Communications: Voice, Radio and Data - Data Network

I plan to run a computer network in my house using cat5. Does every jack location I install need its own cable from the hub, or can I tap into a cable like you can when installing electrical outlets?

You need a run to every outlet from the router......

You need a run to every outlet from the router......

Not exactly. You will need an individual run from your central location to each room. (Sorry, you can't tap into them like you can with electrical outlets). However, you would not connect them all to a router.

Your router will probably only have two ethernet ports - one for your internet connection and one for the connections to the rest of your house. You need to connect a switch or a hub to the later of those two ports, and then connect all the cable runs to your house to the switch or hub.

In case you're curious, the difference between a switch and a hub is that a hub is basically a repeater - any data it receives will be echoed out every port. A switch is more intelligent - it will send the data only to the port which connects to the system it's trying to get to. A switch is more efficient, and slightly more pricey. (Fancy switches known as "managed switches" can also do lots more, but you probably don't need the extra features for a normal home installation.)

One last piece of advice - get a patch panel. If you ever decide to move any piece of network equipment (like, say, you decide to move the switch 5 feet to the left), you may suddenly find that all your cable runs are too short. If you have all the cables go to a patch panel, then you can change what things are connected to, or move equipment, without having to physically run new wires through your wall.

Good luck.

Your router will probably only have two ethernet ports

you would be hard pressed to find a consumer grade router that doesn't include a built in 4 or 8 port switch

are hubs even available anymore ?

mm thats why I said what I did. W/o knowing how many rooms/connections, etc.

Course it was 2 weeks ago also.

you would be hard pressed to find a consumer grade router that doesn't include a built in 4 or 8 port switch

I personally avoid those devices because they're usually poor quality. I use a cisco 2621 router and then have an old netgear switch behind it (which admittedly is due for an upgrade soon). The router with a built in switch model usually doesn't provide a lot of control, customizability, and limits you to only 4 or 8 ports. If that works for you then great, but the question was generic so I made sure to specify.

are hubs even available anymore ?

Of course! There are still applications which need hubs and can't use switches. (Some cluster architectures, when you want to do protocol analysis, etc.) Hubs also have the benefit of not bringing down an entire network when there's a loop. (Switches can do that if they're not running spanning tree protocol or some other loop detection protocol).

you aren't going to find those items at best buy or wally world so I wouldn't espect them to be used by those posting on a DIY forum looking for basic advice

I can get my hands on that stuff if I need it, but I don't. I have a small house and my network needs are very small.

there are 100's of thousands of home and small business networks running just fine on inexpensive consumer grade routers .