RJ45 to RJ11 Issue

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: May 17, 2005 Posts: 1

I purchased a Linksys router with built in Vonage capabilities. It has two RJ11 phone jacks on the back.

All of the phone lines in my house use RJ45 cable (its new construction). In each room the RJ45 cables terminate into a wall socket that will accept either a RJ45 or RJ11 plug.

In my wiring closet there is a RJ45 patch board where all of the phone lines connect to the outside line. This is also where the cable lines attach (same patch board), and my cable modem and Linksys router are located here as well.

I want to connect the RJ11 port on the Linksys router to the patch board so that all of the phones in the house work. I tried creating an RJ45 to RJ11 cable, but either that concept does not work (though I can't figure out why), or I am making the cables incorrectly. When I attempt to connect my home made cable, I can hear a really high-pitched noise something like a dial tone on the phones, but the line doesn't respond when I try to press any numbers (it just keeps whining.)

I know the cabling and patch boards work, since I have had land-line phone service prior to switching to Vonage. I am something of a newbie to all of this, so I would appreciate any suggestions or recommendations anyone could offer.

Thanks,

Posts: 47 · Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:40 am Post subject:

This might work:

http://www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk/rl/servicesupport/techsupport/boards/Modems/Cables/Cables.htm

However, the company appears to be in the UK. If you are not - try searching google using:

R11 RJ45 Adapter

as your search term.

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

Bluejayoo,

Quote:

All of the phone lines in my house use RJ45 cable (its new construction). In each room the RJ45 cables terminate into a wall socket that will accept either a RJ45 or RJ11 plug.

Any reason why you have to connect it to the patch board? I connect it directly to a phone jack I created near my computer. Since all your wall sockets accept either a RJ45 or RJ11 why not plug it into the RJ11 directly from the rt31p2. Making sure, of course, to disconnect from the telco.

That's the way it is in my house.

Just a possible solution. Sure would save you money and time to get a converter. Mundy5

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 15, 2005 Posts: 3

Bluejay00 --

Did you find a solution to the question you posted about converting the RJ11 from the Vonaage/Linksys router to RJ45? I have the same issue and need to go through the patch panel since all the other phones in my house are connected through this panel.

Hoping you can save me a lot of work/frustration.

dkohl

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

dkohl,

do you not have any available phone jacks? You can just connect your rt31p2 to one of them.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:56 pm Post subject:

Every RJ-45 jack I've seen will accept an RJ-11 plug if you carefully slide it into the center. I do this all the time at my workplaces, with the patch bays being RJ45's and our phone line/PBX sources coming from an RJ-11 patch bay. RJ-11 to RJ-11 cables work just fine on it. I've also gotten creative with the crimpers and made a few RJ45 to 4 RJ-11 plug adapters and a a few converter boxes that accept RJ45's and split them into Ethernet and 2 phone lines over a single cat 5 wire. Basic wiring, but comes in handy.

Posts: 40 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 23, 2005 Posts: 40

My house is very new also, and I have a patch panel running cat5e to each room. The reason we need to connect it to the patch panel is that it is the only way to share this connection to each existing RJ45 port in each room. This would allow us to use existing phones in the house.

I guess I'm not following what plugging the adapter into one phone port (an RJ45 port in my case, which can run phone or internet in my house.) That would still not activate every port in the house giving me phone capability in every room, which is what we are looking to obtain.

As far as I know, the only way to get what I want is to disconnect the phone company's wires from the phone box outside, and then connect the V_nage adapter to the distribution panel in my patch panel via an RJ11 to RJ11 cable. The RJ11 will fit into the RJ45 jack, as was pointed out in a previous message.

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

MichaelG,

I would suggest that you rethink your configuration. Whether it is the old style of connecting the jacks in sequence or the new Star typology, connecting your Vonage to any pre-existing jack will activate all the jacks so long as you disconnect from the telco outside your home.

This is because in your setup, the outside is coming into the patch panel and then going to all your rooms. It doesn't make a difference from where the phone signal is coming from. So if you connect your Vonage router to one of the jacks, it will send a signal back to the patch panel which in turn will send the signal to all the remaining rooms.

You do not need to connect it directly to the patch panel because connecting it to any existing jack will send the signal back to the patch panel.

Trust me on this. It makes absolutely no difference whether you connect directly at the patch panel or at any one of the phone jacks. You can even use a splitter if the jack already has a phone and it will activate all your phones.

I hope this helps, mundy5

Posts: 40 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 23, 2005 Posts: 40

Mundy,
Thanks for the information. I had no idea that you could connect it that way. I would certainly prefer to connect it to just a phone outlet, rather than the patch panel if possible. My patch panel is behind all of my clothes in the Master closet. I'd like to have the router out somewhere where I can get to it, rather than in the patch panel. Thanks very much for the advice. I will certainly try that out.

Right now I have two phone temporarily. I still have my land line because they have not transferred the number and shut it off yet. I don't know how long that will take. When they do shut it off I will disconnect the wiring and then plug in the adapter as you suggested.

Thanks again!

Mike

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

Mike,

Glad to help. You will realize that having access to the router is critical as you will need to occasionally reset the router.

Some people have everything in their panel including their cable or dsl modem which requires them to have the router there. But in my opinion having the modem and router easily accessible is very important.

I hope the LNP happens quickly. MIne went through as expected in a month's time.

mundy5