sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring multi line phone cabling

I am looking for some advice on multi-line cabling here.

My company is about to bring on a couple of guys who had their own business. They have some existing phone service they want to forward to new lines in one of my company's satellite offices. We do not have a phone system in this office, just some Verizon Centrex lines.

What they want is for their existing lines to forward to a 4-line (rollover) setup in their new space. Basically, they want 2 phones that will accomodate 4 lines each. Their old phone numbers will forward to the new phones such that each phone will ring for any new calls. Calls will roll from lines 1-4 depending on which is busy.

What I don't know is how to best set this up. Should I loop the incoming lines on the 66 block so they ring on the two 4-line phone jacks? Is there some better way to accomplish this? Hope I'm being clear on this. Any advice is appreciated.

Your description is perfectly clear. Most of the 4-line phones have two jacks, one for lines 1-2, the other for lines 3-4. Most folks loop the lines at the 66 block.

Thanks Kyle. Am I correct in assuming I'll need two 4-pair cables running to the phone jacks (1 for each phone)? Seems to me this would be necessary to carry on 4 conversations per phone (though how one does this is beyond me :-)

No, NEVER loop wiring from jack to jack. Each jack location must be a separate run back to a central location, very preferably somewhere inside the building that is readily accessable and has (or can have) power available. You will also need to run your CO lines from the TELCO termination to this location. Many times the TELCO will do this and install a NID at the location where you have run your wiring.

Seems to me this would be necessary to carry on 4 conversations per phone (though how one does this is beyond me :-)

By your last statement it would seem that your understanding is quite limited and that it would be in your best interest to have a wiring contractor do this for you.

-Hal

Not sure I follow you, Hal. The demark is already extended with two 25-pair cables to a point inside the building - plenty of spare to accomodate the new lines I'll need.

There is currently 1 phone cable run to the office. I would run a second cable for the additional phone and then loop wire the lines on the extended demark (66 block). Is there some other way of doing this?

As far as the statement in question, I was referring to talking on all four lines simultaneously. Something I can't imagine doing myself. Since there is no PBX/Key system wouldn't one need 4 pairs per phone?

Thanks for the insight,

Steve, the proper way to perform this installation is to have a separate four-pair cable run to each phone. This cable will be split out to two 2-pair jacks. The first using the white/blue and white/orange pairs for lines 1/2 and the white/green and white/brown pairs for lines 3/4.

At the location where the lines are terminated inside, the two four pair cables should be terminated separately on the 66 blocks, then each pair cross-connected to each of the incoming lines on the DMARK or tie cable block. Jumpers can be looped, but it's never a good idea to loop cables from jack to jack.

Basically, all four lines must feed to all jacks, but using what is referred to as "star topology".

Thanks for the explanation Ed. I believe I was thinking the same as you. To clarify, Line 1 from Verizon would be punched to the white/blue pairs corresponding to phone #1 and #2. Line 2 would be punched to white/green pairs corresponding to phone #1 and #2, etc.

Is there any difference in where I do the cross-connects? That is, the demark (separate room on the back of the buiding) is extended to the back of our warehouse. This is in turn extended to a data/phone cabling room in the office space. Is there any reason to cross connect at on or the other location?

Not really. The best approach is to keep it simple so that the next person won't have to waste a lot of time troubleshooting. I would do the cross connect looping at the point where the 4-pair cables are terminated on blocks. That would be the first place to start when troubleshooting.

To clarify, Line 1 from Verizon would be punched to the white/blue pairs corresponding to phone #1 and #2. Line 2 would be punched to white/green pairs corresponding to phone #1 and #2, etc.

Line #1= w/bl pairs
Line #2= w/or pairs
Line #3= w/gn pairs
Line #4= w/br pairs

w/bl and w/or pairs get terminated on jack #1 at eac location.

w/gn and w/br pairs get terminated on jack #2 at each location.

-Hal

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help and have a good idea on how to wire this now.