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How to Install Extra Phone Jacks

by Len Edelstein
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Category: Home and Apartments : Do It Yourself and Repairs



Installing a phone jack off of an existing jack is very easy if you keep it simple. The following article will not apply to everyone's situation.

Variables include:

age of wiring (old Ma-Bell installed wiring differs from modern wiring in color scheme)

previous tenants altering the wiring

Materials needed:

  • Flat-head and phillips screwdrivers
  • Drill? (If you plan on running the wires through walls)
  • Two-pair phone cable (It will be a cable containing four smaller wires red/green/black/yellow).
  • A new phone jack.
  • Wire strippers


    First things first:

    Open up the existing jack. Be careful when you take the cover off, because the wires will still be connected to it. You should see four wires: red, green, black, and yellow. A phone line runs on only two of the lines. Typically a first line runs on the green/red pair, and a second line can run on the yellow/black pair.

  • Strip the outer insulation covering the new cable.
  • Take off about three inches.
  • Strip about an inch and a half off of each of the smaller wires inside to get to the copper.

    Match up the colors red to red, green to green, etc... You have to make sure that all the original connections stay intact as well as adding the new one.

    You should have a minimum of three wires going to each screw (one from outside, one to the old jack, and one to the new jack).

    A helpful trick is to prebend the copper wire around the shaft of the screwdriver to make a hook that you can then loop around the screw. Make sure all the connections are tight.

    Run the cable to where ever you want the new jack. Be careful about drilling though walls, there are pipes, electrical connections, etc... in walls. I'd recommend running along the baseboard to be safe.

    Open up the new jack. You will see the same four colors. Match them up again. Attach the jack to the wall.

    Very simple.


    About the author...

    Submitted By
    Len Edelstein
    Description
    grad student
    Web Page
    not available


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