Hello,

I have a telephone wiring question.

First, the background. This is where I am now:

There is a primitive looking patch panel in my basement, about 38
years old, to which all my phone wiring is attached. There are
six rows and six columns of pincers in the panel. I believe that
the rows form three pairs. To connect phones to one circuit you
might, for example, connect all of the desired phones (up to six
of them) to the bottom and next to bottom rows of pincers. Up to
six phones can be connected to one phone number line, each pair
of wires from one of the six going to a different pair of
connection pincers on the patch panel.

I've used one of the rows for a VOIP line. The connection to the
world phone network is managed via a Telephone Access Device
(TAD) wired via an ethernet connection into my wifi router, which
in turn goes to a modem wired to a Comcast coaxial cable that
carries the Internet. The TAD has a simple phone wire with RJ11
connectors, one of which goes to the phone wall plate and another
to the TAD. Five other phone connectors attach to the same row
pair in the patch panel and they all share access to VOIP via the
one wire that goes from the wall to the TAD, and from there on to
the router, the modem, and the Internet.

Second, what I'm trying to do.

I am switching from Comcast cable to Verizon FIOS Internet. It's
a lot cheaper and I only need the Internet, not the TV carried by
either Comcast or Verizon packages. To do that, without running
cables from one end of the house to the other (admittedly, that's
an option), I have to place the router close to the location of
the Verizon Optical Network Terminal (in my basement) and also
close to a wall outlet on the first floor for the phone system.

One way to do that is to rewire a telephone connection wall plate
near the ONT to switch it from the land line to the row of
connections to the VOIP line.

Third, the problem.

So far so good, but the patch panel connections are full. I have
either to remove one of the wire pairs from the panel, and place
the new pair in its place, or else connect two pairs of wires to
the same pair of connections in the patch panel.

The questions:

Can I place two pairs of wires on the same pair of connectors in
the patch panel? Are there any downsides to that? Will it work
as well as disconnecting one of the patch panel pincer pairs from
its current wall plate and using it for the new one?

Thanks.

Alan

On Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 6:29:35 PM UTC-5, Alan Meyer wrote:
Hello,

I have a telephone wiring question.

First, the background. This is where I am now:

There is a primitive looking patch panel in my basement, about 38
years old, to which all my phone wiring is attached. There are
six rows and six columns of pincers in the panel. I believe that
the rows form three pairs. To connect phones to one circuit you
might, for example, connect all of the desired phones (up to six
of them) to the bottom and next to bottom rows of pincers. Up to
six phones can be connected to one phone number line, each pair
of wires from one of the six going to a different pair of
connection pincers on the patch panel.

I've used one of the rows for a VOIP line. The connection to the
world phone network is managed via a Telephone Access Device
(TAD) wired via an ethernet connection into my wifi router, which
in turn goes to a modem wired to a Comcast coaxial cable that
carries the Internet. The TAD has a simple phone wire with RJ11
connectors, one of which goes to the phone wall plate and another
to the TAD. Five other phone connectors attach to the same row
pair in the patch panel and they all share access to VOIP via the
one wire that goes from the wall to the TAD, and from there on to
the router, the modem, and the Internet.

Second, what I'm trying to do.

I am switching from Comcast cable to Verizon FIOS Internet. It's
a lot cheaper and I only need the Internet, not the TV carried by
either Comcast or Verizon packages. To do that, without running
cables from one end of the house to the other (admittedly, that's
an option), I have to place the router close to the location of
the Verizon Optical Network Terminal (in my basement) and also
close to a wall outlet on the first floor for the phone system.

One way to do that is to rewire a telephone connection wall plate
near the ONT to switch it from the land line to the row of
connections to the VOIP line.

Third, the problem.

So far so good, but the patch panel connections are full. I have
either to remove one of the wire pairs from the panel, and place
the new pair in its place, or else connect two pairs of wires to
the same pair of connections in the patch panel.

The questions:

Can I place two pairs of wires on the same pair of connectors in
the patch panel? Are there any downsides to that? Will it work
as well as disconnecting one of the patch panel pincer pairs from
its current wall plate and using it for the new one?

Thanks.

Alan

It's likely not designed or rated for that, but it's a phone line. If you can
get two in there and it looks sound, I'd do it.

