Help! Phone line assistance needed.

[maefac]

Hi folks. Looking for a little DIY phone help if possible. Hope this is the right place, but it's the only likely forum I could find.

We moved into our flat about a year ago. It has only one working landline socket, in the living room, and another, disconnected, in the spare room. I want to connect the phone up in the spare room, but the line has been severed (pictured).

https://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/UN0ottA.png

Also, the master socket line runs into the little white box in the picture. The right-hand cable comes from the master socket, the other leads to somewhere, unknown, in the kitchen.

Would I be able to reconnect the severed line myself? Is it possible to splice phone cable? Would it just be a case of splicing a bit of extra cable to allow it to reach the little box? If so, what cable would I need? And what is the little box? Are there any safety issues I have to be aware of, like turning off the power?

Sorry! I have no previous experience of this. Any help would be very greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
M

 

[pirate]

Yes you can connect it yourself. The master socket shouldn't be interfered with if the junction box has a feed from there. You can connect the extended wire in there. Cut the insulation back from the severed cable and check what is in there. Phone cables are usually in "pairs", either 2, 3 or 4 pair. A simple junction box with screw terminals will allow you to extend that cut cable.
You may find screw terminals in the JB, which makes life easy.
You can buy phone cable in any good DIY store, as also sockets to plug phone in. Those sockets usually have IDC type terminals, where you insert the wire with a special tool (IDC inserter). The wire is pushed between two metal lugs and they bite into the insulation and connect with the metal core. These tools are sold alongside the other gubbins and often as part of an extension kit. Colour coding diagrams are printed on the back of the packets or in an enclosed leaflet. There are excellent videos online about using IDC stuff, well worth a watch, and also detailed instructions and colour codes etc.
Unless some idiot has somehow connected your phone line to the mains, it is perfectly safe to work on. Even if you don't get the connections right first time, you won't break anything...the usual faults are no ringing, or ringing only at one phone, or one phone not dialling out...these are caused by wrong connections and you can fiddle with them or, as above, check online if the instructions with the kit you buy are unclear. Frankly, it shouldn't be a problem.
You may find that the wires connected don't correspond to the diagrams. This is fairly common and is usually because a previous user has connected say, a green/white wire instead of an orange/white wire, because somewhere in the installation that orange/white has become broken, so for orange/white read green/white throughout. As I said above, the cable is in pairs, and as usually only 2 pairs are used, if you have/get 3 or 4 pair cable you can make any substitutions that may be required, using the spare wires.
Keep the wiring away from other electrical installations and hot pipes.
If you can't get it to work, give me a ring....
Oh, no...that won't work!
One other point, if you use any extension to connect a router for internet access, and the connection speed is poor, it may be that the faceplate on the main box is old and in need of replacement. A new one can make a huge difference.

 

[telectrix]

or you could buy this. as long as you have a mains socket close to the master phone, you can use the slave anywhere.
BT 2100 Digital Duo Twin Cordless Phone with Caller Display and Handsfree BT2100 | eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BT-2100-Digital-Duo-Twin-Cordless-Phone-with-Caller-Display-and-Handsfree-BT2100/152947192530?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3D0ee674802bc54987b67cbdae65dbea8d%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D7%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D122077823761%26itm%3D152947192530&_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598

 

[pirate]

Good idea on the cordless and slave Tel!
I was thinking maybe the OP needed a socket for t'internet...

 

[telectrix]

plug router into master socket with one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micro-Filt...18-spons&keywords=phone+router+splitter&psc=1

 

[pirate]

Indeed! Ideal if your wireless setup is good.

 

[telectrix]

and your computer is not in the duck pond 300 yards down the garden.

 

[Timbo]

You only need 3 connections between sockets: 2 & 5 are the line and 3 is the ringer circuit. Don't mix the line wires as this can cause problems.

 

[Spoon]

It might be useful to see what colour wires go to what pin, for the spare room phone point. So you know how to connect up the severed end.

 

[telectrix]

You only need 3 connections between sockets: 2 & 5 are the line and 3 is the ringer circuit. Don't mix the line wires as this can cause problems.

3 is not connected anymore. just 2 & 5.

 

[maefac]

Superb stuff. Thanks folks. I'm going to have a bash with Pirate's suggestion and will let you know how I get on. I actually already have a wireless and slave but don't want the phone ringing in the living room. Going to have the main unit in the spare room and the slave in the hall.

This is brilliant stuff folks, thanks so much.
M