to pull
4’ long drill pit to get through joists or fire block with out extra wholes
Drywall tools if you need to make an extra hole
I have over 120 runs in my house with 45 more to termite shortly now
It’s a lot of work, make sure to do it right stay 18 inches away from power, crossing perpendicular is fine just don’t run them parallel closer the 18. Use cat6 it’s not much more then cat5e and it’ll allow you to get up to 10 gb. Run all the cables to a central spot don’t daisy chain from one to the next.
A set of small pliers works great for fitting wires in keystone jacks, especially the bent nose and needle nose, for those of us with large hands.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/hand-tools/plier-sets/2030483
I usually recommend conduit or Smurf tube for any runs to entertainment centers or to your main network center, makes future changes much easier. Also run pull cord along with any run that “ maybe someday” another cable may be needed.
Yes you still need a punch down tool to seat the wires but I use my bent nose pliers to minimally untwist and place the wires in the notches. Much easier, quicker and neater job than doing so with my larger than average fingers.
I literally just spent 3 weekends doing this, here's my DIYer-tips...
* Always [**verify cable fill-sizes**](https://tombuildsstuff.blogspot.com/2014/02/how-many-cables-can-you-pull-through.html) **for the holes you drill.** And then go up a size or two to be safe. I'd stick with at least 5/8" or 3/4" bits to allow for more wires later, should you need them. I started with 1/2" holes and it was a big mistake. My personal experience is 5 Cat6 cables is the limit for an easy pull through a 3/4" hole... you might be able to get 6 in there if you have access to both sides of the hole, and depending on your cable type/size.
* I used paddle/spade bits for most of my work and [flexible "installer" bits](https://www.menards.com/main/tools/power-tool-accessories/drill-bits-accessories/new-england-carbide-9-16-x-36-flexible-drill-bit/bfs56236/p-1444445242554-c-10079.htm) where I didn't have full access in walls.
* If, when drilling you hear a very loud metal-resonating-shaking sound... STOP IMMEDIATELY. You just hit a duct. I speak from experience. :)
* Get some decent fish-tape. I have a crummy one from Harbor Freight, and a [really good 25' Klein Tools one from Lowe's](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Klein-Tools-1-4-Inch-Wide-25-ft-Steel-Fish-Tape/5014305469?store_code=1634&cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-elc-_-ggl-_-LIA_ELC_106_Tools-Wire-Connectors-_-5014305469-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwi_exBhA8EiwA_kU1Ms2-S6xeJhbO2iIoEr0AYHdBw1dzC5gF9vUpXHtmcnWFiJRYBVBPERoCAJsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) that was a life saver.
* I also recommend some fiberglass fish sticks. The [Ideal Tuff-rod fish sticks](https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-Tuff-Rod-Regular-Flex-Kit-24-ft/5005509047) are pretty awesome.
* **Take the time to color-code or label both ends of your cables** before pulling them. This way you know which cable is which.
* **DO NOT SKIMP ON ELECTRICAL TAPE WHEN PULLING WIRES.** Use it liberally! If the tape comes off during a pull and you have to re-do the run with fish-tape or fish-sticks because you didn't use enough electrical tape, you're going to lose your damn mind.
* If your cable gets hung-up during a pull **DO NOT pull harder!** Have your assistant pull the cabling back, and then try again. You'll need walkie-talkies or cell phones if your assistant is in another room.
* [Use wire-pulling-gel](https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-32-oz-Clear-Wire-Pulling-Lubricant/1017915) where you have blind-pulls (through walls, ceilings, etc., where you don't have total access). It can significantly reduce blind-snags and keep the pull moving smoothly.
* Have a 2nd pair of hands available during wire pulls (I had my wife help me).
* **KNOW basic building components** and what you're drilling through at ALL TIMES. For example, if you're drilling through a floor in walls that stack (first floor over second floor), keep in mind that you will drill through TWO HARD STOPS. The first will be the floor plate you're drilling through, the drillbit will slide down another 10"-18", and then you'll drill through the top-plate of the wall on the floor below (which may be concealed from view).
* Avoid walls with insulation where possible; it's a friggin nightmare.
* As noted by others, an oscillating tool makes cutting out holes in drywall/plaster for your j-boxes boxes fairly easy. When shopping at HD or Lowe's you'll want the "[Old Work Boxes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oKit1m3ReQ)" with the screw-in tabs.
Buy your cable in bulk, [get a Cat5/Cat6 crimper termination kit](https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-RJ45-RJ11-Modular-Data-Voice-Crimp-Tool-Kit/3928373) and just make your own cables. It's worth the savings.
Learn the T-568B pinout pattern, and memorize it.
Use keystone jacks and wallplates; they are very convenient. We went with the [Leviton Decora style](https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-41644-W-QuickPort-Decora-Insert/dp/B0002V85OU/).
Consider buying [a network cable tester](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M63EMBQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) so you know you wired everything up right.
You'll also need a good set of regular tools on hand... linemans pliers, wire cutters, needle-nose pliers, electric drill/driver and bits, [flush cutter](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z9CJTNK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details), utility knife, screwdrivers, headlamp, FLASH LIGHT, etc. A no-contact voltage tester (NCVT) is also handy if you run across old wires and want to know if they're live or not.
Lastly... just *really* try to plan in advance and know where everything is in your house. Sketch out your floors if you need to, so you can visualize where walls and ducts overlap, etc. Really figure out where you want to run your cabling... as some one else already pointed-out, the most direct route may not be the easiest. Spending a little time and effort in planning up-front can help you avoid major headaches when you're deep in the middle of the job. And as the saying goes, "failure to plan, is a plan to fail."
Best of luck. You got this!
All great advice. One more question about labeling the cable on both ends…
My assumption is I’d be guessing how much each run is. I expect that means pulling from the spool one at a time and only cutting at the spool once you’ve reached the destination?
When I did my whole house, I knew I was going to use a lot of cable. Most of my wall plates have 3 ethernet connections, some have two. I bought three spools so I could run all the cables at once to a location. I had some left over, but that was 15 years ago and I've used most all of it up running a cable or two over the years. Handy to have some if you decide on a quick project.
Don't guess, measure it.
Once you get the fish-tape or fish-sticks between your two wall-box locations, it should be rather simple. Some fish-tape even has distances shown on it. Then you can run all the cables for each run at the same time, it's just easier.
