Phone Cords and DSL Phone Cords

[Ember]

Ok. I'm new to the site and right now I'm running the dreaded dial-up untill I get my DSL modem up. Got Earthlink DSL internet. Just got my DSL kit and everything from UPS. I opened the box and took out the phone cord that comes with the package. It's probably about...5 feet and a few inches long. Which isn't hardly long enough to reach all the way around the living room and to the nearest bedroom where a phone jack is. I thought I'd just use the phone cord that I have been using for my dial-up since it's long enough. When I got everything hooked up and was ready to begin the installation. I got an error saying that the DSL modem wasn't connected to the phone cord that came with the kit. I took it out and compared the regular phone cord that I'm using to the phone cord that came with my kit. The one with the kit is a little fatter than a regular phone cord. Is there a certain reason for this?

[Keymaker]

I'm not too sure if a DSL connection uses all four connectors or not. On the the regular phone line you just use two. This is for dial-up as well. There are other configurations, but this is common for a regular user.

Do you notice if that 5 foot line has 4 contacts in the connector? If so, this could be the problem. It wouldn't seem like that be the case though. I would think it only needs the two contacts, as in a normal phone line. So any phone jack should work. If not, then you may have a miss wired jack.

If the kit came with DSL filters for the phone lines, be sure to put those on all the phones in the house first!

[Ember]

Yeah I know. Everything's set up. It's just that one problem. I had thought about the contacts. They both have 2. When I connect the DSL kit one to the modem it reads fine and gives me the message that it isn't connected to the Filters. which is true because the cord isn't long enough. That's what I don't get. It's like there's something in the line that tells the modem it's the right one. I'm thinking about buying a small extender and connecting my regular phone to one end and the DSL one to the other and see how that goes.

[Keymaker]

If you do locate the DSL modem near a jack that is not located near your computer you could run a length of CAT5e LAN cable from the modem to the computer or use the wireless option. Just make sure that modem/router (It is a modem/router, right?) supports WPA encryption, not WEP. I have a felling it may use WEP. If so, either run a CAT5e LAN cable or buy a router that supports WPA.

You might want to give the ISP a call about this cable.

If this cable has only 2 contacts, then there must be something in the cable.. Weird!

[Ember]

Yeah see I'm running probably a 50 foot long phone cord from the nearest bedroom to my computer in the living room. That's the closest jack to my computer that works. This apt is old and when the electricians came to wire the apt. They left some wires out on a few wall outlets and phone jacks.

[Keymaker]

Hmm, may want to let the phone company come in and wire those jacks up for you. I don't think it would cost a red cent. It isn't hard to do though.

http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home...-a-phone-jack/

http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~kurisuto/phone_wiring.html

Now the wiring sticking out issue. I hope that isn't live! You may have a fire hazard and you do have renters rights. http://www.hud.gov/local/ca/renting/tenantrights.cfm

[Ember]

lol. Sorry about the confusion. I didn't mean Literally out. I ment that there isn't enough wires to wire them all. They just put plates over the holes and made it look like it was all wired up.

[Keymaker]

Oops!


Might want to see if a phone jack can be installed by the phone company. Have you called about this cable?