Patch Panel/Security System Woes

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 5

Hi all....

So I've been having some problems with my vonage service with my current configuration....

Its kind of a weird config...so I'll try to explain it as best as possible...

I have a smart box in my closet where all of my telephone wires, cable wires and security wires come back to. They are all "home runs" from this location.

Inside the smart box, I have a patch panel where all of the telephones wires are punched down to. There is an outgoing plug, and a plug for my security system telephone jack (so it can call out)

I currently have my cable modem, linksys (VOIP) router and my wireless router all in the smart box. I piggie back my wireless router to the linksys router, so the linksys becomes the main router connected to the cable modem....

I plug the vonage and security telephone wires into the patch panel, and then my phone is plugged into a wall jack outside of the closet.
*whew all that in one breath*

Problems:
I have intermittent connectivity problems, where my security system complains there is no telephone service, as well as some times I'll come back home, attempt to make a call, and I have no dial tone. I typically try to "clear the system" by rebooting all equipment, and unplugging all devices from the wall jacks. This sometimes works, but more often than not doesn't seem to help. Usually if I wait some time, it clears itself up.

I've also had problems where someone will attempt to call us at home, but it gets rerouted to my back up number...this has happened at least twice so far (this may have just been network problems) I also notice that we have popping sounds, garbled voices etc, and even when I can hear people, but they can't hear me.

Interesting notes: It doesn't seem to affect the security company from calling into my house.....nor does it seem to affect my internet service.

So my questions...

What kind of things do I need to check/verify to see if there is something wrong with the patch panel etc.

I just move my exterior line up from resting on the ground (saw some posts about water etc). Is there anything similar to this that may be causing problems?

Any other thoughts? SImilar issues?

I need to figure this out soon as its becoming an unreliable service fast, and I can't risk getting false alarms on the security system.

HELP!
Thanks all for your time and help!
Freddy

Posts: 282 · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 3:44 pm Post subject:

Make sure you are connecting your Vonage line to the patch panel in place of the Telco-In pair that would have been there from your POTS line (or may still be there if you disconnected the telco at your outside NIU). You want to replace the Telco-In pair of wires with your Vonage adapter line, allowing the Vonage adapter to act like your original POTS line. The security module is wired so that the Telco line-in goes through the alarm panel first, then back out of the alarm panel to the lines in your patch panel. This is so the alarm panel can disconnect all the phones on the patch panel side, and establish a direct dial-out to the telco even when phones are off-hook. If you are providing dial-tone from the other direction (to the lines on the patch panel) by connecting the Vonage adapter to one of the line punch-downs, it will give you dial-tone on all your lines, but won't work correctly with the alarm panel, including the alarm fault alert and occasional dead-line syndrome.

Again, think of the line coming out of the Vonage adapter as the Telco, and install it in place of the Telco line in your panel, and it should work.

I also recommend removing the Telco-In pair at your patch panel, which totally eliminates the NIU and any potential wire conditions from there as well as the possibility of the Telco reinstalling there lines without your knowledge.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 5

Ah....I think I see what your saying....

For my simple mindedness sake:

1. Disconnect the wire coming in from the outside (ie where the telephone company would put its box etc).

2. Remove the vonage phone line from the patch panel "telephone in plug", and replace the wire that comes from the outside with the vonage phone line.

Questions:
1. I'm not sure if the security system is actually that sopsiticated...when I look at it...I see normal telephone wire/plug that gets plugged into a "security" plug at the patch panel. Will this cause problems still by not allowing it to freeze the line?

2. Since I don't want the base of my phone to be in some random closet, can I still connect my phone to a wall jack?

3. By cutting the line from the outside...could this fix the problems?

Thanks again for your time and help!

Posts: 282 · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:19 pm Post subject:

freddy wrote:

Ah....I think I see what your saying....

For my simple mindedness sake:

1. Disconnect the wire coming in from the outside (ie where the telephone company would put its box etc).

2. Remove the vonage phone line from the patch panel "telephone in plug", and replace the wire that comes from the outside with the vonage phone line.

Questions:
1. I'm not sure if the security system is actually that sopsiticated...when I look at it...I see normal telephone wire/plug that gets plugged into a "security" plug at the patch panel. Will this cause problems still by not allowing it to freeze the line?

2. Since I don't want the base of my phone to be in some random closet, can I still connect my phone to a wall jack?

3. By cutting the line from the outside...could this fix the problems?

Thanks again for your time and help!

Okay,

Yes, replace the wire pair on your patch panel that is from the Network Interface Unit (NIU) (which is your old Telco-In feed) with your Vonage adapter. That should fix all your problems.

All your wall jacks (i.e. all the wire pairs that are punched down on your patch panel) should have dial-tone, so you could plug phones into any of your wall outlets and have Vonage service.

The Telephone In plug on your patch panel is probably just a way to check dial-tone at the patch panel with a phone. By connecting your Vonage adpater there, it would be the same as installing the Vonage adapter to one of your wall jacks. It would provide dialtone to all the jacks, but won't work with the alarm panel.

I think you'll find the alarm connection is how I described earlier, although without knowing or seeing your eqiupment, it is just an educated guess. If your replace the Telco-In wire pair with the wire pair from the Vonage adapter, it should work as it did before.

To do this you will need a way of getting a cable that you can punch down to the patch panel. If you have a crimper, just crimp an RJ11 male end to a piece of Cat5, and punch down the appropriate pair.

BTW, what Vonage Adapter are you using?

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 5

Its the Linksys non-wireless modem...not sure what the number is...

thanks for help and suggestions! I'm going to try it out tonight...hopefully...

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 5

I think I have it figured out....

The big issue that I don't have is an RJ31x connection between my vonage telephone line, and the rest of the wiring to my house.

In doing some research I found this web site that talks about the RJ31x wiring, and what it does:

http://www.hometech.com/learn/rj31x.html

So if I put this connection before connecting to the rest of my lines I believe this will allow the alarm system to "seize the line to make the call"

I'm going to try this out, and will post if things work.

I think this is what you were trying to say before...I just wasn't quite seeing it yet.

Thanks for your help!
Freddy

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 10, 2005 Posts: 5

Ok....this is getting fun!!!!

I was doing some research on what I have....I located the specs on my "smart box"...basically the use ONQ equipment...the specs are here:

http://www.onqlegrand.com/images/pdf/IS-0172.pdf

I see that the security plug that I have is capable of doing the RJ31x connection by flipping a jumper....very cool....

So I currently have my phone line plugged into an expansion plug...so I now understand why my alarm system won't work...As Chris mentioned, I'm not allowing my alarm system to seize the line...because the phone line isn't connected first before all of the other lines through the rest of the house....

So my question now is:

By looking at the specs on the ONQ stuff...I'm thinking I need to

1. pull the wires out of the "line in" punch down (ie the line that comes in from the outside of my house)

2. punch down the telephone line that comes from the vonage device to the "line in" punch down on the ONQ thing.

3. push the number jumper down on the ONQ device and then the RJ31x will be activated.

Question...
The ONQ device is using 4 pair (cuz its cat5 wiring)...the vonage device only uses one pair....which color pair do I punch down on the "line in" punch down for the ONQ? Is it the first one?

Thanks all for bearing with me....this is gettin' fun.

Posts: 282 · Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 12:29 am Post subject:

Freddy,

You only need to punch down "Tip & Ring" from the Vonage adapter to the patch panel "Line In". This is the center two pins/conductors of a standard RJ11 telephone plug. This will replace the Tip & Ring previously supplied by your Telco. If you have a Volt meter, it is the pair of wires that supplies approx. 48V DC across them from the adapter.