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Obi302 with 3 phones and 2 lines

Started by TimDan, April 10, 2015, 04:13:55 PM

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TimDan


The Obi302 was supplied to me by PhonePower with the caution not to use
it for more than 1 phone and not to connect it to wall wiring.  Phoo!

I've been using the Obi302 with 3 non-cordless deskphones connected via
the in-wall telephone wiring now for 4 months with no problem.

But I first demanded that AT&T disconnect my in-wall wiring from their
network on the grounds that they had no right to put their 48 volts on
property they didn't own.  I live in a condo building, and that required
them to use a tone generator to find my wires in the ratnest of wires in
the building's telephone terminal box, and they were reluctant to do it.
They, of course, wanted to stay connected for their convenience in wiring
up the "next owner" of my condo unit.  But I pointed out the hazard and
liability of it, so they sent over a technician to find and disconnect
my wires in the building's the terminal box from their network.

Then I had PhonePower activate my (free) "Clone" service that, in effect,
gave me a 2nd line that would ring and take messages (either with my own
answering machine or PhonePower's voice mail) while I used the 1st line.
(I can even call room-to-room using that feature - just call on one of the
lines and the other line rings on all of the phones.)

With the "clone" service activated, I connected the Phone 1 and Phone 2
ports at the Obi302 to a 2-line 3-into-1 adapter (available on the Web
and at office supply stores).  This adapter has 3 ports on one side for
L1, L2, and L1+L2:
Phone 1 from the Obi302 goes to L1 on the adapter.
Phone 2 from the Obi302 goes to L2 on the adapter.
A 2-line cord from the telephone wall outlet goes to L1+L2 on the adapter.

The other side of the adapter plugs into the L1+L2 jack on the back of
a Panasonic 2-line analog deskphone.  My other two Panasonic 2-line analog
deskphones in each of the 2 bedrooms also plug into their telephone wall
outlets with a 2-line cord.

I also included an answering machine in the setup that will answer after
4 rings on L1, and PhonePower's voice mail will pick up after 5 rings
in case my answering machine malfunctions.  This just requires a 2-line
2-into-1 adapter on top of the L1+L2 port of the 3-into-1 adapter at the
deskphone.

The conclusion is that you CAN use the Obi302 with in-wall telephone
wiring as long as you disconnect the wiring from the phone company,
and you CAN use the Obi302 with more than one non-cordless deskphone,
just make sure that they have electronic ringers, not physical bells
(which require more ringing current).

Here are some Web sources for the adapters:

3-way phone splitter (L1, L2, L1+L2)
------------------------------------
http://www.rogersystems.com/2_line_phone_splitter.html

http://www.trianglecables.com/tellinsplitl.html

http://www.showmecables.com/product/3-Way-Telephone-Splitter.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I963JK/ref=asc_df_B000I963JK3542256

http://www.staples.com/GE-3-Jack-2-Line-Phone-Line-Splitter-White-/product_716288


2-way 2-line splitter (L1+L2, L1+L2)
------------------------------------
http://www.showmecables.com/product/Telephone-Splitter-RJ11-Plug-to-Dual-RJ11-Jacks-Straight.aspx

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-2-Way-4-Conductor-Phone-Splitter-White-76191/202698491?N=5yc1vZc337Zlo


And, to aid your inventiveness:

3-way 2-line splitter (L1+L2, L1+L2, L1+L2)
-------------------------------------------
http://www.rogersystems.com/3_way_phone_splitter.html

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-3-Way-Phone-Line-Splitter-White-76160/202698806



TimDaniels

202Owner

Quote from: TimDan on April 10, 2015, 04:13:55 PM
The conclusion is that you CAN use the Obi302 with in-wall telephone
wiring as long as you disconnect the wiring from the phone company,
and you CAN use the Obi302 with more than one non-cordless deskphone,
just make sure that they have electronic ringers, not physical bells
(which require more ringing current).

The OBi PHONE port rating is REN 5.  Just make sure that the total REN of the connected phones does not exceed 5.  The typical modern phone has a REN less than 1, so you can connect ~5 of them.