unsuccesful attempt at connecting Vonage ATA to wall socket

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 09, 2004 Posts: 3

I disconnected all the cables that were connecting to each other on the NID outside my house. The cables were connected using Gator grips. And I do not have any phone service from the Local phone company.

Still even disconnecting the cables I seem to have 12V coming through from the wall socket. Does anybody here know why that might be happening?

In a pretty risky move, I connected the ATA to the wall socket as described in several posts here. The Voltage in the other room socket increased from 12 to 36V without the phone line ringing or anything. And there was no phone connection either.

Can anybody here help? Thanks!

Posts: 433 · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 7:47 pm Post subject:

I may be telling my age. but was their ever a "lighted" telephone on that plug, like a Princes phone.

Also could that plug had a one time two-lines, and one may still be connected to the outside world?

Posts: 46 · Full Forum Member Joined: Sep 06, 2004 Posts: 46

I agree with houuser. Look for a power supply (Like a plug in battery eliminator) running to your phone panel. If it's there, you had a powered phone in the past and the supply should be removed. This power supply could actually be anywhere and connected into your phone system.

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 09, 2004 Posts: 3

Thanks for your responses. I tried to figure out this "lighted" phone thing. I have just moved into this house and do not know what you might be referring to.

The only thing that I can think of which may be happening is that the phone line may have once upon a time be connected to a security system. And I wonder if that security system is powering up the line.

Also, as I tested again, I think there is no power in the phone lines until I plug in the Adapter. The voltage on the line coming from the adapter is somewhere between 12-36V and so is the voltage on the other sockets once the adapter is plugged in. Without the adapter the plug is Zero volts.

So now I am completely confused. Sad

I am wondering if I should put the effort to try and audio test the cables. Meaning pump audio from one room and see if there is audio playing on the other room. Obviously I will have to split a RJ11 cable on both ends to feed audio through the telephone cable... but that would become another project!

Posts: 46 · Full Forum Member Joined: Sep 06, 2004 Posts: 46

If all you have on the lines is trace voltage (under a volt) with the your phone adapter disconnected, you've nothing to worry about.

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 09, 2004 Posts: 3

which i can use to check whether my Vonage signal is reaching the other end as is. a phone should have worked but that is not working Sad

is a multimeter the ideal solution?

i will perhaps give up!

Posts: 220 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Aug 19, 2003 Posts: 220

oh, don't give up. There's gotta be something that's making it not work. We cut the cord with Bell over a year ago. We immediately took over the wiring in this house -- built in 1965 -- without a hiccup.

We're selling now. Gee, wonder if we should try to reconnect it or just make a seller's disclsoure?!? Wink

Good luck!