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NETWORK CABLES (also known as Ethernet, Patch, or Cat5/Cat6 cables)
You may be familiar with those (blue, red, white, or yellow) cables you use at home or in the office to connect your computer to your network and/or high-speed internet.  They look like phone cables but are thicker and the connection on the end (also known as an RJ45 connector) is twice the size.  (see Ethernet Network on the Connectors library page.)

Since wireless technology has become more affordable (and popular) for home users, it's not necessary to cable a home for internet access.  However, in some cases you may indeed choose to cable your home.  For instance, I cabled a home for someone who didn't trust wireless for his online gaming experience.  Whatever your reasons, cabling your place is not difficult and you can easily do-it-yourself with the right tools (and state of mind).  What you want to set up for and the way you want to set it up will dictate what materials you will need.

Here are some of the things you may need:  these can be purchased at your local computer store.  I've also purchased many of these at my local do-it-yourself hardware store and from eBay.

For making cables:


RJ45 Crimps
Crimp Tool
Punch Tool
Tester
Coupler/Extenders

Cable - By the box or individual, pre-made cables.  Pre-made cables are more expensive but also less of a hassle if you're a newbie at crimping (or punching down cables) as pre-made already has the ends crimped on.
RJ45 Connectors - The little plastic ends on network cables. 
Crimp Tool - The tool you would use to attach the RJ45 connectors to the ends of the cable.
Punch Tool - The tool you would use to connect the cable to a punch block or patch panel.
Tester - The tool that will tell you whether the cable is crimped correctly and how long it is.

Other tools:
Wall Outlet Jacks - Cover plates and punch blocks (or coupler/extender blocks) are used to make wall outlets where you can plug a cable in and connect to your network or the internet.
Patch Panel - A central punch block panel where cables to all rooms originate.  Here you can connect or disconnect any and all rooms.
Hub/Repeater - Depending on the number of outlets on the unit, you can provide network/internet access to some or all of your rooms (computers).  Also, a Repeater helps regenerate the signal which will loses some of it's strength over long cable distances.

Before you begin, decide what you want to do.  Figure out where your cables will begin and where they will end, how many you need, and how long they should be.  At this point, you'll need to determine whether it would be cost effective (and  easier) to use pre-fab cables or make your own.  If you choose to use pre-fab cables you will not need the cable-making tools from the list above. 

To make your own cables...
1) Pull out the length you need plus a little extra. 
(Better to be a little long than too short.)

2) Skin off the cable jacket approximately 1" or slightly more.

3) Un-twist each pair, and straighten each wire between the fingers.

4) Place the wires in the order. (Regular cable)

Regular cable: (side one | side two) Crossover cable: (side one | side two)
orange/white
orange
green/white
blue
blue/white
green
brown/white
brown		 orange/white
orange
green/white
blue
blue/white
green
brown/white
brown		 orange/white
orange
green/white
blue
blue/white
green
brown/white
brown		 green/white
green
orange/white
blue
blue/white
orange
brown/white
brown

5) Bring all of the wires together, until they touch.
6) At this point, recheck the wiring sequence.

7) Hold the grouped (and sorted) wires together tightly, between the thumb, and the forefinger.

8) Cut all of the wires at a perfect 90 degree angle from the cable at 1/2" from the end of the cable jacket. This is a very critical step. If the wires are not cut straight, they may not all make contact.
9) Insert the wires into the connector (pins facing up).

10) Push moderately hard to assure that all of the wires have reached the end of the connector. Be sure that the cable jacket goes into the back of the connector by about 3/16".

11) Place the connector into a crimp tool, and squeeze hard.

You can check your cable with a tester to make sure the contacts have been made.  Otherwise, figuring out later where you may have a problem will be extremely frustrating.

If you're terminating one end of your cable at a wall outlet, there are three options.
1)  Put a crimp on the end and use a coupler/extender (see pic above).
2)  Use a punch block.  You will need a punch tool. (see pic at right)
3)  Use a screw down block.  Simply strip the wire ends and screw on.
(see pic at right)