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Wanting to use vintage phones in multiple rooms

Started by Babyblues71, May 02, 2017, 06:29:00 AM

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Babyblues71

I have an Obi device and have it hooked up via a direct phone cable to my primary phone.  However, I want to be able to use my vintage phone collection (Some older touch-tone, and some older rotary with pulse-to-tone converters installed) in various rooms throughout the apartment I am in.

I tried one of those older GE Magicjack wireless things for one phone and although that does work if located in an open area somewhat near the base unit of the Magicjack, for some reason it can't seem to penetrate this one wall and go into the bedroom.

So, any other options?  Although the apartment itself was obviously pre-wired for phones, I heard that you basically have to get the main wires disconnected from the outside box in order to not risk your equipment.  Sadly, not only is it locked, but I doubt that the phone company is going to come out and disconnect those for me because I want to use something that will take away money from their pocketbook.

Any other options that you can think of for someone wanting to use vintage phones? 


drgeoff

The vintage bit is irrelevant.  Given that they are intrinsically, or with an add-on, touch-tone capable you would be looking for the same solution even for modern corded phones.

You are correct that you need to ensure that your internal phone wiring is properly disconnected from any telco line.

I don't know what wireless phone extenders are available in the USA.

Another wireless option is Wi-Fi.  Buy an Obi200 and ObiWiFi for each additional phone.  It is possible to make all outgoing calls go via the service(s) set up on the Obi202 and it is possible to make the OBi202 ring its own phone and forward to the Ob200s.  Not a cheap solution and you'd need to check that Wi-Fi doesn't have the same through the walls limitation as the GE device.

azrobert

#2
How much of a gambler are you? Do you have a volt meter? You shouldn't use the apartment wiring because even when the wires are dead the phone company can connect power at any time, but using the line 2 wiring will greatly reduce the chance of frying your equipment. Notice I said greatly reduce, not eliminate frying your equipment.

Take the jack off the wall. There should be 4 contacts with 8 wires. 4 wires coming from the rj11 jack. The inner pair will be line 1 and colored red and green. The outer pair is line 2 and colored yellow and black. The 4 apartment wires might be color coded the same way. Newer wiring pairs will have 1 wire solid color and the 2nd striped with the same color. Mine is alternating long white and short color.

Check both lines for voltage. It will be approximately 50v DC. If the 2nd line is dead, you should be OK. Disconnect the apartment line1 wires from the jack. Tape them, so they won't short out. You can cut off the stripped part of the wire. Now connect the 2nd line apartment wire pair with the jack line1 pair. You can use any of the jack's screw down contact pairs. You need to rewire both jacks by the OBi and the phone.

The safe way is drgeoff's solution.

Edit:
There is no logical reason why the phone company would add power to your 2nd line wiring. It would have to be a mistake like your neighbor adding a 2nd line and technician connects it to your wiring.
 

drgeoff

If you follow azrobert's suggestion don't forget to change it all back before you leave the apartment to the next resident.  :)

azrobert

 If you don't want to mess with the wiring, you could use two line1/line2 splitters like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/L1-L2-L1-L2-multi-2-line-cord-wire-Phone-Telephone-number-Splitter-Adapter-SHdis-/302274992332?hash=item4660fe58cc:g:0G4AAMXQCgpRz1wL

You still need to verify that line2 is dead. I recommend taping over line1 on the splitter so it won't be accidentally used.

Babyblues71

Thanks for all of the help!  So hmmm....

It looks like I either have to take a fry risk or figure out the Wi-fi option or run lines from a splitter underneath the baseboard wood paneling or something (Since I can't make my own ports in the walls since I'm in an apartment).   I'm not exactly loving having to leave my Wi-Fi on 24/7 if I tried the Wi-fi option.  If I did decide to do that, how exactly do I *make* my standard telephone Wi-fi so it can actually connect to the network?  I mean, that'd be easy to do with a cel, tablet, etc., but a standard telephone would have to have some kind of device added to it for it to ring.  So...confused....

drgeoff

#6
Quote from: Babyblues71 on May 06, 2017, 06:33:57 AM
I'm not exactly loving having to leave my Wi-Fi on 24/7 if I tried the Wi-fi option.  If I did decide to do that, how exactly do I *make* my standard telephone Wi-fi so it can actually connect to the network?  I mean, that'd be easy to do with a cel, tablet, etc., but a standard telephone would have to have some kind of device added to it for it to ring..
Yes, that's why I wrote "Buy an Obi200 and ObiWiFi for each additional phone."

It is possible to have one OBi200 as the 'master' and external calls in to it are "forked" to the other OBis such that any phone can answer. Similarly, calls from any of the 'slave' OBis go out via the account(s) registered on the master OBi.

But be aware that you don't get the simplicity of using multiple extensions on a call that you get with 'ordinary' phones all connected to the same pair of wires.

Personally, I'd just invest in nice modern setup of DECT base station and phones.

But if you insist on using your corded phones I'd try azrobert's line splitter plugs.  The only risk is to the OBi200 - your phones will be fine.