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murley · May 5, 2005, 06:06 PM

... I'm finishing my basement and where the main phone line comes in through the foundation, there is this tiny little phone box. It has 2 terminals for the two home wires. Problem is that whoever hooked up all of the phone lines in the house has made an enormous nightmare of this little box. I'm wondering if anyone knows of what/where to get something to clean this situation up before I get done finishing my basement?

labman · May 5, 2005, 08:34 PM

I am not sure what you are talking about. The box where the incoming phone line meets your house wiring is called a system interface box or something. It belongs to your phone company. If the box itself is a mess, you may have to beg them to fix it. Otherwise, straighten out the wiring the best you can. Unless you have more than one line, only the red and green wires are used. Straighten out things the best you can, making sure you have good connections for all the red and green wires.

Even if you get rid of your local phone company like I did, you still need a junction box to connect all you phone lines. $72/mo gives me complete local phone service, unlimited long distance North of the Rio Grande, and high speed, always on internet.

Flickit · May 5, 2005, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by murley

...I'm finishing my basement and where the main phone line comes in through the foundation, there is this tiny little phone box. It has 2 terminals for the two home wires. Problem is that whoever hooked up all of the phone lines in the house has made an enormous nightmare of this little box. I'm wondering if anyone knows of what/where to get something to clean this situation up before I get done finishing my basement?

... a selection of terminals, jacks, wire, etc. try Radio Shack and get some know-how and advise. If you have a good idea what you want to do and just need the hardware, try Home Depot or Ace Hardware.
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murley · May 6, 2005, 06:40 AM

... Not the phone company box on the outside. Where the line comes into the house. It goes into a little jack that all of the other lines in the house route to also.

labman · May 6, 2005, 07:13 AM

In that case, it is yours to do as you want. The phone wiring beyond the interface is yours, and as long as you keep it in good shape, you can do as you like. You can disconnect everything, replace the box if you want, rearrange the wires as far as they will reach, etc. Your phone will not work while the wires are disconnected, and be careful not to short the incoming red and green wires together. I bought a presentable standard weatherproof electrical box at Ace Hardware for my phone wires that all go outside to connect. I am not sure if you will find much except the standard little square boxes with the 4 terminals in retail stores.

NeedKarma · May 6, 2005, 07:42 AM

As Labman mentioned that junction is also known as the demarcation point ("demarc" in telco lingo) and is the point at which the phone compny is no longer responsible. Usually the red and green wires are the active ones and black and yellow are spares. Take a pic of the junction box before you take it apart.

I found this by accident while doing a little rersearch for this post:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bparker/index1.html

Looks good!

KarlB603 · Aug 29, 2005, 10:48 PM

It also depends on the age of the wiring. A newer color-code is Blue-Orange-Green-Brown, where you have 8 wires (4 pairs) and the first pair used is the solid blue and the blue/white insulation set, then the solid orange and orange/white... and so on (if the house was wired by someone who knew what they were doing). I've seen jobs where the wallboard installers have sprayed coatings all over the wires in a box, as well, making identification even more challenging. Good Luck!

Stratmando · May 25, 2007, 11:35 AM

Leviton makes a Punchdown Block or "66 Block" with mount. Home Depot even has them, right next to a variety of "Quick Port Jacks, computer type, BNC, RCA, and more.
I will use single gang 6 port where home computer is, and have 6 colors(Red, orange,
blue,violet, yellow and green, for example.
Red-office, orange-kitchen,(but you don't have to identify)Red in room is red in office.
And in bedroom, you may have 6 port plate with these inserts:2 RG6 for TV or Sat,
One may be for Marine vhf to roof, One video return(Future camera?)Hard wired in house better than having kids room "On The Air"
One could be for Extension type phone, one could be for fax, or CO Line for Cable or Sat
The "66 Blocks" have bridge clips which jumps left side to right side of block.
All Inside phone wires have individual spot to punch down onto.(right side)