On Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 8:47:21 AM UTC-4, wrote:
My phones have no dial tone. My DSL internet works fine. When I call my home number from my cell I hear ringing, but the phones in the house don't ring.

I disconnected all phones and tested one by one. All dead. Still have to replace all the DSL filters one by one. But could they all 5 go dead at once? Could a surge go through the lightning arrestors, knock out 3 phones, leave the DSL router and answering machine untouched? I don't think so.

I don't have an NID. It's 1970s wiring, Bell System. The incoming phone line is in the basement and terminates on a lighting block arrestor. Two maroon solenoids on the sides with incoming wire connected above, and phone lines below.

I hooked up a two wire, red and green jack with RJ11 connector to the incoming wire posts and connected a phone. No dial tone.

So I'm thinking this is not a problem in the wiring or equipment in my home.

I'm asking if anyone sees flaws in my analysis.

Will Verizon install an NID in or outside at no charge?

Will I get marginally faster internet if I have RJ45 cable wired from the incoming directly to my router? It's not a long run maybe 6 feet.

Thanks for any expertise you can offer.

Since you tested as close to where the wiring enters your house and
there is no signal there, I'd call the phone company. That's what you're
paying for. But one more test I'd do, try it again with everything
downstream disconnected, by unhooking it at that block.