Question : Problem: Running cable behind walls

I'm sure this has been asked lots... but can anyone explain how you run an ethernet cable through the wall of a residential home? I've got a cable that I need to run, in the wall, straight up from the first floor to the second floor. It doesn't need to go around any corners, just into the wall, straight up through the ceiling, out the wall on the other end. I think it might also be an outer wall, bordering on the edge of the house. I have no idea where to begin.

Are there any best practices for running ethernet cable through a residential home?

Answer : Problem: Running cable behind walls

In a nutshell, you cut a rectangular hole for the jack from the source, same height as your electrical boxes.  Then you do the same thing up stairs.  From the upstairs hole, you drill down through the baseplate of the wall, creating a vertical access between the two floors.  Then, you push/pull/feed the cable from one hole to the other.

If life were simple, you could simply reach in the upstairs hole, find the hole in the baseplate, and drop the cable down to the next hole - where someone reaches in with their hand and grabs it.

Since life is complicated - you might need some flexible rods - either fiberglass or metal, and run between the wall and the insulation - curse a lot to find the hole, and then get it through hopefully without messing up your insullation too bad.  Then, tie the wire to a string and pull it through.

I can give you some more advice and pointers to some tools - where are you?  In the US, both Lowes and Home Depot have started carrying special wire pulling tools - notably long drill bits, fiberglass rods by Greenlee, and some other specialized tools for doing this.  For some really cool tools - and a few "how to's", check out:  http://www.lsdinc.com/content/main

Hope this helps.