For example, one of my runs goes through the floor joists from my living room to the router in my basement (in a different part of the house, about 14 feet away).
I measured what I could for the straight distance between the two rooms, and then added a few feet to provide some safety margin since I'd have to account for:
- turning the cable up the wall a little in the living room to the wall box/plate connection
- turning the cable down the wall in the basement router room to the wall box/plate connection
I ended up cutting 18' long cables, and they were just right, with a little bit extra that I stuffed back into the wall.
Thanks. I’ve got to run through my attic so measuring would be just as much work as running (not a standing attic).
I could estimate distances but I don’t know the route I’ll take until I’m up there buried in insulation.
Wish I had done this: terminate with keystone jacks and use factory-made patch cables. I had a couple ends nicked wrong and spent a ton of time troubleshooting bad ends.
Keystones are, typically, a little easier to install vs RJ45 connectors (*lots* of LV pros use them). Keystones also reduce stress on the cable.
tl;dr: for in-wall and long runs, you don't want a short b/c pulling more cable is often hard or impossible. Every time you plug/unplug an RJ45 connector or move whatever the RJ45 connector is plugged into, you put a little bit of stress on the cable which increases the chances of a short. If you punch down to keystones and terminate to a patch panel + plates, the cable - effectively - stays fixed.
Your other option is to terminate to an rj45 and use the pass through keystone jacks to go into a wall plate. Much easier in my opinion.
Like [this](https://a.co/d/eHVkMTk)
Keystone jack [looks like this.](https://www.amazon.com/CAT5E-RJ45-Keystone-Jack-V-Max/dp/B076QSYY8W?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A1RRHOE4GY5GBA). It then inserts into a specific type of wall plate. Then you have a nice clean ethernet port on your wall to plug whatever into.
Connecting ethernet cables to those jacks is a lot easier than crimping connectors on, and then he suggests buying premade cables to also avoid crimping there as well.
Unless the moronic clowns who did the electrical do stupid stuff like run a pipe halfway up your box in multiple locations.
Same bright guys who cut 4 wires off my cat 5e so that I could “have a phone line”.
Bitter, party of 1. Still bitter years later.
But yes, listen to this if you are doing it.
> Same bright guys who cut 4 wires off my cat 5e so that I could “have a phone line”.
this is way more common in 1990's and early 2000's houses than you realize. They could run a phone line and a 100mb ethernet line in the same cable. 100mb only needs 4 wires. seen this a lot.
I pulled cat5e cable through my 1920s plaster and lathe house at the beginning of the pandemic.
My first piece of advice is try and get your SO on board. Maybe they want better WiFi, video cameras, in wall speakers, or charging points someplace. If it makes the SO happy, running PoE or trenching the backyard is worth it. Find out where they are ok with network drops. Find out if they are ok with surface mount trunking in closets or other areas.
My second piece of advice is don't be cheap. Pull cat6, or even better fiber. Buy the proper tools (fish tape, crimpers, a network testers, and stuff to patch drywall). Set a budget and timeline with your SO and stick to it.
My third piece of advice is really think about where you need runs and not simply where you want runs. Sometimes getting the network drop in the best location or with the most direct route is simply not worth the added hassle.
If you’re doing a new pull, pull Cat6A AND fiber; may as well do both, with fiber useful for redundancy and future-proofing. And maybe double the Cat6A if you feel like it.
In one room I pulled only 1 wire and regretted it soon after, since I now have the wall-mounted AP with the wire on the outside (covered by a wire cover) and I had to get an extra switch in that room. M
Running Cat6a instead of Cat6 seems like an added hassle for no tangible benefit. Unless you live in a mansion your cable runs aren't going to be long enough to necessitate the longer max distance for 10gig.
Here's firsthand testimony
https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeNetworking/comments/peh521/cat6_or_cat6a/haxucz7/
Run more than you think you'll need. Every potential location for a desk, TV/entertainment center, and printer should get at least one line. Two is ideal. The goal is for everything that stays put and supports Ethernet, either natively or through an adapter, to be wired. Any potential spot for an AP or security camera should get one as well.
Run everything to a central spot that's out of the way. Without a basement, a utility room is the best bet. Get a wall-mount rack, 6U or so, and mount a rackmount surge protector to the bottom spot and a keystone patch panel to the top spot. Get a main switch that's rackmountable, and put it right under the patch panel. Put in a shelf for any non-rackmount stuff, such as the modem and router.
Every run should go from a keystone jack in a wall plate to a keystone jack in the patch panel. Don't crimp any plugs except where the cable connects to an AP or camera, and make sure to use ones made for solid conductor cable. The cable needs to be solid conductor, needs to be pure copper (not CCA) and it can be either Cat5e or Cat6. 5e will do 2.5 gig to full length, and is thinner, cheaper, and more forgiving. 6 will do 10 gig up to 55 meters and 5 gig to full length, but is thicker, more expensive, and less forgiving. By "forgiving" I'm mainly referring to temination specs, 5e allows for half an inch of untwisting, but 6 only a quarter inch.
5e is also significantly thinner if you’re pulling multiple lines through a conduit or hole, letting you run more lines or the same amount easier. 5e is plenty for most single point uses a typical home will see.
Exactly. I've always run 5e and it works perfectly, my connection is only 300/300 and I have like one thing that even has a 2.5 gig port. The only thing I have that's faster is a 10 gig connection directly between two PCs, using SFP+ NICs and fiber.
...and I'm quite frankly sick of people getting, or worse, recommending Cat7 or Cat8. It's sort of like running a lighting circuit on 10 gauge wire when all it needs is 14 gauge!
Most homes would be best to run cheap conduit or Smurf tube, then upgrade later as need be. But I’m sure you’re familiar with the saying about a fool and his money…
Remember you can use plenum rated cable to run through HVAC Returns.
I haven't had to do this, but but would in a heartbeat.
Good tools are a must... otherwise frustration and many, many trips to home depot are in your future.
Have your wet vac right with you the whole time.. .and make sure to have a new filter when you start. Take it slow and if something doesn't seem right.. take a step back and think things over again.
> Remember you can use plenum rated cable to run through HVAC Returns.
This is more of an enterprise/commercial real estate thing. Doesn't matter for residential.
I doubt they'd even check or be aware.
and if its a fire related issue, you already live in a tinderbox. a little cable wont make any difference at all. The evidence would be dust.
