In article rail,
Beowulf wrote:

Ok, so I know I connect the wires from the phone lines to those two poles
where the main line comes in, but is the order important?

No.

Polarity was important MANY years ago but no longer.

are the black and yellow really needed

No.

POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) uses a PAIR of copper wires to do their
thing. Extra pairs are just that: Extra. They are there in case trouble
develops with the original (red/green) pair. They are also available should a
SECOND phone line be needed.

should the black go with the green, and the yellow with the red?

Yes.

Honestly, though: This, too, doesn't matter.

Many old-time phone techs may disagree but, many years ago, I located the
actual B.S.P. (Bell System Practice) that identified black as a TIP color and
yellow as a RING color.

I had a dial tone, then 5 minutes later the line went dead; there was no
dial tone at the "Demarc(ation) box" phone jack so I know the problem for
now is on their end.

I wouldn't be so sure. If it was working OK to start, then it failed, I would
NOT expect trouble outside. Rather, you were plugging and un-plugging phones
and otherwise messing with the system. Odds are the trouble IS inside your
home.

Of course, if you have a properly installed, official N.I.D. (Network
Interface Device) serving your home, you used a KNOWN-GOOD phone, and there is
NO DIAL TONE when plugged-in at the NID, the trouble is NOT inside.

Good luck.
--

JR