New installation in apartment, trying to use existing wiring

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 3

I saw a thread a couple weeks ago on installing in an apartment and using the existing wiring and 2-line jacks, but now I can't find the thread again.

I have service when I connect directly to the Linksys router, but if I run a line from the router to 2-line adapter in the wall jack, I don't get service on other phones in the apartment. Can someone point me to the right thread or tell me what I've got wrong?

Thanks,
Bob

Posts: 135 · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject:

I am not sure what thread you are talking about but...

You must not connect the phone jack of your Vonage device unless you are 100% certain that you have disconnected the telco POTS line from the wiring in your apartment. This connection will ne at the network interface for your apartment. You may or may not have access to the location of the telephone network interface... maybe it is in a utility room.

If you have not already done so, I would make sure your telephone wiring is disconnected before you go any further.

BTW: The thread you are looking for may be in the Hardwiring forum over here.

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 3

Thanks for the tip, but I can't disconnect the POTS line. There was a message in a thread a while back that talked about using a 2-line phone jack to take advantage of the second line wiring in the apartment. I forgot to print it out and now I can't find it.

Thanks.

Posts: 135 · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject:

ok, I think I know what you are talking about. This method assumes that all of your jacks in your apt are wired to provide two lines of service. The RJ11 Jacks have four conductors. Normally the inner pair (usually red and green) are used for Line 1. If a second line is present it will be on the outer pair (yellow / black).

If your jacks are all wired together and you know that the second pair are not connected to the telco then you could use the second pair to route your Vonage line though-out the apartment. You will need to be sure that there is nothing on Line 2. To be 100% sure you would have to access the Network Interface. I guess it is also possible to use a voltmeter to check the pair for any line voltage. If you are not 100% sure and you connect to the Line 2 pair it is possible that you could damage your phone adapter. It up to you if you want to take the risk.

Not knowing what post you are referring to... I think this would work for you. You can get RJ-11 splitters that break out Line 1 and Line 2 to individual RJ11 jacks. Here is a picture of one with L1, L2 and L1 + L2. They are also available with L1 , L2 out:

You will need one splitter to connect your Vonage phone adapter to your wiring. You will then need another one for each phone jack in your apartment that you want to connect to your Vonage line.

Connect the Vonage adapter to the L2 of a splitter and plug the splitter into a phone jack. The plug your phone into L2 of another splitter and plug it into another phone jack. If your phone jacks are all wired in parallel (with all four conductors wired) and you have no telco connection to Line 2 then you should have a Vonage dial tone at the phone.

Posts: 135 · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:37 pm Post subject:

Just one more thing: There is also good info in the sticky post at the top of this forum.

http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic8379.html

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 3

Yep, that's the method I was talking about. That's exactly what I did, but it didn't work. This assumes that when the building was wired they connected the 2nd line, which apparently wasn't done.

It looks like I'm going to have to buy a new phone setup. Rats! LOL

Thanks anyway,
Bob

Posts: 135 · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 4:03 pm Post subject:

yeah... it is possible that all of the jacks were not hooked up.

I am connected to my wiring in my house but it turns out that I don't really need to be. Shortly after I got Vonage up and running I decided to get a new cordless phone. The one that I had interefered with my wireless network. It was not a problem before because we almost never used the phone. It was annoying when a telemarketer would call because 50% of the time it would cause my laptop to drop off the network.

I bought a Uniden 5.8GHz system that had three handsets. The base station is plugged directly into my Vonage adapter. All of the handsets communicate directly to that one base station. I do have one or two phones connected to the Vonage adapter through the house wiring but it turns out that they do not get used.