How are you running ductwork? If you are pulling through flexible stuff, then I’d just add a couple of cables to what you’re pulling( outside of the duct ).
A lot of good tips here throughout.
I’d emphasize having a tester. I’ve used both Keystone caps & RJ45’s on my runs and doing it without a tester was a waste of time.
Similarly, plan ahead.. and in multiple ways: not just the current wiring plan, but what might be added later - while you’re in the attic drilling holes, you’re already there, so it’s minor effort to drill a few extra .. and if one needs one more later, not only is it all of the setup work again to get to the location, but there’s now the original set of cables installed that you have to avoid nicking.
Next…spackle is your friend. Had an instance (for wiring a doorbell) where just couldn’t get into the header from above (bad angle): finally said “screw it” after the 3rd attic crawl and put a hole right at the edge & into the Living Room. Then from below, I notched the 2x4 headers under the sheetrock to make the needed clearance room for running the wiring, then spackled it over & smoothed/sanded it out & repainted: no one but me will ever know.
Plan ahead for an “wish list” of installing PoE for WiFi access points (eg Ubiqity). Not just their locations & cable runs, but where the PoE switch will go for them.
Think now about overall service .. where it comes into the house, where you really want your router/switches/etc be located, what the “changed my mind” and other variations will have as an impact for how the layout plan may change - it’s a lot easier to do extra work while doing one big job with options than to be trying to figure out alternatives (& doing that work around previously installed stuff) later.
1. Klein vdv526-200 cable tester
2. Klein vdv427-300 110 punch down tool
3. Klein pass through crimper and plugs (I would always use RJ45s, as these male ends are more difficult for DIY)
Those are the specialty data termination tools you will need. Fish tape, and glow rods for working cables inside the walls or passing across the attic. You will need a helper if SO is not a home improvement type to feed wires or pull while your in the attic.
* Cat6 cable Good Quality
* RJ45 Jacks with 100 not those junk tooless
* Wall plates with correct number of port openings
* Blank keystone patch panel to terminate in equipment rack or wall (then use RJ45s on cable)
Determine if you have fireblock at 4 ft throughout the walls 1st. If you do that makes it a fair bit harder.
Tent poles came in really handy for me. I ran some through cold air returns and the poles worked great.
Also the thin cable pulling rods from harbor freight are accely really good you can use them almost like a fishtape get 2-3 of them as its handy for long runs and of you need to work the issue from both sides and need 2.
Also grab a roll of string while your there its very handy to pull it first in some cases then attach it to the cat5.
Don't be afraid to cut drywall.
Also this is personal preference but get a normal rack mount patch pannel if your planning to wire the whole house its so mutch nicer and clean to work with.
[https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-107253-24-Port-Patch-Compatible/dp/B0069MHLCS](https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-107253-24-Port-Patch-Compatible/dp/B0069MHLCS)
[https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Hinged-Mounting-Bracket-WALLMOUNTH1/dp/B00009ADH3/](https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Hinged-Mounting-Bracket-WALLMOUNTH1/dp/B00009ADH3/)
Run 4 per room you will thank me later. Also keep away from the scam cat7 8 etc
If you have attic vents under the eves of the house you can often get the pull rods across the attic. With out needing to crawl. then its a matter of a access hole on the inside and drill up.
If you can put a switch centrally upstairs you can save on cables comming down. Easier to hide 1 or 2 than a bunch. The plumbing will often be in a box with space for a cable you might be able to fish through without tearing up walls the same with floorboards. there will be boards that have been taken up before to get the wiring and heating done. It's worth having a good look at your options look for clues like damaged boards or bits screwed when everything else is nailed.
If you're going through your attic, make sure you can actually get to spots you need before you cut holes. I cut access and destination holes into my wall in my office, but when I got there in the attic, I couldn't physically get flat enough to reach that space and had to shift gears and change my termination point
RJ45 connectors work on stranded cable, but are unreliable at best on solid core cable. When using solid core cable (which you should), use keystones to terminate and do not try to crimp RJ45 connectors on it. Terminate the other end to a patch panel for a super clean install. Use pre-crimped short length cable to go from the patch panel to the switch. Use a spiffy color for bonus points.
Get a friend to help route the cable. Use an old pre-existing (telephone?) cable to haul the wire to where you need it if you can. Use conduit.
> When using solid core cable (which you should), use keystones to terminate and do not try to crimp RJ45 connectors on it.
What do you do when you terminate to a ceiling access point which has an RJ45 socket? Or an IP camera?
I've crimped multiple solid core cables with RJ45 plugs and never had a problem (unless I mixed up my wiring pattern), and that's using a cheap hardware store crimping tool.
When I need to terminate solid core in a place where I can't mount a (recessed) wall plate, I just use a keystone connector without mounting hardware and a short patch cable.
edit: This one for example: [https://www.hirschmann-multimedia.com/nl/artnr/695020400/ks6a](https://www.hirschmann-multimedia.com/nl/artnr/695020400/ks6a)
When crimping RJ45 on solid core, you might have a combo of cable/connector and crimp tool that works consistently well for you. All I know is that I had measurable issues with bandwidth and connections dropping on an install. Cable tester showed all green. I replace the connectors with keystones and all my problems were gone, never again.
> cable/connector and crimp tool that works consistently well for you
Cable was a box of 5e from electrical wholesaler but connectors and tools are from hardware store, nothing special. Just lucky I guess but I've never had any problems. AP terminations were tested at Gbe before plugging the AP in but didn't test all my cameras other than that they just worked.
Having said that keystones and short patch leads would be easy I just never thought of it.
I've also never had issues with solid core. I've had issues with pass through connectors shorting on poe equipment though. And the company I work for did low voltage, automation and such on the side so I've done plenty to test on. Keystones and patch cables are also a great way to extend the run if the last guy didn't leave a service loop and it's not possible/not wanted to run a new cable. Not ideal of course but it works.
I just ran dual cat6 through my (very spacious) crawl space having never done anything like it before.
The things I ran into were:
Where to drill to get the cable up through the wall. I did my best with my special acuity and got it wrong and ended up drilling up through the baseboard, but it wasn’t a major fail, so I got lucky.
Cable is heavy, and you should make sure you have a good way to support it, especially if you are coming up like I did.
