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Plan the path for your wires before starting any work. First look at the plan of your house and identify the rooms that require a cable hookup. Generally any rooms that will have a TV, landline phone, or computer need one. Some contractors like to run wires into every room, just in case. That way, if you decide you want a cable hookup in another room later on, you don't have to run new wires. If you only use wifi for your internet access, then you won't need ethernet cables in every room with a computer. The wiring panel is where all your home's network wires connect and where service providers attach their wires to. For the best location, look for a point in your home that is out of the way and where you can easily run wires to. Contractors usually prefer to put these boxes in the basement if you have one, because it's easy to run the wires up through the walls and to other rooms. Another popular choice is a laundry room. Wiring panels can also be unsightly, so consider locating it in a closet or a room that visitors don't enter. Wiring panels are also sometimes called structured wiring panels or distribution boxes. Don't get confused if a website or contractor uses one of these terms. Cables commonly feed throughout the house from either the attic or the crawlspace under the house. Since not all homes have a crawlspace, the attic is a more popular choice. Go to your wiring panel location and make sure there are hollow walls there that you can run wires up. Most sheet rock walls should be suitable. Find a point in this area that you can feed a wire straight up into the attic from. You don't need precise measurements for running these cables. If the cable ends up too long, you can just cut or roll it when it reaches the end of its route. The wiring plan gives you a general idea of the route the wires will take, and also marks cable locations for future repairs. Check the blueprints of your house for potential routes that you aren't aware of. You can use existing holes in the wall to run cables as long as they don't have electrical wires running through them. Electrical wires will interfere with the signal. If all the holes have electrical wires, then you'll have to drill new ones. Cables distribute throughout the house from the attic or crawlspace. Make a plan of all the rooms that need a cable hookup. Then map how each cable will feed through the attic and at which points they will enter each room. Cables usually feed down from the attic inside walls. For an easier, but less visually-appealing job, you can also cut through the room's ceiling and feed the cable down this way. If you have trouble drawing up your own diagram or using your home blueprints, search for a software program to help. There are many products that let you scan in your home blueprints and plug in which cables you want to install. The programs then produce the ideal wiring plan for your home that you can follow easily. Some programs are free and some are paid. Research different ones to see which is best for your needs. Don't try to skimp by using a cheap program if it isn't a quality one. Some paid programs offer free trials that you can use to plan one job. See if a program you're interested in offers a trial.
Identify the rooms that need a cable hookup. Position the wiring panel in a central location you can easily access. Identify the route of the wires from your distribution panel. Map out where each cable will go from the attic or crawlspace. Use a program to draw a wiring plan if you don't know where to start.