Plugging adapter into existing phone jacks?

[Chris 96 WS6]

Hi,

Just got my service up and running and my old number ported over. Working great so far with the phone plugged directly into the adapter.

However, I want multiple hand sets plugged in. I plugged the adapter into the existing wall jack and I now get a dial tone on any extension in the house. I can call out, and I receive calls beeping in via call waiting.

BUT, none of the extensions will ring when an outside call comes in. The caller ID won't even present. Its as if there's not enough juice coming out of the VOIP adapter to fire off the ringers.

Is there anything I can do about this? I even tried unplugging all the extensions but one.

Does cord length make a difference? I'm running a 15 ft. cord from the adapter to the wall. Works fine plugged into a phone but maybe its too long when taking into account the house wiring.

[taylor2767]

Tech support should be able to adjust the voltage setting on the TA which should help. You could also have some unknown voltage regulator on you wiring which could be your problem. Fixing this requires som re-wiring. You could invest in a multiple handset phone.

[Chris 96 WS6]

Thanks, that is good information.

I also did some googling, it seems its common practice to disconnect the house wiring from the TelCo's external lines. We have a 2 handset wireless phone system now, that is adequate for the time being at least.

We're moving here in a couple months so I may hold off if it will require hacking the wiring because then I'd only have to reconnect when we move.

[KLH]

You need to disconect the telco's line coming into your house. Otherwise it can damage your VoIP adapter.

[gsquare]

Its important to not plug your adapter into your house jacks until after you have isolated the telephone company from your house. Ring voltage is a high energy signal up to 90 volts and if a ring comes down the line from the telco and backwards into your voip adapter, thats not good. Also by having the telco line hooked up your ring out of the adapter has perhaps miles of copper wire connected in addition to your house wiring and probably the reason you are haveing trouble with ring from voip. Most homes have a customer interface box on the exterior with two line capability. You can easily pull the jacks in that box and when dial tone drops on your phones you have sucessfully removed the telco line from your house jacks.

[kvmcelwain]

Just a note, I'm going to have all of my lines run to a patch panel in my basement and then run to the side of the house for the Telco. Another thought....ask them to run Cat5e instead of regular phone cable. Your regular phone plug will work in at Cat5 jack but your computers will also, it simply expands your possibilities.

[KC9FOI]

I too have done this in two different apartments. The telco wires were a bit more dificult to isolate than on a house but I eventually found the wall jack they were behind and disconnected them. I then installed a dual wall jack near the modem and connected both together and to the line leading to the the existing wiring so I could have a phone in the room where the modem was in addition to the phones in the other rooms, without another jumble of wires.