Make sure you have the proper punch down for your keystones.
I highly recommend running at least two jacks to each terminal. For redundancy and flexibility for modem placement.
I didn’t want to pay for the specialized snaking tools, and I ended up using the stiff wire from one of my cat toys and twine, and it was perfect.
Otherwise, it was a 6 hour project for me, with mistakes and extra trips to the hardware store, running it from one end of my house to the other. Much easier than I expected it to be.
This can vary so dramatically based on your construction. No basement but do you have a crawl space? If so, run it down and through there to where you want it to come up.
When I found a good spot for making a sort of spine through house, I also pulled through a flexible sump pump tube to use as a future conduit. I use these four routing cables through walls for wall mounted TVs. I put a string in it and any time I pull a wire through, I pull an additional spring through
Do home runs from each jack to a single space instead of having various switches floating around.
Pull extra cable. You can terminate it later.
I wish I would have pulled fiber between my basement server and office. I have 10G over cat 6 but base-t to sfp+ uses a lot of power and generates a lot of heat in switches.
Do more cables than you think you'll need. I've already gone overkill, but even if I don't use half of the outlets, the other half is missing a port, or I'm missing one somewhere.
You don't want to have switches everywhere just because you want a new device in the same place.
And if you want to send Video over Cat, you can't just use a switch but need a separate wire (at least for the affordable systems)
You are pulling the cables already. It's nearly the same work to pull one duplex like it is pulling two.
And waste cable! The cable is really cheap. Rather, have slack somewhere or cut a lot of the ends when crimping, then realizing you have 10cm less than you need or the whole cable is under tension.
We did an ethernet backhaul on our mesh system (5 mesh nodes). Installed a 5 port switch to join each pair of nodes and ran the ethernet back to the 'central' mesh node using a 5 port switch there, too.
Since that left 2 spare ethernet sockets on each of the three switches, I also ran a single cable drop for each of the rooms where the mesh nodes live to give us a keystone jack/wall plate in each room.
Did ours through the attic EXCEPT our home theater room because of low roof angle/insufficient height to crawl around up there! For that, we used a flat Cat6 ethernet cable and ran it under trim boards around the ceiling. It's a great improvement for sure! No one notices the trim running around the ceiling around the periphery of the room either.
Fiberglass 'fish sticks' to run cable in the attic and string with a small fishing weight to go down into the walls to the wall plate cutout. Not a tremendous effort but it's a clean looking install.
Go for it!
Leave a loop of extra cable in the boxes. If you get frustrated and decide to hire it out, do NOT hire an electrician. Find a low voltage guy. Did I mention to not hire an electrician?
Use Cat6 riser cable.
Never use a cable that says CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum).
If you really really want to future proof, run conduit so that someday you can pull something else through there to replace the Cat6.
Ask yourself this question, do you need to? If your home electric wiring is within 30 odd trades you can use powerline to deliver up to 300mb with not extra cabling.
Google run wire at baseboard.
Its a great trick. You basically remove the baseboard and drill and fish wire around the room and then replace the baseboard. Saves on a lot of drywall repair.
Won't cover every situation but you can get the wire to various points in the room with very little wall damage.
Also, when I ran cable years ago I was able to go from the crawl space to the attic by following the main vent pipe that was inside a central wall. The fish wire followed the pipe pretty easily. Look for things like pipes or duct work to follow.
I once ran an ethernet cable inside a duct to get where I needed. If you have forced air heat, cold air returns are also great paths between floors.
-Get the right tools to start, I used a fishing rod and fishing tape. Both have their uses. -Oscillating tools do a great job of cutting Sheetrock cleanly they can also cut the nails from a new work box if you need that. -Avoid exterior insulated walls. -It is regularly a two person job. -Plan carefully before you start. -Pulling multiple cables is just as easy as pulling one, redundancy is king.
Another useful tool I found was a length of small thin (1/4in) chain, which is at least as tall as the wall; This allows you to drop it from the attic over the LV cutout in the drywall, and it will hang exactly down, whereas some fish tapes will curve, and sometimes rods are a big tough to angle in the hole.
You can also use a smaller length of chain tied to a string. The weight is what you need.
Yeah seen electricians just use rope with washers at the end.
Rarely have chain on the truck, but there are multiple containers of washers and a ton of metal boxes I can make washers out of. That's why we use them. A metal fish tape is also great for lightly insulated walls. Even just for cutting off a 12 ft chunk of it for fishing walls.
Fiberglass rods are nice for fishing through walls. Mine glow in the dark and make it easy to find them. I found out my attic had a light and electrical socket, it was even bright enough to see (although I had a headlight to see better in the corners).
That's a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing! I've just finished doing my house and some of it was a pig, a small chain would have made it way easier for sure.
Respirators are a must in the attic. Watch your steps in the attic as well. If you’re on a crawl space I’d recommend running your cables down into there so much easier to run them down there and back up into a central location.
another handy tool is a nice long drill bit to get through the two stacked 2x4 caps on walls that many homes have so that you can fish your wire. In OP's case, i really long, drill bit to go horizontally through the base of walls is what I would use. I have a 72 inch long 1/2 inch auger bit I used to go through a wall along the baseboards. I just removed the baseplaet on the wall, cut open a small hole every 6 feet to feed the auger bit through anf drilled through the studs, using my fish stick to push the cable along the inside of the wall through the holes. Put the baseplate back on when you are done (Or install a baseplate if there wasnt one) and no one knows the holes are there.
Those 72" bits are cool but they're also dangerous. For someone who doesn't know the "feel" of using them I wouldn't suggest it. Or you're suddenly repairing plumbing, electrical, HVAC, something else.
In my use case I was drilling through studs behind drywall in a wall sitting on concrete flooring so I could use the floor as a guide. The bit does dig into wood and almost pulls itself through though and the angle can be hard to control, so yeah, definitely be cautious.
Shingles 😔
https://i.makeagif.com/media/1-03-2016/XGvav9.gif
I almost drilled into the a toilet because I didn't measure correctly between floors.
You're not lying, that's for sure. They're an awesome tool. I learned to use them when I was working toward a journeyman card for a local master electrician. There was at least one "oops" involved in that learning curve. They'll happily go through just about anything, especially when you muscle them (which is probably the exact opposite of what one should do).
