I have a panel that has 2 jacks on it. One jack works just fine, but the other isn't receiving incoming calls. It gets a dial tone, but won't receive calls.

Plugging the phone cord into the working jack... makes the phone work, but I have a Modem connected to that. I've got the line routed through a fax machine then to the phone. I've confirmed it's not the phone cables that are the problem.

Modem also doesn't work if plugged into this non-working jack. So it's not the phone or fax.

I'm no Phone tech, so as far as the jack is concerned I'm clueless. Whether some wires are loose, or the jack itself is the problem is beyond me. It was working earlier this week, and nothing has been done to the jack.

That is about all the info I've got. (This is at work, so I don't have a way to test immediately)

I'm going to go with replacing the jack. Inspect the jack and plug for corrosion and bent pins.

Are the two jacks separate lines?

I couldn't exactly tell you. The panel has two jacks on it. One goes to the fax/phone, the other goes to the Qwest DSL Modem. Whether that would require two lines or not is something I'm not sure of. (Don't have a lot of knowledge of how DSL works in conjunction to phones)

There is a phone connected to another jack (Elsewhere in the building, same line) that works just fine. Just with one this panel's jack everything gets all messed up.

Phone - Dial Tone, but no Incoming. Unsure if dialing out is actually possible, assumed so because of Dial Tone.

Modem - Connection, but no Internet Access. Gets IP address, but DNS messes up.

I guessed it was just the jack, but was unsure if the symptoms of this problem could pinpoint a specific piece that was wrong or broken. Whether it be the jack itself or the wiring to the jack. Thus I'm here.

Wouldn't want to waste money on the wrong solution. ;)

All in all I'm very limited on Information, and access to said problem jack, but have said what information I have gathered prior that I felt was pertinent to the problem. (Again, not too much experience with Phones and how they work)

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

DSL was a piece of info that's missing.

Do you know how the filters or splitters are connected.

The DSL line requires an unfiltered line. The other lines MUST either be fed by a splitter or have filters at that location.

With the DSL modem on you should hear something like white noise (FM radio tuned to a non station). When you turn the modem off, the noise should go away.

If the DSL modem is plugged into a filtered line you will have all sorts of problems.

You can have a maximum of 5 filters or 1 splitter.

The splitter is the way to go.

If there is a splitter, then mixing up the lines could cause problems.

Above info is all good.
I would try calling out.
Then, If you have a cell phone, call your phone, and even if it does not ring in the house, lift the receiver to see if it will connect.
The Ringer is not off?

I've delved all the info I have already on here. So filters, splitters, etc. I have no clue about.

But from reading what you typed it sounds as if it should have never worked in the first place. Yet the fax/phone and the DSL modem were connected before with no problem. A new credit card machine was "Installed" (Plugging into the DSL Modem), after not working, the internet went down.

(This makes it sound like it's the Credit Card Machines fault, to which it could be I guess, but it works fine on the other jack, as explained below)

With just fiddling around I found that switching the modem to what WAS the phone jack (Phone working at this point) fixed the Modems problem. Internet was gained again. Though plugging the Phone into what was the Modem's jack left the phone and fax not working. (As the modem was moments earlier)

Dial tone could be achieved with this "Non-Working" jack, but no calls/faxes could be received. Much in the same way the Modem could find the IP all right with the same jack, but DNS checks couldn't be passed.

I have to assume that either:

A.)The jack itself has just gone bad (Relatively new building, so kind of surprising)

Or

B.)Some wires came loose within the jack, or like you said at the beginning, a bent contact. (Quite could be this. Is there one contact that strictly controls incoming signals?)

Either way you don't need to trouble yourself with trying to solve this puzzle anymore. This was mostly just myself pursuit of knowledge since this just seemed kind of weird.

Thank you again for the time spent reading and replying. I really appreciate it.

As I've said in a earlier reply. This is a phone at work. So I don't currently have access to it. We did not try actually dialing out, just heard the dial tone and stopped there.

We did try calling it, and it did not receive a call regardless of whether it rang or not. (The phone connected elsewhere in the building confirmed that calls were indeed coming through alright)

Switching between the single jack that is working also confirmed that the phone is on, ringing, and can receive calls. Just not in the "Non-Working" jack.

As is the Modem working in the "Working" jack, but not in the "Non-Working" jack.

I said this in my last reply to the other guy, but this isn't some urgent problem. Or even a problem that I am supposed to be taking care of. Instead just a question I wanted more clarification on (Since googling it only did SO much).

A bent contact could possibly be the culprit of this problem.

Thank you for your time, and suggestions.

Do two things:



1. Listen for faint static on the unworking phone and the DSL modem ON.

2. Turn the DSL modem off (power). See if the non-working phone works.