[doglovershouse]

How Do You Rewire A House With Two Separate Lines To One Line?

[Stratmando]

For 2 lines, 2 wires are line 1, usually red and green, for line 2, usually yellow and black.
They will be on 4 post. 2 wires need to be removed and connected with the other 2.
Red and yellow go together, and green and black go together.
You could plug in cordless phone in line you want to use, when you disconnect 2 wires at box, and don' lose phone connection, you disconnected the right pair. Connect the 2 loose wires with the wires still connected.
Not all phone boxes use post. Does this sound close, or do you have different color wires?

[doglovershouse]

I don't know as yet. I haven't taken the lids off. I am a female (54) but I have done some small electrical things and connected a switch in a cupboard to the main line of the house. I will try your suggestion today at some point; at least I'll try to get the time to.

Thanks for all the replies, Guys

[KISS]

I'm actually not sure of your question because of the lack of details. Examples:

Reasoning?

Are there 2 line phones in the house?

How many phones?

DSL part of plan or future plan?

Are there any L1, L2 and L1+L2 adapters in the house.

1) Both lines are run to all jacks and they are separated by a small adapter that says: Line 1, Line2 and Line 1 + Line 2.

2) Separarate lines from the NID (Box outside) were run to one or more locations as Line #1.

What does that mean?

Take a phone and it's cable and plug it in the test connector at the NID. Remove the jumper first. That test connector will only respond to line 1.

Take that phone and see if you get dial tone on all the lines.

Then disconnect one line at the NID and do the same. Now do the other. Call the opposite number to identify the lines.

From this information, you will know:

1. What phone number is line 1 at each of the jacks.
If you get the adapter, you can determine if line 1 and line 2 are active.

Radio Shack sells a very inexpensive little two line tester, with a couple of lights on it.
If a line is active it glows one color, if it has reversed polarity it's the other.

A map of location, Line 1 number, line 2 number would be essential information and you can determine that very easily.

1. Disconnect the test jumper in the NID for the blue/white line.
2. Use a phone plugged into that line to call the other number.
Busy - your number or someone is trying that number too. Ringing - the other number
2a. Say your testing Line 1 and it's blue/wht
3. Make a sheet with room, Line 1, Line 2
4. Take the tester and note the line that's blue white
5. Disconnect the other side and plug the first conncter back in
6. Do the same

get a list like:

blue/wht pair = 555-1111, P1 (pair 1)
Orange/wht pair = 555-2222, P2 (Pair 2)

Room L1 L2
F BR 1 2R
L RM 1 X
Kit 2R 1
Den 2 1
Porch 1 X

In that table, I've identified which number is pair 1 and Pair 2 in each room, an X if they are not connected and an R if reverse polarity. From that information and the pair that's being removed, you can consider your options.


Line 1 refers to the telephone connected to the 2 center conductors of the telephone cable. Line 2 refers to the next outer set. Line 1 may not be the main telephone number.

The blue/white pair in the NID is USUALLY the main line or pair #1.

Telephone Line and Wire Troubleshooting from the Natural Handyman Home Repair and Do it Yourself website

[Stratmando]

Doglover, please respond here and not all over others post. You would have problem fixed, instead of giving red marks.

[ScottGem]

Phoine and electrical are different. The reason you haven't gotten answers is you are not keeping to your original thread (this one) and piggybacking on other people's threads causing confusion. For example, you gave a red mark to an answer meant for someone else.

[doglovershouse]

Doglover, please respond here and not all over others post. You would have problem fixed, instead of giving red marks.

SORRY, I'm new to all this site. I;m not sure what you mean by "all over others posts" or "red marks"?? By "red marks" do you mean criticisms of answers to me? I do remember being confused about whether the boxes meant I was to answer, or I was to be answered.

[doglovershouse]

Phoine and electrical are different. The reason you haven't gotten answers is you are not keeping to your original thread (this one) and piggybacking on other people's threads causing confusion. For example, you gave a red mark to an answer meant for someone else.

