Plugging phone cable into wrong modem port

[TechnoPro]

I read recently that one can damage their modem if they plug in the phone line into the wrong port. Any truth to this?

And what really makes no sense to me is why the modem even works when miswired like this. Maybe not all do, but I've seen some that will dial up just fine in either configuration.

 

[Zepper]

Some modems have the two ports wired in parallel, so it really doesn't matter which you use. Others use a relay to cut ou the extension phone jack when the modem is in use. If you plug the phone cord into the wrong jack on those, it will SEEM LIKE it's broken, because you'll never get a dial tone... Until you plug the cord into the right jack and try again.
.bh.

:moon:

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Some modems have the two ports wired in parallel, so it really doesn't matter which you use. Others use a relay to cut ou the extension phone jack when the modem is in use. If you plug the phone cord into the wrong jack on those, it will SEEM LIKE it's broken, because you'll never get a dial tone... Until you plug the cord into the right jack and try again.
.bh.

:moon:

Thanks!

Would you consider one design to have an advantage over another?

Also, based on your description, it would seem that there is no credible threat if miswiring occurs. Any further thoughts? I ask because my mother's modem was wired wrong, the phone cord going into the extension jack. On two occasions, the PC rebooted when the phone rang. Bizarre, yes, but I witnessed this firsthand...

 

[WobbleWobble]

I read recently that one can damage their modem if they plug in the phone line into the wrong port. Any truth to this?

If you plug a normal home modem into a digital phone line you could potentially fry your modem. If you mean plugging a regular home phone line into the other modem port, I haven't personally experienced or heard of any damages from this.

On two occasions, the PC rebooted when the phone rang. Bizarre, yes, but I witnessed this firsthand...

You have wake on modem enabled in your BIOS.

 

[Zepper]

If you don't plug an extension phone into your modem, then it coulcn't matter less. But I do like the ones that use the relay because it shows that they are doing something to try to idiot-proof their modems. And if you do plug in an extension phone it will prevent you from cutting your modem connection by mistake - at least from the nearest phone. Nothing to stop you (or another resident) from going into the next room and dropping your 30MB download in the middle... But there are devices that can even prevent that - I've seen them in clearance bins for 2 or 3$ each (interrupt blockers).
. That other problem sounds like a really poorly designed "wake on ring" circuit... As said above, you should be able to disable that in your BIOS.
.bh.