CAT 45 and phone lines 2

[benzito]

I recently built a pc for a friend. It turns out the room they want to use it in does not have a phone line installed for the modem. It does have a data jack (rj-45) pre-installed in a wall plate which runs back to a Greyfox data cabinet (

http://www.greyfox.com/products/enclosures.htm

) in the basement by way of CAT 5 cabling. The Data cabinet is set up w/ what looks to be a Data patch panel in a module on the left side and a phone line module on the right (Greyfox 4x24 Telecom Module ---

http://www.greyfox.com/products/phone.htm

). All jacks are rj-45. I thought I could just plug the cat 5 run from the room directly into the phone line jack and it would work. No joy. Obviously I'm missing something simple here. When I plug a phone directly into the phone jack in the basement, I get a dial tone. I'm only getting dead air when plugging the cat5 from the den into the phone line jack in the basement (using the same phone to check for dial tone). I noticed that the rj-11 phone line I'm using is rolled. Does that mean I'll have to make a rolled patch cable from the patch panel to the phone line in the basement or should this work the way I tried it before, by just plugging the cat 5 straight into the phone line? It's a new house and I don't think the cable is bad. I'm under the impression that home data cable runs are done w/ straight through cables unless otherwise specified. Is this correct?

Does anyone have any clue as to why I can't get dial tone using the cat 5 to the phone jack?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. The phone line I'm using has 4 pins w/ the #2 and 3 being used. The line is rolled.

 

[InnoTech]

only thing i could think of is that the cable is either bad or not the same one. maybe there is another cable that you your plugging into. the data cabling should be straight through but that don't mean it is. check the terminations on both ends and make sure of the pin out. are they terminated useing the same color code? "Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[daronwilson]

Good advice. Data cabling is straight through, so if you have a data jack in the den and it terminates on a data patch panel, and it is wired correctly, it should be pin for pin straight through.

I've had limited success keeping 6P4P standard phone wire plugs in 8P8C jacks. Usually they will stay, but I've had them be a source of trouble. If you have any cable tester, I'd confirm you are on the correct cable and that it is wired straight through.

Phone cables are rolled or reversed, though for a POTS line like you are dealing with, the polarity should not stop the phone from getting dial tone. So even if you had the polarity backwards, you shoiuld still be able to draw dial tone.

I would guess you either you are on the wrong cable, the cable is miswired, or the phone line plug is too loose in the the data jack in the den.

Good Luck! It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[benzito]

Thanks guys...I finished this last night after finding out that the homeowner previously had a second line installed in that room. Turned out the line was still crossed over in the basement. This would have been a lot easier if the cabling had been tagged, or if I'd had a cable tester (gotta get one of those!).