New home with Cat5e telephone runs can't get dialtone

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 15, 2005 Posts: 6

I am in a new home with no phone from the outside. I do have a leviton box in a closet with 5 cat5e runs (2 to the outside if a wanted phone service and 3 that goto to different rooms in the house). They are all individual runs. I have tried hooking the phone line from the back of the Vonage box into one of the 3 runs and checking for dial tone in another room (no luck). When I plug the phone cable into the wall, the phone 1 light on the linksys Vonage router blinks. If I plug that same telephone cable to a phone, the light is solid and I get dialtone. I have tried plugging into all 3 telephone jacks with the same result. I've had some wiring guys from work check the punched down runs in the closet to verify they were correct. The other thing the wiring guys tried was cutting a telephone cable with 4 wires (2 pair) and punching that down to the telephone block in the closet. They tried punching it down in various combinations (some would show the phone light blinking others would show it flashing). They even tested a different a different block. They also toned the lines to verify the pairs were ok on all the jacks. Any ideas?

One other note which shouldn't affect this issue. I've never gotten dial tone on the second phone jack on the back on the linksys box.

Thanks in Advance...Chris

Posts: 20 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:53 pm Post subject:

One other note which shouldn't affect this issue. I've never gotten dial tone on the second phone jack on the back on the linksys box.

Quote:

you wouldn't get a dial tone from line2 unless you have a second line with Vonage.

as far as your main problem, try a cordless phone base. they work the best for most people.

Posts: 244 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:27 pm Post subject:

If it is blinking that means the unit is offhook. Something in your wiring is causing the modem/ata to think its offhook.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 15, 2005 Posts: 6

If anybody who has experience with this setup I would appreciate the advice. Although cordless phones are a workaround, I want a solution.

Posts: 13 · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 9:09 am Post subject:

cat5e runs are 4 pair (8 wire). Telephone for one line is only 1 pair. Are you sure you have the right pairs and that it's not crossed anywhere? Also, are you sure they haven't run ANY of those lines to a network device like a hub or switch? That could be taking your line off-hook (the blinking light). What's at the other end of those cat5 runs? RJ-45 or RJ-11 jacks? With RJ-45, the Blue-Blue/White pair should be the middle pair. Make sure the Blue-Blue/White pair are connected to your Vonage ATA.

Perhaps some pictures might help!

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 08, 2005 Posts: 11

Quote:

They also toned the lines to verify the pairs were ok on all the jacks. Any ideas?

If they "toned" the cable did they just verify the cable, or did they tone the cable then verify how the pairs were punched down on the the RJ-11 jack module? Another words tone will not tell you if it is punched down correctly it will only verify cable continuity. After toning you also must check the jack module by pull the wall plate and verifying that the pairs are punched down correctly and that there are no shorts.

Some pictures would help.

Posts: 244 · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:06 pm Post subject:

Yep, you definitely have a wiring problem. Have them come back out and correct the issue. Did they think you were only running Ethernet perhaps?

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 15, 2005 Posts: 6

All the jacks have been checked. 2 of the jacks are RJ45 coming out of the wall and 1 in the kitchen is RJ11 (keep in mind all the runs are cat5e though). The leviton block can be seen here

http://www.leviton-lin.com/catalog/BuildPage.aspx?BuildPageID=576

In order to hook the Vonage up, my wiring guy cut a phone cable and punched the cable down and connected the other end to phone 1 on the back of the Vonage. I will need to verify what pairs from the telephone cable he punched to the block (will post tomorrow). He tried a biscuit (not sure I spelled it correctly) too with a cat 5e patch cable connected and a telephone cable (2 pair) going to a phone.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 15, 2005 Posts: 6

Just to add...no hub or switch involved (other than the Vonage linksys box). Cable modem plugged directly into the internet port on the linksys. Internet worked fine out of the 3 ports, so thats not an issue.

Posts: 66 · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject:

an $12 volt/ohm meter sure would help in this case to verify continuity and check for short(s) and open(s) on your wiring. Also, insure the two lines that go to the outside of the house are not connected to your wiring.,.. Louis