I'm looking to redo the cabling for my home network (with school out
for the summer, you know what they say about idle hands and the
devil). Our current configuration is a computer in the family room
(along with the router [a WRT54G] and the cable box), with the running
a premade (and thus not nearly long enough) to my room (~175 ft), my
sister's room(~200 ft), and the den (6 ft). What I would really like
to do is invest in a decent hub (as opposed to a router), put Ubuntu
on an old computer and use it as a DHCP server, and put, at minimum, 1
wall jack in my room, my sister's room, my parent's room, the den, the
kitchen, and the living room (making a total of 6 rooms if I can still
count). I'd also like to have Wi-Fi for using my laptop. I'd then like
to switch from cable and get DSL (this is somethign we've (as in the
whole family, not just me) been wanting to for a year or two now, and
put the whole assembly (router, DSL box, Wi-Fi connection (whether I
keep the WRT54G, and presumably some type of patchbay) in either my
closet or the hall closet (they back up to each other - chosen due to
central location in house and because they're closer to me, and I'm
typically the one fixing whatever gets broken).

Now, all that said, I have a few questions:

1. If it makes any difference, I'm in Alabama. What kind of codes do I
need to be concerned about and what guidelines should I follow? What I
would love to do (if it meets code) is to put either 1/4" or 1/2" PVC
pipes in the walls in the interest of simplifying future
installations. Can anyone provide some guidance on that?

2. I know that I would need to get power into the closets if I am
going to run a hub, modem, etc. up there. I know enough to know that I
can't just run an extension cord through the wall, but is putting an
outlet up there legal in the first place? I'm not too fond of the
thought of having an electrician charge me just to say that it can't
be done legally.

3. As it stands now, the cables are simply lying on the floor of the
attic. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how the cables can be
organized and hung somehow in the attic without the fire and tripping
hazard they pose now?

4. What other cables do I need to think about running at this point?
I'm considering running the coax for cable TV to replace what we
currently have (which is a cable running along the perimeter of the
house just beneath the roof with more splitters than I've seen before
in my life). Only problem there is cost, but if I can I'm definitely
thinking that needs to be done. Are there any other connections I need
to be thinking about putting in for use either now or later?

5. What hardware for the hub and Wi-Fi transmitter would you
recommend? I like the WRT54G, but with only 4 connections, it is
somewhat limiting, and if I'm going to be replacing everything else,
then I might as well go for that as well and give me the ability to
monitor traffic from my computer. I'd also like recommendations on a
decent patchbay (probably not the correct term...) to connect the
cables coming from the wall to and then from there to the hub.

6. Where would you recommend I get my bulk cabling? I'm not really
fond of paying for it by the foot at Lowe's or buying a box of 1000'
and coughing up $100-something. Is there someplace cheaper, or is
Lowe's actually my best bet?

Feel free to throw anything out there that you think I should know.
Don't necessarily assume I know anything.

Thanks!