Connecting phone cable to plug???

joseph brand

Right,

So the cable going into my eircom box on wall was pulled out, I suspect my daughter, anyway, there is no plug to connect it, it was ripped off, just 4 coloured wires hanging out. They don't seem to connect like a 3-pin (they cant be opened, no screws).

So, I got an open ended wire that needs that clipy type plug end on it but I have a spare cable, a 10m extension, single jack and plug (4 wires).

Do I just replace the whole length of wire, bit of hassle, goes from hall to sitting room.?
What to do?? Help please.

Kev

Solair

I assume you're talking about an eircom wall socket?

Or, what other "eircom box" are you on about.

If it's just a DSL router or some other device, remove the remenant of the plug that's still plugged into the socket in the box. To do this, just press the clip on the plug and pull it out. If it's broken, you might need to use a small screwdriver to depress the clip on the plug.

Simply replace it with a standard telephone cable (available in most DIY shops)

If it's a wall socket you're on about... come back to me later.


Or try :



Eh, it depends on the type of eircom socket, but if it's an older type beige coloured Telecom Eireann socket, it will have 6 terminals across the top marked

L1 R L2 ......... L1 R L2

Eircom also used various colour codes depending on the age of the cable.

The line only uses 2 wires, usually the blue or the orange pair.

Just connect, for example, the solid blue cable to L1 and the blue/white stripe cable to L2.

(completely ignore R, it's an obsolete connector used for telephones with rotary dials and bells only)

Normally, the socket is setup L1 and L2 on the left are connected through to L1 and L2 on the right, so you can easily daisy chain to the next socket. However, the line seems to usually connect on the left.

The terminals are IDC (Insulation Disruption Connectors) basically, they are two blades facing eachother and when you push a strand of telecommunications grade cable (e.g. CAT5) into them, they will slice into the insulation and make contact with the cable. They are used as standard in telecommunications all over the world.

The newer Eircom branded sockets have 2 layers - a face plate (where you connect your phone, then behind that there are 2 further screws, which will give you access to the back of the socket where the line is connected. In this type of socket, it's usually a pair of screw-down connectors.

Again, just connect one or other of the pairs to L1 and L2

You may need to plug a phone in and check that you get a dial tone and experiment until you find the correct pair.

Dial 199000 and check that you get your phone number read back to you.

The exchange will read your phone number back to you automatically (without the first 0)

Sometimes, eircom can have spare lines connected on the other pair so you can end up getting a dial tone, but it will have no account and you won't be able to make calls on it other than to eircom sales 1901 and 199000 (line test)

You should just put the eircom socket back, as is.