I'd like to add net connection to a room that has existing telephone wires that
are not in use.

The wires (nine in all) go inside teh wall. They have not been used for years.
They were probably used for an in-house intercom (12V).

Downstairs there is a room with a lot of telephone wires coming into the room.
Many look like they had been used with the same intercom as upstairs.

How do I test which of the wires connect to the room upstairs.

Dave wrote:
I'd like to add net connection to a room that has existing telephone wires that
are not in use.

The wires (nine in all) go inside teh wall. They have not been used for years.
They were probably used for an in-house intercom (12V).

Downstairs there is a room with a lot of telephone wires coming into the room.
Many look like they had been used with the same intercom as upstairs.

How do I test which of the wires connect to the room upstairs.


I'd connect a 9V battery with jumpers to two of the wires at one end.
Then use a voltmeter to test between the wires at the other to find the
correct pair. If you don;'t have a V meter, you could use a
flashlight type bulb. Make sure when you connect the battery that
there are no sparks, which would indicate a short. This assumes you
know for sure that there is nothing still connected to those wires.

wrote:
Dave wrote:
I'd like to add net connection to a room that has existing telephone wires that
are not in use.

The wires (nine in all) go inside teh wall. They have not been used for years.
They were probably used for an in-house intercom (12V).

Downstairs there is a room with a lot of telephone wires coming into the room.
Many look like they had been used with the same intercom as upstairs.

How do I test which of the wires connect to the room upstairs.


I'd connect a 9V battery with jumpers to two of the wires at one end.
Then use a voltmeter to test between the wires at the other to find the
correct pair. If you don;'t have a V meter, you could use a
flashlight type bulb. Make sure when you connect the battery that
there are no sparks, which would indicate a short. This assumes you
know for sure that there is nothing still connected to those wires.

Why use a battery? If you have a meter that can read voltage it will
also read resistance. Seperate the wires out as best as possible. Tie
two together and then use an Ohm meter to determince which is which.
When you figure out who is who, label them.

-paul

On 9 Nov 2006 10:19:48 -0800, wrote:


wrote:
Dave wrote:
I'd like to add net connection to a room that has existing telephone wires that
are not in use.

The wires (nine in all) go inside teh wall. They have not been used for years.
They were probably used for an in-house intercom (12V).


Using old non-data certified "telephone wires" for a computer
connection is not a good idea. Depending on your luck, it may work,
work poorly, or not work at all. A poor hookup here can affect your
network connections elsewhere.

I would suggest buying a box of Category 5 or 5e cable. It's very
inexpensive and contains the correct pairs designations, color, and
pairs twisted together to minimize interference and undesirable
electromagnetic interactions.

Telephone wires are often twisted, but not enough according to the
more rigid specifications for data cables.

Beachcomber

Old phone cord works okay for 10Mbps ethernet. It'll never work for
100Mbps.

The trick will be to make sure it's plugged into a 10Mbps hub at one
end. It the equipment is 100Mbps on both ends then it'll keep trying
to work at high speed, which needs Cat5, and fail.

Of course, at 10Mbps you might as well use wireless.


-rev



Beachcomber wrote:

Using old non-data certified "telephone wires" for a computer
connection is not a good idea. Depending on your luck, it may work,
work poorly, or not work at all. A poor hookup here can affect your
network connections elsewhere.

I would suggest buying a box of Category 5 or 5e cable. It's very
inexpensive and contains the correct pairs designations, color, and
pairs twisted together to minimize interference and undesirable
electromagnetic interactions.

Telephone wires are often twisted, but not enough according to the
more rigid specifications for data cables.

Beachcomber

On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:30:48 +0200, Dave wrote:

I'd like to add net connection to a room that has existing telephone wires that
are not in use.

The wires (nine in all) go inside teh wall. They have not been used for years.
They were probably used for an in-house intercom (12V).

Downstairs there is a room with a lot of telephone wires coming into the room.
Many look like they had been used with the same intercom as upstairs.

How do I test which of the wires connect to the room upstairs.

You should go straight from the router to the computer with no
splices. Use Cat 5 cable.

The way I did my home was to just bring the cable from the basement
into the upstairs through a 3/8 hole near the wall. I put connectors
directly on the Cat 5 cables with no box.

Wireless is another option that is very nice if you have a laptop. You
will have to buy another card for your desktop.

On 9 Nov 2006 13:34:16 -0800, "The Reverend Natural Light"
wrote:

Old phone cord works okay for 10Mbps ethernet. It'll never work for
100Mbps.

The trick will be to make sure it's plugged into a 10Mbps hub at one
end. It the equipment is 100Mbps on both ends then it'll keep trying
to work at high speed, which needs Cat5, and fail.

Of course, at 10Mbps you might as well use wireless.


Wireless may be faster in that case, but you'll still get the
liabilities of wireless like unreliability and insecurity.


-rev



Beachcomber wrote:

Using old non-data certified "telephone wires" for a computer
connection is not a good idea. Depending on your luck, it may work,
work poorly, or not work at all. A poor hookup here can affect your
network connections elsewhere.

I would suggest buying a box of Category 5 or 5e cable. It's very
inexpensive and contains the correct pairs designations, color, and
pairs twisted together to minimize interference and undesirable
electromagnetic interactions.

Telephone wires are often twisted, but not enough according to the
more rigid specifications for data cables.

Beachcomber
--
45 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"God was invented by man for a reason, that
reason is no longer applicable."

On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:10:43 -0500, Terry
wrote:

On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:30:48 +0200, Dave wrote:

I'd like to add net connection to a room that has existing telephone wires that
are not in use.

The wires (nine in all) go inside teh wall. They have not been used for years.
They were probably used for an in-house intercom (12V).

Downstairs there is a room with a lot of telephone wires coming into the room.
Many look like they had been used with the same intercom as upstairs.

How do I test which of the wires connect to the room upstairs.

You should go straight from the router to the computer with no
splices. Use Cat 5 cable.

The way I did my home was to just bring the cable from the basement
into the upstairs through a 3/8 hole near the wall. I put connectors
directly on the Cat 5 cables with no box.

Wireless is another option that is very nice if you have a laptop. You
will have to buy another card for your desktop.

It you're thinking about wireless, be SURE you need it. There's a lot
of disadvantages.
--
45 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"God was invented by man for a reason, that
reason is no longer applicable."