Thank you Scottgem for advising me as to what I am doing wrong but could you please explain "how" to keep to my "thread" in steps, after I've asked a question?? In other words, what do I click on next... etc...

[ScottGem]

Ok, a "thread" constitutes the original question and all responses to it. When you create a thread or post to one, you are, by default, subscribed to that thread. By default your profile is set to send you an e-mail whenever anyone adds a responde to a thread you have subscribed to. So all you need do is click the link in the e-mail to be returned to the thread.

You can use the Quick Reply or Answer This Question box to post a response to the thread. You can also use the Quote User button, if you want to respond to a particular post and reference what they said.

[Stratmando]

This is someone else's post:
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/custom...tml#post861679
You gave me a red mark because, I mentioned Use of a Meter. There are many poster here with varying levels of experience. You could have said, I want to without a meter or don't have one.
I and others get red marks by many who have less than 10 post, luckily there are other to balance(post a green to cancel the red). Myself I don't give red marks(unless I feel I received one wrongly, and I don't ask for people to leave positive if I have been of help. But don't like getting reds when I shouldn't.
Don't worry about it though, If you could answer what colors are at the jacks, and at the outside phone box, it would be very helpful, I think I answered your Jan 13th post, as well as others, I have looked through your other post trying to solving your problem, we need answers, it can be done with no tools, but we need your eyes, Take Care

[doglovershouse]

So SORRY Stratmando... I think a red mark is given if I click that the answer was inadequate, and of course you are right about many users at different levels. I did connect the red and yellow with the black and green, still have my original house line,, but no dial tone in black and green one, nor are there any extra wires. I have a six post box and the only other color is white, connected to post 5 and 6

[KISS]

You can't get an answer if you don't answer the suggested questions. If you keep giving people undeserved red marks you won't gat any answers at all.

Not all telephones are wired the same. It's IMPOSSIBLE to help without a dialog and work on your part. Giving red dot is not work on your part.

I'm done with this question.

[doglovershouse]

Hi Stratmando:
Your answer was very helpful and I think I reconnected the colors as you advised already, but still no dial tone. However, due to my health, I am having a "Life=line" phone installed in here, instead of an ordinary one - so I will leave that to the experts. But I want to most sincerely thank everyone of you guys who replied; and I appreciate your patience with my stupidity. Karen

[KISS]

I installed a similar system for my mom. There are ways to install it. One is with a RJ31x alarm jack which can seize the line and the other is the standard telco line. In the second case if another phone is off the hook, the system won't work.

Since I self-installed and purchased directly from the company than manufacturers the hardware, I paid about $16/m for the first year and about $23/mo thereafter for monitoring. They shipped it ready to plug in. Maintenance has been deleting and adding an xmitter when the battery died.

The system can be programmed via the telco port remotely or directly, but I haven't tried that method. Some functions can be programmed without the free software.

[Stratmando]

Karen, Hope all is well, Like Kiss says, Try and make sure They provide Line Seizure(Disconnects all phones to allow dialing in an Emergency). Tell them what you want to do.
They should(I would do while I was in boxes) make other connections.
I am still a little confused.
If you want both lines on one pair or single line phone, you could forward one line to the other, then you could answer both lines with regular phone.
A 2 line phone would allow dialing out on both lines. This would need 2 pairs.
Also if trying to use a 2 line phone, IMPORTANT you look at Phone Line cord, It MUST have 4 contacts(gold) Or second line won't work. Happens often. Good Luck

[KISS]

You can go either route (RJ31x, 2 line phone) if the wiring is of the "home run" style. meaning all wires terminate at one point. That's the standard now, but wasn't way back then.

[Stratmando]

I would also have the 31X on the second line, so first line "appears normal/Not Dead", Burglars entering a home, If smart, know that a dead phone "may be dialing out". There are duress codes that can be entered by customer disarming alarm, but silently alerting Monitoring to Duress Situation.
If you don't have Alarm System this may not be applicable.