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  #1  
Old 11-20-2015, 08:38 AM
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Dubis7 Dubis7 is offline
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Any recommendations for wireless phone jacks?

I'm trying to set up a Western Electric 500 in a room that doesn't have a phone jack. I know they make wireless jacks; in fact I own a set, but they don't seem to work. Does anyone know of a well built wireless jack set? Ideally made in USA but I doubt that exists for this.

Also i really need to pick up an adapter for the 4 prong to RJ-11 connection. I'm thinking of going with this https://www.oldphoneworks.com/4-pron...-plug-kit.html but if anyone has a better suggestion I'm all ears!
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Old 11-20-2015, 09:12 AM
Chip Chester Chip Chester is offline
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I'm not sure a wireless jack will have the guts to ring that phone. You may have to source an external ringer/driver to do the job. I don't have any specific recommendations, but I've seen them out there over the years.

Have you tried the jack with a more modern, all "electronic" phone? Low REN number, etc...

Is pulling a cable out of the question? Or have you dropped POTS service?

Chip
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Old 11-20-2015, 10:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chip Chester View Post
I'm not sure a wireless jack will have the guts to ring that phone. You may have to source an external ringer/driver to do the job.
That would explain a lot, though I did get it to work with a later model 500 before (one that has the RJ11 jack standard, instead of the 4 prong cable)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chip Chester View Post
Have you tried the jack with a more modern, all "electronic" phone? Low REN number, etc...
I'll try an absolutely modern wireless to be certain, though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chip Chester View Post
Is pulling a cable out of the question? Or have you dropped POTS service?
We use VOIP, I think through Verizon right now. We have a central box that provides our phone service wirelessly, and through a jack in the back.

I'm wondering if part of the problem is the phone itself. I'm almost certain the jacks are dead, and the adapter is questionable, but when I plugged it directly into the jack on the central box using that adapter, I didn't get a dial tone. I can tell the plug isn't seating well in the adapter, but I'm not convinced there's anything there that can go bad.

I guess I really need to check the adapter and whether the jack from that box is providing enough power to drive the phone. Does anyone make an adapter that would plug into an outlet to provide the phone with power, if the jack doesn't supply it?
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Old 11-20-2015, 12:52 PM
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Little note on wiring rotary phones with no plug or a 4 pronger to a modern jack: old phones have three wires per 'line' Red, Yellow, Green While modern circuits are two wire per 'line' Red and Green....When connecting a vintage phone to a modern line Yellow and Green from the phone are connected together to green from the wall outlet...
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Old 11-20-2015, 02:10 PM
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Will I need to modify the internal wiring of the 4 prong plug? It's possible that the prongs are on the wrong terminals, though I haven't messed with it myself.
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Old 11-21-2015, 01:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubis7 View Post
Will I need to modify the internal wiring of the 4 prong plug? It's possible that the prongs are on the wrong terminals, though I haven't messed with it myself.
I prefer to either wire the outlet the phone plugs into as a 3 to 2 wire adapter, or open the phone it's self, disconnect the yellow cord wire from the screw terminal in the phone and use a wire to bridge the yellow screw terminal to the one with the green wire.....If the green and yellow are on the same terminal in the phone I just disconnect the yellow.

Take this with a grain of salt since I have not done much work on phones in the last 8 years....I built a collection I was happy with and basically stopped.
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Old 11-21-2015, 07:58 PM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Electronic M View Post
I prefer to either wire the outlet the phone plugs into as a 3 to 2 wire adapter, or open the phone it's self, disconnect the yellow cord wire from the screw terminal in the phone and use a wire to bridge the yellow screw terminal to the one with the green wire.....If the green and yellow are on the same terminal in the phone I just disconnect the yellow.

Take this with a grain of salt since I have not done much work on phones in the last 8 years....I built a collection I was happy with and basically stopped.
I quit the POTS service in this area, years ago. It was the General System, before Verizon and now it's Frontier. Their long distance charges were criminal!
I switched to TWC and it's very satisfactory, price and reception. The phone service is part of my internet modem. I don't think, that modem could support the old time mechanical ringer. It never even dawned on me.
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Old 11-21-2015, 08:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieseljeep View Post
I quit the POTS service in this area, years ago. It was the General System, before Verizon and now it's Frontier. Their long distance charges were criminal!
I switched to TWC and it's very satisfactory, price and reception. The phone service is part of my internet modem. I don't think, that modem could support the old time mechanical ringer. It never even dawned on me.
My phone is through a TWC modem. It currently drives 2 rotary phones with ringers one rotary with disconnected ringer (my room so I don't get woken up by it), and a modern wireless phone, and has ran them successfully for ~2-3 years now with no issues. Chris has the same TWC phone service (different modem brand though) and was also able to use his one rotary phone with it.

I'd betcha a beer your TWC phone modem can run at least one rotary dial phone.
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Old 11-22-2015, 11:15 AM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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My phone is through a TWC modem. It currently drives 2 rotary phones with ringers one rotary with disconnected ringer (my room so I don't get woken up by it), and a modern wireless phone, and has ran them successfully for ~2-3 years now with no issues. Chris has the same TWC phone service (different modem brand though) and was also able to use his one rotary phone with it.

I'd betcha a beer your TWC phone modem can run at least one rotary dial phone.
I don't own any of the old phones now. I returned them to the phone company, when they started charging lease or rent fees.
I honestly, never even thought of it!
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