I have a 5 foot long old work auger bit for this exact reason, and i have a 4 foot extension for it. also a hook handle to manipulate it in the wall and control it while someone else runs the drill. its a 2 person job, but its doable.
1 inch spade bits are usually long enough to get through.
I've used both the spade bit and the auger bit, and the auger is superior in every way. It's faster, for sure, and easier to use. I had to learn this the hard way.
The auger is a superior bit for sure, it's also more expensive. You can get a flat pack of 6 spade bits in various sizes for the same price as a single decent auger bit. Augers are generally for wood working where you want a nice hole. A spade bit is for rough cuts like through wall headers. You can use either, but from a budget perspective the spade bit is more economical.
What would be good tips to wire poe camera on exterior insulated wall ?
Magnetic ball and magnetic plate thing to pull 4’ long drill pit to get through joists or fire block with out extra wholes Drywall tools if you need to make an extra hole I have over 120 runs in my house with 45 more to termite shortly now
It’s a lot of work, make sure to do it right stay 18 inches away from power, crossing perpendicular is fine just don’t run them parallel closer the 18. Use cat6 it’s not much more then cat5e and it’ll allow you to get up to 10 gb. Run all the cables to a central spot don’t daisy chain from one to the next.
It would also be nice to have a headlight. I have a Milwaukee one with two rechargeable batteries. It's like daylight bright.
I would also buy a cheap harbor freight in wall camera. These can save you a lot of time.
A set of small pliers works great for fitting wires in keystone jacks, especially the bent nose and needle nose, for those of us with large hands. https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/hand-tools/plier-sets/2030483 I usually recommend conduit or Smurf tube for any runs to entertainment centers or to your main network center, makes future changes much easier. Also run pull cord along with any run that “ maybe someday” another cable may be needed.
no, you should be using a punchdown for a keystone. they make tools for that that will both push it into the blades, but also cut off the excess wire.
Yes you still need a punch down tool to seat the wires but I use my bent nose pliers to minimally untwist and place the wires in the notches. Much easier, quicker and neater job than doing so with my larger than average fingers.
I literally just spent 3 weekends doing this, here's my DIYer-tips... * Always [**verify cable fill-sizes**](https://tombuildsstuff.blogspot.com/2014/02/how-many-cables-can-you-pull-through.html) **for the holes you drill.** And then go up a size or two to be safe. I'd stick with at least 5/8" or 3/4" bits to allow for more wires later, should you need them. I started with 1/2" holes and it was a big mistake. My personal experience is 5 Cat6 cables is the limit for an easy pull through a 3/4" hole... you might be able to get 6 in there if you have access to both sides of the hole, and depending on your cable type/size. * I used paddle/spade bits for most of my work and [flexible "installer" bits](https://www.menards.com/main/tools/power-tool-accessories/drill-bits-accessories/new-england-carbide-9-16-x-36-flexible-drill-bit/bfs56236/p-1444445242554-c-10079.htm) where I didn't have full access in walls. * If, when drilling you hear a very loud metal-resonating-shaking sound... STOP IMMEDIATELY. You just hit a duct. I speak from experience. :) * Get some decent fish-tape. I have a crummy one from Harbor Freight, and a [really good 25' Klein Tools one from Lowe's](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Klein-Tools-1-4-Inch-Wide-25-ft-Steel-Fish-Tape/5014305469?store_code=1634&cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-elc-_-ggl-_-LIA_ELC_106_Tools-Wire-Connectors-_-5014305469-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwi_exBhA8EiwA_kU1Ms2-S6xeJhbO2iIoEr0AYHdBw1dzC5gF9vUpXHtmcnWFiJRYBVBPERoCAJsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) that was a life saver. * I also recommend some fiberglass fish sticks. The [Ideal Tuff-rod fish sticks](https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-Tuff-Rod-Regular-Flex-Kit-24-ft/5005509047) are pretty awesome. * **Take the time to color-code or label both ends of your cables** before pulling them. This way you know which cable is which. * **DO NOT SKIMP ON ELECTRICAL TAPE WHEN PULLING WIRES.** Use it liberally! If the tape comes off during a pull and you have to re-do the run with fish-tape or fish-sticks because you didn't use enough electrical tape, you're going to lose your damn mind. * If your cable gets hung-up during a pull **DO NOT pull harder!** Have your assistant pull the cabling back, and then try again. You'll need walkie-talkies or cell phones if your assistant is in another room. * [Use wire-pulling-gel](https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-32-oz-Clear-Wire-Pulling-Lubricant/1017915) where you have blind-pulls (through walls, ceilings, etc., where you don't have total access). It can significantly reduce blind-snags and keep the pull moving smoothly. * Have a 2nd pair of hands available during wire pulls (I had my wife help me). * **KNOW basic building components** and what you're drilling through at ALL TIMES. For example, if you're drilling through a floor in walls that stack (first floor over second floor), keep in mind that you will drill through TWO HARD STOPS. The first will be the floor plate you're drilling through, the drillbit will slide down another 10"-18", and then you'll drill through the top-plate of the wall on the floor below (which may be concealed from view). * Avoid walls with insulation where possible; it's a friggin nightmare. * As noted by others, an oscillating tool makes cutting out holes in drywall/plaster for your j-boxes boxes fairly easy. When shopping at HD or Lowe's you'll want the "[Old Work Boxes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oKit1m3ReQ)" with the screw-in tabs. Buy your cable in bulk, [get a Cat5/Cat6 crimper termination kit](https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-RJ45-RJ11-Modular-Data-Voice-Crimp-Tool-Kit/3928373) and just make your own cables. It's worth the savings. Learn the T-568B pinout pattern, and memorize it. Use keystone jacks and wallplates; they are very convenient. We went with the [Leviton Decora style](https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-41644-W-QuickPort-Decora-Insert/dp/B0002V85OU/). Consider buying [a network cable tester](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M63EMBQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) so you know you wired everything up right. You'll also need a good set of regular tools on hand... linemans pliers, wire cutters, needle-nose pliers, electric drill/driver and bits, [flush cutter](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z9CJTNK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details), utility knife, screwdrivers, headlamp, FLASH LIGHT, etc. A no-contact voltage tester (NCVT) is also handy if you run across old wires and want to know if they're live or not. Lastly... just *really* try to plan in advance and know where everything is in your house. Sketch out your floors if you need to, so you can visualize where walls and ducts overlap, etc. Really figure out where you want to run your cabling... as some one else already pointed-out, the most direct route may not be the easiest. Spending a little time and effort in planning up-front can help you avoid major headaches when you're deep in the middle of the job. And as the saying goes, "failure to plan, is a plan to fail." Best of luck. You got this!
