Need Help with Home Phone Wiring

[crrdsh]

Hi guys...

Here's the situation: I need to have a 2nd line put in the house for my fax.

I called SBC and they said they would glady do it for $126! Holy !#$%. Now, how hard is this to do? Is there a way i can do it myself and verify that it works? and what is an average fee to pay a contractor to do it?

My company will only cover the first $50, so I want to do it cheap

thanks!


===================edItS, thx for the replies!
nutbucket -> i called the phone company and there is no wiring for the 2nd line. They said i had 3 options though... (1) me doing it (2) hiring contractor (3) pay them $126 clams

bunker -> i forgot to mention i also have dsl... will this mess up the dsl connection?

spazzychicken -> doh! im in an apartment complex. do i have access?

 

[NutBucket]

Well, it all depends on if two lines are already wired into the box on where the main line comes in from the phone company. If it does then its easy. If not you may need a new box, etc.

 

[bunker]

Most newer phone lines (the actual cable) have 3 or 4 (can't remember) pairs of wire. Only 2 are needed per phone line. All you have to do is take an existing line and use two of the wires from that to run the fax line.

Even the older phone lines have 2 pairs so you could use one for phone and one for fax.

 

[SpazzyChicken]

Many, many variables here. Ultimately though, all that matters is that there is a pair of wires coming into your house. Are you familiar with the wiring of your house? Go take a look at the phone box outside, there should be an access panel for customers. From there you should be able to tell how the wiring is coming into your house.

If there is only 1 pair coming into your house, it is pretty simple to add another one. Get some plenum-rated cat5 and run it from the phone box outside to where you want the jack to be inside the house. Be sure to leave some slack at both ends!!! From there it is just a matter of terminating both ends (on the same pair) and then calling the phone company to get the new line out to the box.

 

[bmacd]

here's the easiest method (and hopefully yours):

If you have a newer junction box, you probably have four color coded terminals. A single phone line uses only TWO of the FOUR terminals (green and red maybe). All you need to do is hook up some phone line (cat 3) line to the remaining two terminals and run it to the designated area. Install a box in the wall (can also be used for future networking around the house) and wire up the line accordingly. After, test and use. Shouldn't take a n00b anymore than 2 hours assuming you have the new setup.

-=bmacd=-