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Mutiple phone line needs an answering machine

7K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Densplace 
#1 ·
I am trying to put a single line phone with an answering machine on a phone line that has multiple lines. The phone that works on this line is a four line phone and works fine. But when I hook up the single line phone I can't get a dial tone. I have tried a splitter at both ends of the phone cord with no luck. I am able to get the phone to work on other lines, but not the one I want. Is there some way to rewire the phone jack, drop kick the phone to jump start it or is this a thing that can't get done :wallbash:Thanks for your help.
 
#2 ·
Can you run a new line to this phone? Thats the simplest. Is this 4 line in residential or office? If it is a 4 line, then u should have 8 pair feeding it from the J-block. When you pick up the phone does it automatically give you a line to dial out on or do you have to choose one. How many wires do yo u have coming into the wall jack at the wall where this phone is connected?

Have you tried to split the lines so that one goes to the new phone and 3 go to the older phone. I dont know how this is wired into your block exactly so that may or may not work.
 
#3 ·
You need to


a) change the phone jack (pretty easy)

b) find a phone cord that will pick up the appropriate line fron the jack and take them to the phone.


If you look closely at the phone cord you will see the contacts. A single line will have only 2 contacts, a 2 line phone will have 4 (the most common type)

If you replace the jack, pick a pair, hook them to the approprioate terminals.

Here, the standard colors are blue/blue,white= line 1...orange/orange,white= line 2. Old school jack colors wer red/green=1, yellow black= 2.

Plug your phone into the new jack and touch the pairs one at a time and listen for a dial tone.

I hate phone wiring.:jester:
 
#4 ·
Mutilple phone lines need answering machine

This is in an office and there are numerous wires coming into the plug. The wall plug is a split jack and the top one is the land line while the bottom one is for the fax. The land line plug only has four wires coming though so maybe I can try switching pairs until I get the dial tone. More to come I am sure. Low voltage wiring. Bah humbug!!
 
#5 ·
This is in an office and there are numerous wires coming into the plug. The wall plug is a split jack and the top one is the land line while the bottom one is for the fax. The land line plug only has four wires coming though so maybe I can try switching pairs until I get the dial tone. More to come I am sure. Low voltage wiring. Bah humbug!!


I assume the land line(top) is where your trying to wire up the new phone? If it has 4 lines, then you have to have 8 wires feeding the jack. Takes 2 wires for each line with them being RING and TIP. If you only have 4 wires, (2pair) you dont have4 lines on that phone extension. How many wires are feeding the fax (lower) jack?
 
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