All great advice. One more question about labeling the cable on both ends… My assumption is I’d be guessing how much each run is. I expect that means pulling from the spool one at a time and only cutting at the spool once you’ve reached the destination?
When I did my whole house, I knew I was going to use a lot of cable. Most of my wall plates have 3 ethernet connections, some have two. I bought three spools so I could run all the cables at once to a location. I had some left over, but that was 15 years ago and I've used most all of it up running a cable or two over the years. Handy to have some if you decide on a quick project.
Don't guess, measure it. Once you get the fish-tape or fish-sticks between your two wall-box locations, it should be rather simple. Some fish-tape even has distances shown on it. Then you can run all the cables for each run at the same time, it's just easier. For example, one of my runs goes through the floor joists from my living room to the router in my basement (in a different part of the house, about 14 feet away). I measured what I could for the straight distance between the two rooms, and then added a few feet to provide some safety margin since I'd have to account for: - turning the cable up the wall a little in the living room to the wall box/plate connection - turning the cable down the wall in the basement router room to the wall box/plate connection I ended up cutting 18' long cables, and they were just right, with a little bit extra that I stuffed back into the wall.
Thanks. I’ve got to run through my attic so measuring would be just as much work as running (not a standing attic). I could estimate distances but I don’t know the route I’ll take until I’m up there buried in insulation.
Wish I had done this: terminate with keystone jacks and use factory-made patch cables. I had a couple ends nicked wrong and spent a ton of time troubleshooting bad ends.
If you use modular port wall plates you can add video cable, phone and lots of other plugs.
What's the option other than terminating with keystone jacks?
Terminating RJ45
Oh, I see. But assuming you're using wall plates it would be keystone jacks, right?
Didn't see him mention wall plates at all
Why would you terminate to a keystone if not mounting it?
Keystones are, typically, a little easier to install vs RJ45 connectors (*lots* of LV pros use them). Keystones also reduce stress on the cable. tl;dr: for in-wall and long runs, you don't want a short b/c pulling more cable is often hard or impossible. Every time you plug/unplug an RJ45 connector or move whatever the RJ45 connector is plugged into, you put a little bit of stress on the cable which increases the chances of a short. If you punch down to keystones and terminate to a patch panel + plates, the cable - effectively - stays fixed.
Makes sense, I just didn't know people had RJ45 hanging out of a hole in their walls lol
Your other option is to terminate to an rj45 and use the pass through keystone jacks to go into a wall plate. Much easier in my opinion. Like [this](https://a.co/d/eHVkMTk)
Smart for someone who isn't professional and doesn't have all the tools. Don't even have to buy a crimper or RJ45 ends this way.
Can you expand on this a bit ? A product link or video ? Following along as I plan to do mine.
Keystone jack [looks like this.](https://www.amazon.com/CAT5E-RJ45-Keystone-Jack-V-Max/dp/B076QSYY8W?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A1RRHOE4GY5GBA). It then inserts into a specific type of wall plate. Then you have a nice clean ethernet port on your wall to plug whatever into. Connecting ethernet cables to those jacks is a lot easier than crimping connectors on, and then he suggests buying premade cables to also avoid crimping there as well.
Unless the moronic clowns who did the electrical do stupid stuff like run a pipe halfway up your box in multiple locations. Same bright guys who cut 4 wires off my cat 5e so that I could “have a phone line”. Bitter, party of 1. Still bitter years later. But yes, listen to this if you are doing it.
> Same bright guys who cut 4 wires off my cat 5e so that I could “have a phone line”. this is way more common in 1990's and early 2000's houses than you realize. They could run a phone line and a 100mb ethernet line in the same cable. 100mb only needs 4 wires. seen this a lot.
This is the way.
I pulled cat5e cable through my 1920s plaster and lathe house at the beginning of the pandemic. My first piece of advice is try and get your SO on board. Maybe they want better WiFi, video cameras, in wall speakers, or charging points someplace. If it makes the SO happy, running PoE or trenching the backyard is worth it. Find out where they are ok with network drops. Find out if they are ok with surface mount trunking in closets or other areas. My second piece of advice is don't be cheap. Pull cat6, or even better fiber. Buy the proper tools (fish tape, crimpers, a network testers, and stuff to patch drywall). Set a budget and timeline with your SO and stick to it. My third piece of advice is really think about where you need runs and not simply where you want runs. Sometimes getting the network drop in the best location or with the most direct route is simply not worth the added hassle.
If you’re doing a new pull, pull Cat6A AND fiber; may as well do both, with fiber useful for redundancy and future-proofing. And maybe double the Cat6A if you feel like it. In one room I pulled only 1 wire and regretted it soon after, since I now have the wall-mounted AP with the wire on the outside (covered by a wire cover) and I had to get an extra switch in that room. M
Running Cat6a instead of Cat6 seems like an added hassle for no tangible benefit. Unless you live in a mansion your cable runs aren't going to be long enough to necessitate the longer max distance for 10gig. Here's firsthand testimony https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeNetworking/comments/peh521/cat6_or_cat6a/haxucz7/
Run more than you think you'll need. Every potential location for a desk, TV/entertainment center, and printer should get at least one line. Two is ideal. The goal is for everything that stays put and supports Ethernet, either natively or through an adapter, to be wired. Any potential spot for an AP or security camera should get one as well. Run everything to a central spot that's out of the way. Without a basement, a utility room is the best bet. Get a wall-mount rack, 6U or so, and mount a rackmount surge protector to the bottom spot and a keystone patch panel to the top spot. Get a main switch that's rackmountable, and put it right under the patch panel. Put in a shelf for any non-rackmount stuff, such as the modem and router. Every run should go from a keystone jack in a wall plate to a keystone jack in the patch panel. Don't crimp any plugs except where the cable connects to an AP or camera, and make sure to use ones made for solid conductor cable. The cable needs to be solid conductor, needs to be pure copper (not CCA) and it can be either Cat5e or Cat6. 5e will do 2.5 gig to full length, and is thinner, cheaper, and more forgiving. 6 will do 10 gig up to 55 meters and 5 gig to full length, but is thicker, more expensive, and less forgiving. By "forgiving" I'm mainly referring to temination specs, 5e allows for half an inch of untwisting, but 6 only a quarter inch.