On Friday, January 29, 2021 at 9:03:07 AM UTC-5, trader_4 wrote:
On Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 6:29:35 PM UTC-5, Alan Meyer wrote:
Hello,

I have a telephone wiring question.

First, the background. This is where I am now:

There is a primitive looking patch panel in my basement, about 38
years old, to which all my phone wiring is attached. There are
six rows and six columns of pincers in the panel. I believe that
the rows form three pairs. To connect phones to one circuit you
might, for example, connect all of the desired phones (up to six
of them) to the bottom and next to bottom rows of pincers. Up to
six phones can be connected to one phone number line, each pair
of wires from one of the six going to a different pair of
connection pincers on the patch panel.

I've used one of the rows for a VOIP line. The connection to the
world phone network is managed via a Telephone Access Device
(TAD) wired via an ethernet connection into my wifi router, which
in turn goes to a modem wired to a Comcast coaxial cable that
carries the Internet. The TAD has a simple phone wire with RJ11
connectors, one of which goes to the phone wall plate and another
to the TAD. Five other phone connectors attach to the same row
pair in the patch panel and they all share access to VOIP via the
one wire that goes from the wall to the TAD, and from there on to
the router, the modem, and the Internet.

Second, what I'm trying to do.

I am switching from Comcast cable to Verizon FIOS Internet. It's
a lot cheaper and I only need the Internet, not the TV carried by
either Comcast or Verizon packages. To do that, without running
cables from one end of the house to the other (admittedly, that's
an option), I have to place the router close to the location of
the Verizon Optical Network Terminal (in my basement) and also
close to a wall outlet on the first floor for the phone system.

One way to do that is to rewire a telephone connection wall plate
near the ONT to switch it from the land line to the row of
connections to the VOIP line.

Third, the problem.

So far so good, but the patch panel connections are full. I have
either to remove one of the wire pairs from the panel, and place
the new pair in its place, or else connect two pairs of wires to
the same pair of connections in the patch panel.

The questions:

Can I place two pairs of wires on the same pair of connectors in
the patch panel? Are there any downsides to that? Will it work
as well as disconnecting one of the patch panel pincer pairs from
its current wall plate and using it for the new one?

Thanks.

Alan
It's likely not designed or rated for that, but it's a phone line. If you can
get two in there and it looks sound, I'd do it.

I would also strip off the insulation from the wires. Those connectors are
designed to pierce the insulation and if you shove the first one in, that will
work, but the contacts are then expanded and the second one, the insulation
may not pierce. You could also twist the two bared wires together before
putting them in place.

Alan Meyer writes:
Hello,

I have a telephone wiring question.

First, the background. This is where I am now:

There is a primitive looking patch panel in my basement, about 38
years old, to which all my phone wiring is attached. There are
six rows and six columns of pincers in the panel. I believe that
the rows form three pairs. To connect phones to one circuit you
might, for example, connect all of the desired phones (up to six
of them) to the bottom and next to bottom rows of pincers. Up to
six phones can be connected to one phone number line, each pair
of wires from one of the six going to a different pair of
connection pincers on the patch panel.

Sounds like a 66 block.

While it is not recommended, doubling up a pair shouldn't be
a problem. The wires get fragile as they're bent, so watch
for breaks at the 66 block connections.

You can also daisy-chain rows by tieing one row to an empty
row which will expand the number of devices on the line.

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 28 Jan 2021 18:29:28 -0500, Alan Meyer
wrote:

Hello,

I have a telephone wiring question.

First, the background. This is where I am now:

There is a primitive looking patch panel in my basement, about 38
years old, to which all my phone wiring is attached. There are
six rows and six columns of pincers in the panel. I believe that
the rows form three pairs. To connect phones to one circuit you
might, for example, connect all of the desired phones (up to six
of them) to the bottom and next to bottom rows of pincers. Up to
six phones can be connected to one phone number line, each pair
of wires from one of the six going to a different pair of
connection pincers on the patch panel.

I've used one of the rows for a VOIP line. The connection to the
world phone network is managed via a Telephone Access Device
(TAD) wired via an ethernet connection into my wifi router, which
in turn goes to a modem wired to a Comcast coaxial cable that
carries the Internet. The TAD has a simple phone wire with RJ11
connectors, one of which goes to the phone wall plate and another
to the TAD. Five other phone connectors attach to the same row
pair in the patch panel and they all share access to VOIP via the
one wire that goes from the wall to the TAD, and from there on to
the router, the modem, and the Internet.

