Reddit mentions of Klein Tools 56001 Fish Tape, 50-Foot Long x 1/8-Inch Wide Steel Pull Line, for Heavy Duty Wire Pulls, Updated Model Cat. No. 56331 Available

I bought an electrician’s fish tape and attached my endoscope to that with tape. Makes it more rigid so you can jam it around the ridges in those drain pipes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026TA6RK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_IzOCDbV9AVQ4Z

Fish tape. Klein Tools 56001 1/8-Inch Wide Steel Fish Tape, 50-Foot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026TA6RK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3U0LAbR43RGS9

I've done a decent amount a cabling over the last 20 years or so. the first few links I found on google aren't bad.

I'd definitely recommend having a fish tape or pull rod. Usually when I've done it in a home, I like to pull up from the basement (where I end up putting the patch panel every time I've done it) up to the attic before then running it to the upper floor rooms. I've used traditional wall plates using punch down connectors, but I think that now that they're available I would use a F/F wall plate so all you have to do is make an RJ-45 on the wall cable and plug it into the wall jack. Leave yourself an extra 12'-36" at either end of a pull (in the biz we call it a service loop, it gives you some extra play and lets you have plenty of length if you need to re-terminate).

Generally you want to use Solid cable in walls and Stranded to make patch cables, but for a home install it won't kill you to re-use the same cable for both. Plenum cable is for fire code, and generally you use it for runs in open ventilated drop tile ceilings.

Depending on how many runs you'll have and what you plan on doing, you might want a patch panel at the source of the runs. That lets you terminate the run on the panel and then makes it easier to label and re-connect things in the future. It's the more pro thing to do, but it's no the end of the world to terminate with an RJ-45.

Chances are pretty good that any switch you can get will be fine for your home needs. Even running a Plex server to a game console or streaming device you'll be fine. Only is you regularly want to move multi GB or TB files around will you see a difference between a Netgear desktop switch and a major Cisco monster (assuming that you won't have many connections and you don't need any of the more advanced features). The only feature that you may get some mileage out of is Power Over Ethernet (POE), which allows you to use some IP Phones and Wireless access points without a power adapter.

Nope, I ran it all myself. The longest run was from my basement to the attic. From the attic, I drilled down from the top stud into the wall of a closet. I cut open the wall of the closet and installed an access panel like this when I was done instead of patching it (so I can get in there later if I need to). From the closet, I drilled down through the floor stud inside the wall. Then my basement has a drop ceiling, so it was easy to route it down to where my media closet is. I used a fish tape to run the cable.

I don't have any construction background, but it was easy to learn from watching YouTube tutorial videos. If you're not up for doing it yourself, you can hire an electrician (expensive) or you can usually find A/V installers who can do low voltage runs through your walls for cheaper.

If you can hide the cable the whole run under carpet. Getting past the archway will be easy with a fish tape https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-56001-Strength-50-Foot/dp/B0026TA6RK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480647857&sr=8-3&keywords=fish+tape With ribbon cable https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-jadaol-Internet-computer-Connectors/dp/B00WD017BG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480648036&sr=8-3&keywords=flat+network+cable+100ft you wont even feel it under the carpet when standing on it.

you'll need something called fish tape. Drill the holes, send this through the walls, attach the end of the wire to this, and reel it back in.