atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services T1's, CSU's and DSU's Smart Jack Key

Anyone northeast fellas or can anyone help me out here. Did a quick google and didn't really pull it up - figured it was a easy thing.

Anyone have a source where I can get a key for the smart jacks that Verizon uses out here in the NE. At time, when I'm troubleshooting a outage, etc .....the friggin smartjack is placed like 9 feet high.....and it would be so much easier just to unlock the damm thing so I can see the status leds on the card.

I'm not in Verizon territory, but I have to think that when something is locked, it's to keep unauthorized people out. If you're not a trained tech, you have no business in there.

I agree with you, Pingable. They do have a bad habit of installing these equipment mounting shelves high and with the window facing up. While the keys are universal for the mountings (HyperEdge brand, I assume), they do not want us entering them. I know it is frustrating, but rules are rules.

BTW: We would never condone such distribution of these keys, just as we restrict the distribution of passwords, etc.

Ed, around here the at&t tech was more than happy to give me one...of course he told me not to mess any of their circuits up...In the one case I needed them to remove a smartjack, I called, it took 5 people before they figured out what I was asking, the tech called me beforehand, gave me his cell number and arranged a time to meet me on site. He showed up, removed the smartjack, and when I asked if he had an extra key, he gave me one.

Jeff:

They probably didn't understand because a smart jack is an RJ48X. Nobody calls the telco to have a jack removed or relocated anymore. You were seeking to have an equipment mounting card cage removed. The business office people don't know what those are.

People tend to use the misnomer "smart jack" for these units. There are probably ten different types of cards that can be installed in them offering a myriad of different service options.

I remember one time recently we were doing a turnup- system was not talking to back, etc , etc. Was going crazy making ad-hoc loopback cables, scrambling on moving a pedestal cabinet to step on to see the status lights on the cards.


heh, believe me, I'm going to make it a priority the next time I work with a lec onsite to hit him up for a key...

fwiw, the newer (cage slots) that I've seen at least has the damm keyhole in the front whereas in the past...it's always been on top. Still a PITA as the leds are still facing up

The newer forward facing chassis are much more user friendly than the older flat mounts.

Ed, I suppose you are right...it was the cabinet and circuit card.

Actually, if the card cabinet is in a reasonably secure location, you may not even need a key - I had one location where the tech never locked it, so depending on the lock configuration, you might sweet talk your tech into closing the box without locking it "for easier troubleshooting"

It's part of my work keys! Carry a mirror along with loop-back plugs and jacks, too! A tech has to have all that high end test equipment.