I was just on Staples web site (they sell X-16).
I noticed they sell a connector for the ports allowing 4 sets on 1 port without connection to blocks. It is also inexpensive. Anyone use 1 of these?

I've seen them but never bought one, I prefer to use a block and keep things in order, I would think you could make the same thing they sell for about half the price after all it's just a 4port jack looped together inside.

I just installed one for a customer who bought his there. I told him to keep the adapter and I just put plugs on the end of a piece of four pair cable. I then looped each pair four times down the side of a 66 block and cross-connected to the station cables. Certainly much more professional.

They've had the 5 port adapter around for years for a lot less than that. I wouldn't use either as has been mentioned above. It's part of the "self install" pitch, just like when the original merlins first came out. You can install it your self if you don't mind tripping over the long cords you have to use.

Wow, I just looked on Staples, the whole system comes with an install (destroy?) it yourself guide...wow

They included that just for you, Jeff :rofl:

THIS is what my customer received in his package as the "splitter". No quality whatsoever, so I almost pitched it in the trash.

Yes that's the same one Sams Club puts out the door as well Ed, However I did throw it in the trash.

Those are the ones I was talking about.

I looked at those once at the $ Store for $1.00. Can't use them though....not compatible with BIX quality.

Dave, When you found them at the dollar store, did you have to ask them how much they cost?
:rofl:

I have four of these "splitters" connecting 15 phones and would love to get rid of all the unwieldy cabling. I've been reluctant to remove these because I thought there may be some intelligence (looks like some kind of circuit board in there but haven't actually taken one apart.)

Understand I don't work with phone systems a lot so if possible, can you be more specific, please?

It appears there are only two live pins in each of the ports on the KSU (Is that what it's called?) How do you translate two pins to 4 pairs?

I have a couple 66 blocks I should be able to use.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Steve, each jack for stations on the "server" or "KSU" will provide support for up to four phones. You basically connect all four phones in parallel to the same single pair of wires. You then just identify the phone's extension number in programming. The first one you plug in will come up as X301. When you connect the additional phones, you just have to use the navigation "wheel" on the additional phones to give the next three phones a unique extension number.

Although it is a four-pin jack, only the center two pins are active. The others are not used.

In a nutshell, the green/red comes out of the KSU and simply branches out to four greens and four reds, just like any typical splitter for regular home phone lines. There absolutely, positively are no electronics inside of these splitters.

Imagine placing five greens in one wire nut and five reds in another. It truly is that simple.

Hope this helps....

Ed, thank you so much for your explanation. Extremely helpful. I'm almost there...

So I'm splitting the single pair into 4 pairs. Not sure how to do that with a 66 block. Have a pair going out to each phone already. Do I just connect the first pair to the first phone pair then create a connection to the other three using some kind of bridge connector or something to that effect? If so, can I just punch these down with one "red" connected to the next "red" for example? Seems like in the past any time I connected two wires to the same terminal on the 66 block, it wasn't a solid connection.

Thanks again for your patience.

Steve U, just think of it as 4 single line sets going to 1 port, the next 4 got to the 2nd port and so on.You can bridge or loop but never punch down one pair on top of the other on a 66 block.

Ed, I just re-read your post here. Thanks to your previous post I think I understand a little better. When you describe "plugs" on the end of a 4 pair cable, what is that? Does that mean a single pair that is combined with four? What type of connector is that?

Also just noticed the "splitters" referred to in other posts are different than what I've been using:
https://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5771125&CatId=5127

Looks like they perform the same function but are much more expensive. Also, the cable length, combined with the "whip" on the other end gives me about 16 ft of cable to span about a 3 ft distance. What a pain...

Thanks again for you help!

What I dont understand is the price Staples is selling it for u can have a dealer install it for u for that same price ?! Dosen't make sence !!

Here's a link that shows you how to loop a 66 block click here so you'd loop 4 for the first port 4 for the second and so on.

IMHO, that's exactly the way it SHOULD be! If the consumer were given the choice they would choose the dealer if they're smart.

It would also stop places like Staples to sell them so cheap that Joe Blow could afford to buy them there, then turn around & resell on eBay.

No system bashing allowed in the open forums.

Seems we've gone from the multiline adapter to bashing the product. Let's keep it on topic please.

Sorry not bashing the product....i actually think its great....but for the retail price u can actually have a dealer install it and have peace of mind..thinking as an end user of course

The bashing post was edited. Wasn't yours. Not trying to make you jumpy.