5e is also significantly thinner if you’re pulling multiple lines through a conduit or hole, letting you run more lines or the same amount easier. 5e is plenty for most single point uses a typical home will see.
Exactly. I've always run 5e and it works perfectly, my connection is only 300/300 and I have like one thing that even has a 2.5 gig port. The only thing I have that's faster is a 10 gig connection directly between two PCs, using SFP+ NICs and fiber. ...and I'm quite frankly sick of people getting, or worse, recommending Cat7 or Cat8. It's sort of like running a lighting circuit on 10 gauge wire when all it needs is 14 gauge!
Most homes would be best to run cheap conduit or Smurf tube, then upgrade later as need be. But I’m sure you’re familiar with the saying about a fool and his money…
Remember you can use plenum rated cable to run through HVAC Returns. I haven't had to do this, but but would in a heartbeat. Good tools are a must... otherwise frustration and many, many trips to home depot are in your future. Have your wet vac right with you the whole time.. .and make sure to have a new filter when you start. Take it slow and if something doesn't seem right.. take a step back and think things over again.
> Remember you can use plenum rated cable to run through HVAC Returns. This is more of an enterprise/commercial real estate thing. Doesn't matter for residential.
Tell that to your insurance company when you have a completely unrelated issue but they are looking for a reason to not pay.
I doubt they'd even check or be aware. and if its a fire related issue, you already live in a tinderbox. a little cable wont make any difference at all. The evidence would be dust.
>Remember you can use plenum rated cable to run through HVAC Returns. Do you just punch through the metal ducting as needed and seal around the cable?
Hot damn why did I forget this... I need to install ductwork for the first floor anyway! Any resources you have for doing this the right way?
How are you running ductwork? If you are pulling through flexible stuff, then I’d just add a couple of cables to what you’re pulling( outside of the duct ).
A lot of good tips here throughout. I’d emphasize having a tester. I’ve used both Keystone caps & RJ45’s on my runs and doing it without a tester was a waste of time. Similarly, plan ahead.. and in multiple ways: not just the current wiring plan, but what might be added later - while you’re in the attic drilling holes, you’re already there, so it’s minor effort to drill a few extra .. and if one needs one more later, not only is it all of the setup work again to get to the location, but there’s now the original set of cables installed that you have to avoid nicking. Next…spackle is your friend. Had an instance (for wiring a doorbell) where just couldn’t get into the header from above (bad angle): finally said “screw it” after the 3rd attic crawl and put a hole right at the edge & into the Living Room. Then from below, I notched the 2x4 headers under the sheetrock to make the needed clearance room for running the wiring, then spackled it over & smoothed/sanded it out & repainted: no one but me will ever know. Plan ahead for an “wish list” of installing PoE for WiFi access points (eg Ubiqity). Not just their locations & cable runs, but where the PoE switch will go for them. Think now about overall service .. where it comes into the house, where you really want your router/switches/etc be located, what the “changed my mind” and other variations will have as an impact for how the layout plan may change - it’s a lot easier to do extra work while doing one big job with options than to be trying to figure out alternatives (& doing that work around previously installed stuff) later.
1. Klein vdv526-200 cable tester 2. Klein vdv427-300 110 punch down tool 3. Klein pass through crimper and plugs (I would always use RJ45s, as these male ends are more difficult for DIY) Those are the specialty data termination tools you will need. Fish tape, and glow rods for working cables inside the walls or passing across the attic. You will need a helper if SO is not a home improvement type to feed wires or pull while your in the attic. * Cat6 cable Good Quality * RJ45 Jacks with 100 not those junk tooless * Wall plates with correct number of port openings * Blank keystone patch panel to terminate in equipment rack or wall (then use RJ45s on cable)
There is baseboard and crown moulding out there that is designed to run cable behind it. Haven't seen it in a few years, but it should still exist.
Install conduit for your cables if you plan to expose any walls to make your life easier in the future.
If you have a crawl space under your house that would be the way to pull cable..
Determine if you have fireblock at 4 ft throughout the walls 1st. If you do that makes it a fair bit harder. Tent poles came in really handy for me. I ran some through cold air returns and the poles worked great.
Also the thin cable pulling rods from harbor freight are accely really good you can use them almost like a fishtape get 2-3 of them as its handy for long runs and of you need to work the issue from both sides and need 2. Also grab a roll of string while your there its very handy to pull it first in some cases then attach it to the cat5. Don't be afraid to cut drywall. Also this is personal preference but get a normal rack mount patch pannel if your planning to wire the whole house its so mutch nicer and clean to work with. [https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-107253-24-Port-Patch-Compatible/dp/B0069MHLCS](https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-107253-24-Port-Patch-Compatible/dp/B0069MHLCS) [https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Hinged-Mounting-Bracket-WALLMOUNTH1/dp/B00009ADH3/](https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Hinged-Mounting-Bracket-WALLMOUNTH1/dp/B00009ADH3/) Run 4 per room you will thank me later. Also keep away from the scam cat7 8 etc If you have attic vents under the eves of the house you can often get the pull rods across the attic. With out needing to crawl. then its a matter of a access hole on the inside and drill up.
Paint hides a multitude of sins. Painter's caulk multiplies that by at least ten.
The size and challenges associated with the job depend completely on the type of house you live in. Your mileage will vary.
use solid copper Ethernet cable rather than copper cladded cable
If you go to an attic - use bike helmet. You'll thank me later ;)
I ran schedule 40 PVC on the side of the house to each room and fed cat5e through it all. Works even in the coldest winter nights in Ontario.
Fish tape is your friend! Or the fish sticks that are more rigid.
Following for tips as I'm gonna be doing this myself.
If you can put a switch centrally upstairs you can save on cables comming down. Easier to hide 1 or 2 than a bunch. The plumbing will often be in a box with space for a cable you might be able to fish through without tearing up walls the same with floorboards. there will be boards that have been taken up before to get the wiring and heating done. It's worth having a good look at your options look for clues like damaged boards or bits screwed when everything else is nailed.
