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    wattaqtkiwi's Avatar
    wattaqtkiwi Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jan 3, 2008, 01:15 PM
    2 phone lines
    Hi,
    We have 2 phone lines in our home. The 2nd one is in our bedroom we are using this as our home phone and entnet, the first one is not in use.(was disconnected when my DH's mom and dad moved out)
    I want to make the first line part of the 2nd line so we can have phones all over the house instead of only one room. Our phone company wants $120 for one jack and $55 for any others, we can't pay that much!
    I would like to know if I can do this myself.
    Thanks for you help.

    -Dana
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #2

    Jan 3, 2008, 01:21 PM
    Radio Shack used to have an inexpensive paperback on doing your own phone wiring. Its not hard. I would suggest getting that and if you have any specific question ask.
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
    Jobs & Parenting Expert
     
    #3

    Jan 3, 2008, 01:28 PM
    Also, check at your public library. There should be a book there that tells how to do it. My husband set up three portable phones off our main line.
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
    Uber Member
     
    #4

    Jan 3, 2008, 01:40 PM
    You can, but there are a lot of variations possible depending on the age of the house:

    Can you answer a few questions:

    1) Does the house use quad wire: Thick yellow/red/black/red wires?
    2) Can we assume that a regular phone plugged into the non-working outlet won't work?
    3) It depends on what line was the primary and secondary line
    The primary line is the white-blue and blue-white pair in the NID which is
    The box outside the house.

    Which line gets a dial tone? Plug a phone into the test jack(s) at the NID and test for a dial tone and report the colors.

    What should have happened is that all jacks are wired for line #1 and line #2 and an adapter is placed on the secondary line to access line #1.

    But, that's only one way.

    There is a quick and dirty way of most likely accomplishing what you want providing the above wasn't done. Go to the NID. Determine which pair has dial tone. Move the other line, the wires under the red and green screws to the working line keeping red to red and green to green. Bear in mind that this could cause headaches for anybody troubleshooting the inside lines.

    A reminder, ist that you cannot have use than 5 DSL filters. If you exceed that, you must use a filter/splitter in the NID.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
    Uber Member
     
    #5

    Jan 4, 2008, 07:32 AM
    Like above, depends on what you have, Since you have 2 lines, that is 4 conductors(2 for each line). The active line will have 48 volts, the inactive MAY have 48 volts.
    Line one is usually red and green, or white/blue and blue/white.
    Line two is usually yellow and black, or white/orange and orange/white.
    Before starting, identify connections on outside box so you can put back if you need to.
    Then plug cordless phone in good line and go out to box, and disconnect 2 wires that will not cause you to lose dial tone. Place those 2 wires on the 2 terminals that still are connected.
    Red and Yellow connect to each other(both -), green and black connect to each other(both +)
    Or
    White/blue, and white/orange go together(both +), blue/white and orange/white go together, they are (both-). If this doesn't work, refer to your drawing. Good Luck.
    If your question or situation is not in the book, this is the right place.
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
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    #6

    Jan 4, 2008, 11:10 AM
    Just to re-iterate: ANy number of things could have been done and may not be the right thing.

    One of the first things you need to do is for each location:

    1) Open the Jack
    2) Write down the colors connected to the Red and Green small wires
    And whether that jack is live. Test all with the same cord and test outside first.
    3) For outside, note the live pair.

    Tell us if there is a junction block inside the house where all telco lines terminate.

    Report Back.

    a) It's even harder if you have 110 block connectors

    Hopefully, they didn't do weird things like change the line # by re-wiring the cord.
    That's why it's important to get dial tone outside first.

    BTW, it's not hard.
    wattaqtkiwi's Avatar
    wattaqtkiwi Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #7

    Jan 4, 2008, 07:58 PM
    How do you test the outside NID?
    The RS book, my DH works for them and they don't carry that book and more.
    Thanks so much for all the help.
    I will be getting the info to you asap.
    Thanks again.
    -Dana
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
    Uber Member
     
    #8

    Jan 4, 2008, 08:16 PM
    In this thread of mine: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/landli...ighlight=phone

    There is a picture of the inside of the consumer side of my nid.

    The left most module (in the picture) with the jumper is not used, but it probably looks like yours. It's oriented wrong. You will probably have two of these modules in your NID. They will have wires attached to the red and green screws on each. Note what and where they are.

    You can see the blue/wht, wht/blue pairs on one of the other modules.

    Open the box with a phillips or regular screwdriver. Remove one of the modular plugs and insert a telephone in the jack. Determine which pairs have dial tone and the colors of both.
    wattaqtkiwi's Avatar
    wattaqtkiwi Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #9

    Jan 30, 2008, 11:59 AM
    Hi all, thanks for you help with this, I got the phone lines working! My house is now all on one line. Thanks again.

    -Dana

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