Second, what I'm trying to do.

I am switching from Comcast cable to Verizon FIOS Internet. It's
a lot cheaper and I only need the Internet, not the TV carried by
either Comcast or Verizon packages. To do that, without running
cables from one end of the house to the other (admittedly, that's
an option),

I thought about switching from Verizon to Comcast, but didn't want to
run a wire from the back of the house to the front.

As it is, the phone line to my bedroom has an intermittent short, so
I've abandoned everything in the basement and had the Verizon FIOS guy
go up from the 2nd floor overhang at the front of he house, through the
floor, to under the bed in the guest room, and had him put one box in
that room and the internet box in the next bedroom/office. From there I
have a cordless phone so I don't use the original phone jacks.

But if I were set up like you are, I'd keep everything the way it is.

I'd already drilled the hole for plain wires and it worked for 3 months,
then stopped. He had an 18" metal rod for pullling wires through and I
went upstairs to get it. I wonder what they do when no customer is
there to help.

I have to place the router close to the location of

Really? Close? When I first had cable tv installed, I wanted the box
inside the closet 4 feet from the Tv. The installer wasn't sure it
would work, but when I was running the tv line to the kitchen, because
of fishing the wire, I temporarily had 3 lengths of 30 feet, back and
forth, totalling aobut 100 feet, and it worked fine.

Of course your hardware is different.

the Verizon Optical Network Terminal (in my basement) and also
close to a wall outlet on the first floor for the phone system.

One way to do that is to rewire a telephone connection wall plate
near the ONT to switch it from the land line to the row of
connections to the VOIP line.

How many phone lines do you have? Three?

Just curious, because what matters is the phone line you want to use.

Third, the problem.

So far so good, but the patch panel connections are full. I have

You have six home runs on it? I guess my house came with only the
kitchen and master bedroom, and I ran another to the basement room.

either to remove one of the wire pairs from the panel, and place
the new pair in its place, or else connect two pairs of wires to
the same pair of connections in the patch panel.

OR ELSE remove one pair of wires, replace it with a short pair that goes
to a surface connection box, and connect both the old and new wires to
the screws inside that. Each screw has 2 or 3 washers so you can put
each wire with a washer separating it from the other wire, so one
doesn't force the other out. Though that's not really necessary. You
can twist the wires together and put them under one washer**.

https://www.amazon.com/Cmple-Phone-S.../ref=pd_vtp_14

You don't have to use the modular jack, just the screws inside.


Did you ever try to buy washers in a foreign country? I drew a picture
and the hardware store guy came back right away with two sizes. I
needed them to fix my suitcase where the screws I used to replace the
original rivets that held the wheels in place were pulling the medium
sized washers I'd used straight through the holes. The big washers
stopped that.


The questions:

Can I place two pairs of wires on the same pair of connectors in
the patch panel? Are there any downsides to that? Will it work
as well as disconnecting one of the patch panel pincer pairs from
its current wall plate and using it for the new one?

Thanks.

Alan

On Fri, 29 Jan 2021 15:40:19 GMT, Scott Lurndal posted for all of us to
digest...


Alan Meyer writes:
Hello,

I have a telephone wiring question.

First, the background. This is where I am now:

There is a primitive looking patch panel in my basement, about 38
years old, to which all my phone wiring is attached. There are
six rows and six columns of pincers in the panel. I believe that
the rows form three pairs. To connect phones to one circuit you
might, for example, connect all of the desired phones (up to six
of them) to the bottom and next to bottom rows of pincers. Up to
six phones can be connected to one phone number line, each pair
of wires from one of the six going to a different pair of
connection pincers on the patch panel.

Sounds like a 66 block.

While it is not recommended, doubling up a pair shouldn't be
a problem. The wires get fragile as they're bent, so watch
for breaks at the 66 block connections.

You can also daisy-chain rows by tieing one row to an empty
row which will expand the number of devices on the line.

+1 You can also (if need be) tweak the contacts with a needle-nose pliers. Be
VERY careful and test prior to doing this it will probably work without the
tweak.

--
Tekkie