Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Telephone switch?

by Oct 19, 2012 9:09PM PDT

Hello Everyone,
If this is posted in the wrong forum, please redirect me.
I have a landline into the house.
I have two telephones in the house.
One is in a room occupied by an elderly person.
Is there a switch box that I could connect both that telephone and the other phone that would switch off one when needed and allow the other phone on when that is switched off?
Basically allowing one on at a time without having to unplug the phone jack-plug into the phone.

Thank you,

colinito.

Discussion is locked

11 Posts
- Collapse + Expand Details
- Collapse -
Answer
Why a switch?
by Forum moderator Oct 19, 2012 11:53PM PDT

Here I have 3 phones connected in parallel to one landline. So you can use 1, 2 or 3 of them at the same time to talk to the caller. No switch needed.

Kees

- Collapse -
He does not want the phone in the elderly persons
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Oct 19, 2012 11:56PM PDT

room to ring.
He wants to be able to turn it off.

P

- Collapse -
Telephone switch?
by colinito Oct 20, 2012 1:39AM PDT

Hello again Kees,
Because, as "mrmacfixit" says, the elderly person retires to bed fairly early in the evening, it would be nice to be able to turn the phone 'off' in that room and prevent her being awakened when the phone rings.
The alternative is to manually remove the phone line from the telephone, which is the practice at the moment.
At present, the two phones in the house and the one out on the patio all work as the three that you describe, all connected and all able to ring at the same time.

Regards,

colinito.

- Collapse -
Answer
In all the house phone systems I have looked at,
by Forum moderator Oct 19, 2012 11:54PM PDT

the wiring is continuous, unlike network wiring which tends to be single cable pulled from the outlet to a central place.

In to the house to the first outlet, back up into the attic, down to the next one, up into the attic, down to the next one, and so on.
If you switch the line going down into the elderly person room, there is a possibility that you will shut off the phone you want on.

Depending on the route taken by the installers, the EP room could be the first on the line or the last. If it is the last room, or at least after the room with the other phone, then a simple light switch would achieve the results you seek. However, if it is before the other phone, you are kinda stuck.

P

- Collapse -
Telephone switch?
by colinito Oct 20, 2012 1:54AM PDT

Hello, mrmacfixit ,
You seem to have the idea!
In fact the phone is actually the middle one of the three! I was thinking along the same line that you suggest - that of turning the one phone off while allowing the next one to stay connected.
When we disconnect her phone by removing the wire, the patio phone and the phone in the living room will still ring.
It appears rather like a railway points system, by cutting the one line, the other has the connection whilst the other one is able to ring and talk on. So, if I could put a 'switch' on her line it would have the purpose of turning her phone off and leaving the other switched on.
Not being able to see the internal wiring system, I am not able to know if there is a big split after the phone line enters the house and three lines go out to each of the three phones - which would account for the other two ringing when one is disconnected.


Thanks,

colinito.

- Collapse -
Answer
Yes.
by Forum moderator Oct 20, 2012 2:11AM PDT

While there are such switches the only challenge could be wiring it up. Are you saying that basic wiring skills are not available? If so, there are handypeople that do this for us.
Bob

- Collapse -
Telephone switch?
by colinito Oct 20, 2012 4:08AM PDT

Hello Bob!
Thanks, I know,, but much easier and fulfilling to be able to do it oneself - plus less costly!
I am just exploring the possibilities of a "box" which would take the lines and turn one off at will.

Regards

colinito

- Collapse -
So you are paying a little for this?
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Oct 20, 2012 5:17AM PDT
- Collapse -
Answer
I suggest
by Oct 20, 2012 5:02AM PDT

Typical phone has 4-wires but only 2-wires get used on the "same phone#", the remaning 2-wires aren't used in a 1-line home.

If you have a plug-in phone, then remove phone cover and locate wiring. Provided you have a micro-sw. attach to phone being worked as instructed below. Cut red wire and strip, route added wire from micro sw. and attach(solder) and then place other end of wire to just cut red wire(solder). You have made a circuit that you cut-off using the sw.. If like do this at phone junction box and have sw. located near phone. Use common sense. If not the red wire, then it's the green wire.


phone / <--------- red -------------- micro sw. (on/off)-----------------+ from
\ <--------- green ------------------------------------------+ junction box

http://www.oreillynet.com/etel/blog/2005/04/telecom_tips_wiring_your_home.html

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.whoopis.com/howtos/telco-
basics/jack.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.whoopis.com/howtos/telco-basics/&h=336&w=358&sz=21&tbnid=DVmccMZ2P7Vp6M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=96&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtelephone%2Bwiring%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=telephone+wiring&usg=__A4BwXgCIr4KU75ah2zg-NVRXLFo=&docid=e2oSCamqbMOtCM&sa=X&ei=r_CCUP9xqLfQAbqJgOAN&ved=0CE0Q9QEwBg

get the idea? good luck ------Willy Happy

Of course some decent phone center may have a pre-made device, worth asking or looking. Radio Smack may have someting, check their website.

- Collapse -
(NT) Come on now. We've all seen the movies. Cut the RED wire!
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Oct 20, 2012 8:44AM PDT
- Collapse -
Telephone switch?
by colinito Oct 20, 2012 6:36PM PDT

Bob, and Wllly,

I shall look into both of your suggestions.
Many thanks.


Colinito.

Back to How To forum

CNET Forums

Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Brand Forums
Roadshow Autos
Off Topic

Other Forums

Forum Info