sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring progress, but still not there

Got back on my computer/fax/phone cabling project today.

I've got a four conductor cable coming out of a wall jack terminating in a standard four conductor plug. We'll call this line 1 (L1). Another four conductor cable comes out of the wall jack terminating in a standard four conductor plug (L2). (two different phone numbers involved).

I think I need some kind of line adapter to be able to plug L1 and L2 into one side, and plug a four conductor line with L1+L2 coming out of the backside. I thought I had one that would work OK. It's a simple Radio Shack 3 way four conductor line adapter.

However, when I plug that line into my Lucent Technologies model 512A swtichbox, my phone, which is hooked into the other side of the switchbox, doesn't work. With either L1 or L2 lines plugged into the adapter by themselves, the phone works fine. But, with both into the adapter at the same time there's no dial tone.

So, I'm thinking I need a 3 way adapter with L1 and L2 in, and a four conductor cable with L1+L2 coming out to my swithbox.

Where can I find these kinds of adapters?

Do these two 4 conductor cables come out of the wall in two different places, or are they terminating on two different outlets of a duplex jack?

However, when I plug that line into my Lucent Technologies model 512A swtichbox, my phone, which is hooked into the other side of the switchbox, doesn't work.

No idea what a Lucent Technologies model 512A switchbox is and why you would be using it. They actually make 2 line phones you know. Nearly all have 2 separate line cords, one for for each line. Just plug each directly into your wall jacks.

-Hal

rb,

I think if you told us exactly what you are trying to do, we could possibly help you better.

You can get a modular L1-L2 adapter at nearly anywhere that sells telephone stuff, Home Depot, Radio Shack, etc.. It is a modular plug with two modular jacks, the jacks labled L1 and L2. Plug the plug into a two line jack, such as on a two line telephone, and your two separate lines into the two jacks. Except I have no idea what you want to do; and this will likely not do what you want....

Ask not where to find an uncertain adapter -- state what you have and what you want to do.

It sounds like you have two telephone lines, henceforth Line1 and Line2. These two lines appear on two RJ11 single line modular jacks, WallJack1 and WallJack2.

Question: are these two jacks on a single faceplate, or are they two separate jacks more than a few inches apart and not connected by any visible wire.

From your project title I assume a 56K dial-up computer modem, a fax machine, and a regular telephone.

Question: Is it a two line telephone?

Question: which telephone lines do you want to use on the modem, fax, and telephone?

The Lucent 512a is unknown, likely not needed. If you post what appears on any lables on it we most likely could tell you what it is and what you can do with it.

A "Lucent Technologies model 512A switchbox" just allows a single line device to be used on two lines. It's a line 1/line 2 switch.

If I follow you right it sound like you picked up a standard single line adapter, meant to plug two phones into a single line jack. What you need is a two line splitter which looks very similar, but is usually marked "L1" and "L2" at the two jacks. When you plug both cords into the single line version which has both jacks wired the same you are shorting both lines together which causes the loss of dialtone.

A "Lucent Technologies model 512A switchbox" just allows a single line device to be used on two lines. It's a line 1/line 2 switch.

I figured that, that's why I mentioned the fact that they make 2 line phones.

If that thing has a jack on it rather than a line cord, just plug a line 1 / line 2 adapter into it and use two line cords to the jacks.

-Hal