atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Telephone over coax?

Here's a hopeful/stupid question: Can you use a run of coax (RG-6) to carry a phone pair?

I just purchased a house that the previous owner did a PRETTY good job of wiring - but in one spot, there's ONLY an RG-6 run where I REALLY wish there were a pair or two for a phone connection.

I could conceivably try to fish some more cable, but what I'd really like to "settle" for is just using the otherwise unused coax as a pair for one phone line... is this good/bad/ugly?

Thanks!
- Scott

Conceivably you could run AC over coax, but would you? No, because it's the wrong thing to do for a number or reasons. Since you just bought the house, bite the bullet and do it right...string the proper cable.

Bill

[Note: This writer DOES NOT endorse running any type of electricity over any wire or cable not specifically certified for the intended purpose.]

Ghost:

Since you are only running a phone pair, you can conceivably do this. My question is how to gather the shield strands together and still keep them separated from the center core conductor.

If you are able to do this, and the run isn't too terribly long, you should be fine.

You may encounter hum on that cable run since the center conductor and shield have different electrical characteristics, resulting in one wire being electrically "longer" than the other. This invites AC power interference.

If you can live with this temporarily, you will be fine. I have done this before but I wouldn't recommend it as a permanent solution. Just remember, don't try to use existing F connectors and adapters or baluns to make this happen. It needs to be real wires, end-to-end.

Hence, I will once again elude to my ever-popular signature...........

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Ed
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How come there's always enough time to go back and fix it a second time?

I don't remember who it is, it's in my pile of cabling magazines, but someone actually makes a jack that converts
RG6 to an 8p8c network jack.
If I remember right they were advertising it for cctv but I you could just take one pair and use it for voice.


Corwyn

"someone actually makes a jack that converts
RG6 to an 8p8c network jack. "

Yeah, but that's going to have some active components to change from an ethernet connection to coax and back again. GhostRidr just needs something to make electrical contact with the center conductor and the shield and give him something that can be connected to a jack. Still a poor idea. Run new cable is the answer.

Why not try it and see?

And tell us how it works.

They are made. I will try and dig up a part number for you tonight. I happen to have 4 of them at home. The ones I have used are about 4 inches long. We used them within a school. The coax was run from the MDF to the IDF. At the IDF it was converted over with this small converter. It was then run to a patch panel and from there to a classroom. It was then converted back over to coax for the projector. With all that said, I would just run new Data cable instead.

xtreme, he wants to use a single pair for voice, not data.

I understand that. I was just explaining what I have used them for. It can be used the same way, but do not put the one at the user end. Just punch down to a wall jack. I am still trying to dig one up. I know I have a few of them somewhere.

Well - I decided to sack up and just put in a new Cat3 run...

Thanks, tho, for all the input and suggestions - still kinda curious about the coax question - you'd think the shield/center pair would be at least doable for a regular phone line *shrug*

Thanks again!
- Scott