Hard wired system worked then stopped...Help!

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 10, 2006 Posts: 8

Prior to today my system worked fine with the Vonage adaptor plugging into the phone jack on the wall. Any phone plugged into any wall jack worked fine. Then today we received a phone call that was cut off after 1 ring (for no apparent reason) and now the phone no longer works when connected to the wall. To be more accurate, it only works when it's plugged into the Vonage adaptor directly. If I try to plug the Vonage adaptor (motorola) into the wall the "line 2" light blinks green and won't "hang up" the line (the phone is set to line 2 in case you're wondering). Eventually it gives the busy signal. If I skip the wall jack and go directly from the phone to the Vonage box all is fine. What gives?

I have not changed the wiring or done anything--it just stopped working through the wall jack. I replaced the phones yesterday so I tried my old phone with the same resulting problem. Both phones work fine when connected directly to the Vonage box. Is there any explanation for this? I am not a wiring genius so I'd appreciate any help you can offer to help me track this down. Thanks!
--Don--
I also have this connected to my ADT alarm but that's another story.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

The blinking phone light indicates that a phone is off the hook somewhere, or there's a short in the line. Let's hope for the first. Start by unplugging every phone in the house from the wall jacks and see if that clears the problem.

Back when you first set this up, you did disconnect the house wiring from any old landlines, right?

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 10, 2006 Posts: 8

Yes, I did disconnect the main line into the house.

The phone I was using was an expandable system so only 1 jack was used and the other phones fed off of it--everything worked fine. I switched phones the other day (another expandable system) and they seemed to work fine--until today. I tested again with my old phones in case the problem was the new units but the same problem occurs with the old units. I can't check the other phone jacks in the house because as soon as I plug the Vonage box into the wall it starts to blink.

The outlet that the Vonage box was plugged into is right next to the outlet that the phone was connected to. I had run the red and green out of the Vonage jack and spliced it into the R & G in the other jack that then runs into the house. It's a 4 wire connection with all colors matching.

Posts: 3 · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:39 pm Post subject:

I agree with Steve. It has to be a short. If you check all the phones one by one and still can't find the problem, it is probably at the Telephone Network Interface box on the outside of your house - most likley the only place where all the lines meet up. Are you sure you PHYSICALLY disconnected your old land line from the phone company?? Make sure it is not still connected or touching any terminals...

You might also have a rodent gnawing on the lines somewhere under the house or in the walls. I hope that is not the case as you will probably never find it...

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 10, 2006 Posts: 8

You're right, the phone line at the house connection was plugged in! How could this be? I know I had it unplugged before. Would the telephone company randomly show up and reconnect it--even though I'm not a customer? Please tell me I'm not going crazy!

Thanks for helping me find the bonehead solution--I'm just glad it works and I don't have to have someone check the lines throughout the house. I'm glad it didn't fry my Vonage box.

Posts: 3 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:03 am Post subject:

Usually when you disconnect your service with the phone company they do not send someone out to PHYSICALLY disconnect the line from your house. They usually just turn it off at the central switch or maybe disconnect it at the neighborhood level if they get around to it. It costs them $100 or more to actually come out to your house to do anything so, for them, this method makes sense. It also has the added benefit of allowing a quick (and cheap - for them) reconnect of telephone service if someone new was to move into your house.

In some areas the phone company will actually leave everything hooked up and if you pick up the phone you may get a dial tone even if you don't have service through them. If you try to dial out you get an operator and can make a collect call and even dial 911 in an emergency. In these cases you can actually order service and have it active almost immediately...but I think this is rather rare. It is probably more common in apartment buildings and condo complexes.

I hope that clears it up somewhat...glad it is working again.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 10, 2006 Posts: 8

I told my wife at work what had happenned and she said that she noticed that the telephone company stopped by "the other day". I haven't heard back from her yet as to exactly when they came by but my hunch is that during their visit they decided to reconnect my line without my consent. Is it reasonable that they would do this? I was going to call up the telco and give them some grief Smile

I haven't had service with them at this house for 2 years so why show up now to plug in my line?

Posts: 3 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:04 am Post subject:

Humm. I dunno. Perhaps they were doing some work at another house and noticed that you had disconnected your line and they have a policy of leaving them connected? Hard to say.

I doubt you will get much of an answer from the telephone company. Nowadays their customer service is centralized in one location and, well, as we all know, you can never get answers from them anyway Confused

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

The telephone guy shouldn't have done what he did, but it happens. Try putting some tape over the end of the plug and attach a tag telling people not to re-plug it.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 10, 2006 Posts: 8

It looks like my problem isn't solved. It worked for a little bit but now the same symptoms are occuring again. I have tried multiple wiring configurations but I don't know enough about it so I'm afraid to screw it up even more. I had it working for a little bit but after a call came in and I hung up the line stayed connected and wouldn't hang up. The same old thing started up again. Ugh

Just to clarify, changing my phones wouldn't matter, would it? If it works connected directly to the Vonage box then it shouldn't kill my house wiring.... I just can't figure this out and I'm afraid I'm going to have to get an electrician out here to take a look at my layout--what a pain.