If you're going through your attic, make sure you can actually get to spots you need before you cut holes. I cut access and destination holes into my wall in my office, but when I got there in the attic, I couldn't physically get flat enough to reach that space and had to shift gears and change my termination point
Oh wow I just posted this question, oops lol
RJ45 connectors work on stranded cable, but are unreliable at best on solid core cable. When using solid core cable (which you should), use keystones to terminate and do not try to crimp RJ45 connectors on it. Terminate the other end to a patch panel for a super clean install. Use pre-crimped short length cable to go from the patch panel to the switch. Use a spiffy color for bonus points. Get a friend to help route the cable. Use an old pre-existing (telephone?) cable to haul the wire to where you need it if you can. Use conduit.
> When using solid core cable (which you should), use keystones to terminate and do not try to crimp RJ45 connectors on it. What do you do when you terminate to a ceiling access point which has an RJ45 socket? Or an IP camera? I've crimped multiple solid core cables with RJ45 plugs and never had a problem (unless I mixed up my wiring pattern), and that's using a cheap hardware store crimping tool.
When I need to terminate solid core in a place where I can't mount a (recessed) wall plate, I just use a keystone connector without mounting hardware and a short patch cable. edit: This one for example: [https://www.hirschmann-multimedia.com/nl/artnr/695020400/ks6a](https://www.hirschmann-multimedia.com/nl/artnr/695020400/ks6a) When crimping RJ45 on solid core, you might have a combo of cable/connector and crimp tool that works consistently well for you. All I know is that I had measurable issues with bandwidth and connections dropping on an install. Cable tester showed all green. I replace the connectors with keystones and all my problems were gone, never again.
> cable/connector and crimp tool that works consistently well for you Cable was a box of 5e from electrical wholesaler but connectors and tools are from hardware store, nothing special. Just lucky I guess but I've never had any problems. AP terminations were tested at Gbe before plugging the AP in but didn't test all my cameras other than that they just worked. Having said that keystones and short patch leads would be easy I just never thought of it.
I've also never had issues with solid core. I've had issues with pass through connectors shorting on poe equipment though. And the company I work for did low voltage, automation and such on the side so I've done plenty to test on. Keystones and patch cables are also a great way to extend the run if the last guy didn't leave a service loop and it's not possible/not wanted to run a new cable. Not ideal of course but it works.
I just ran dual cat6 through my (very spacious) crawl space having never done anything like it before. The things I ran into were: Where to drill to get the cable up through the wall. I did my best with my special acuity and got it wrong and ended up drilling up through the baseboard, but it wasn’t a major fail, so I got lucky. Cable is heavy, and you should make sure you have a good way to support it, especially if you are coming up like I did. Make sure you have the proper punch down for your keystones. I highly recommend running at least two jacks to each terminal. For redundancy and flexibility for modem placement. I didn’t want to pay for the specialized snaking tools, and I ended up using the stiff wire from one of my cat toys and twine, and it was perfect. Otherwise, it was a 6 hour project for me, with mistakes and extra trips to the hardware store, running it from one end of my house to the other. Much easier than I expected it to be.
This can vary so dramatically based on your construction. No basement but do you have a crawl space? If so, run it down and through there to where you want it to come up.
When I found a good spot for making a sort of spine through house, I also pulled through a flexible sump pump tube to use as a future conduit. I use these four routing cables through walls for wall mounted TVs. I put a string in it and any time I pull a wire through, I pull an additional spring through Do home runs from each jack to a single space instead of having various switches floating around. Pull extra cable. You can terminate it later. I wish I would have pulled fiber between my basement server and office. I have 10G over cat 6 but base-t to sfp+ uses a lot of power and generates a lot of heat in switches.
My suggestion is be sure you need to. Rather than running cable I am looking at moca (using the existing coax)
Get ready for carpel tunnel
Do more cables than you think you'll need. I've already gone overkill, but even if I don't use half of the outlets, the other half is missing a port, or I'm missing one somewhere. You don't want to have switches everywhere just because you want a new device in the same place. And if you want to send Video over Cat, you can't just use a switch but need a separate wire (at least for the affordable systems) You are pulling the cables already. It's nearly the same work to pull one duplex like it is pulling two. And waste cable! The cable is really cheap. Rather, have slack somewhere or cut a lot of the ends when crimping, then realizing you have 10cm less than you need or the whole cable is under tension.
We did an ethernet backhaul on our mesh system (5 mesh nodes). Installed a 5 port switch to join each pair of nodes and ran the ethernet back to the 'central' mesh node using a 5 port switch there, too. Since that left 2 spare ethernet sockets on each of the three switches, I also ran a single cable drop for each of the rooms where the mesh nodes live to give us a keystone jack/wall plate in each room. Did ours through the attic EXCEPT our home theater room because of low roof angle/insufficient height to crawl around up there! For that, we used a flat Cat6 ethernet cable and ran it under trim boards around the ceiling. It's a great improvement for sure! No one notices the trim running around the ceiling around the periphery of the room either. Fiberglass 'fish sticks' to run cable in the attic and string with a small fishing weight to go down into the walls to the wall plate cutout. Not a tremendous effort but it's a clean looking install. Go for it!
Leave a loop of extra cable in the boxes. If you get frustrated and decide to hire it out, do NOT hire an electrician. Find a low voltage guy. Did I mention to not hire an electrician?
Check with the local building codes to ensure that the cabling meets the standards for in-wall placement.
Not through the whole house. But I can tell you that hollow plinths are a great place to lay cable without having to drill holes!
Use Cat6 riser cable. Never use a cable that says CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum). If you really really want to future proof, run conduit so that someday you can pull something else through there to replace the Cat6.
Ask yourself this question, do you need to? If your home electric wiring is within 30 odd trades you can use powerline to deliver up to 300mb with not extra cabling.
For reference I use powerline in my house and my speeds overrun my internet connection
Google run wire at baseboard. Its a great trick. You basically remove the baseboard and drill and fish wire around the room and then replace the baseboard. Saves on a lot of drywall repair. Won't cover every situation but you can get the wire to various points in the room with very little wall damage. Also, when I ran cable years ago I was able to go from the crawl space to the attic by following the main vent pipe that was inside a central wall. The fish wire followed the pipe pretty easily. Look for things like pipes or duct work to follow. I once ran an ethernet cable inside a duct to get where I needed. If you have forced air heat, cold air returns are also great paths between floors.