My phone socket doesn't let my phone ring All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[rackyroo]

Hello, can you help me?

I've just moved into a new business premesis and the 2 BT phone sockets on the ground floor allow my phone make calls but when someone rings me, there is no sound coming from the phone.
If I plug the phone into the socket on the next floor, the phone rings, as does it when I take it home and plug it in there.

How do I make the sockets allow my phone to ring? [/b]

[rosebery]

Reconnect the loose wire inside the socket.

Cheers

[htg engineer]

Contact BT,

[bd3cc]

Chek connections. Incoming main should be 2 wires connected into terminals 2 and 5. Check that one hasnt snapped by overtightening.
Extensions from the main box will have 3 connections, usually blue/white to 2, white blue to 5, orange white to 3. This wire stops "tinkleback"
The colours are not important as long as it is the same both ends.
1,3,4 are for a second line.

[rosebery]

"This wire stops "tinkleback""

Surely that was associated with old pulse dial phones?

"1,3,4 are for a second line."

Actually the orange wire with white banding is what makes the phone ring for any phone. It should be connected at 3.

Its likely to be the connection in the first extension socket closest to the master socket. The second one is most likely fed from that so if a phone plugged into the first doesn't ring it won't in the second either.

Cheers

[htg engineer]

At the end of the day upto the phone socket is BT's responsibility, as you know the phone works then it's not your equipment to blame - there'll be no charge - get BT out.

htg

[plumbbob]

If the phone works normally sound wise, but simply doesn't ring, it is because the ring wire is missing. All the sockets need to be connected together by a third wire connected to pin three.

In domestic situations, it is normal to link pins two, three and five together to ensure all types of phones will work. In commercial installations where an internal telephone system with several extensions is used, the extra pin four is needed, and if the system carries data, pins one and six need connecting too.

On another point, linking pin three will have a dramatic effect on broadband speed. It is a well known fact that the "ring wire" will decimate speed by about half which is why it is recommended to disconnect the wire on pin three at the master socket.

Almost all modern phones no longer require this extra wire so will work correctly with just the two wires. I guess you have an old phone?

[rosebery]

BTs responsibility ceases at their Master Socket. There is only ever ONE Master Socket the remainder are extensions.

My interpretation of the OPs dilema was that his problem lay with extension sockets AFTER the Master Socket. These are frequently wired with a makeshift tool resulting in poor connections particulrly when its done on a DIY basis.

Unless the socket which works on the 1st Floor is the Master Socket (which is unlikely IMHO) then there is no problem with BTs gear because that extension socket is working. Its the downstairs extension socket wiring which is on the bonk I suspect.

Cheers

[GovGrants]

If this is the main socket where the wiring comes into the house, then you should only need 2 and 5 connected to the in coming phone line, but it must have a capacitor in the box, or the phone will not ring.

If you're connecting from that socket to an extension, then you'll need to ensure 3 on the main is connected to 3 on the extension.

[rosebery]

"On another point, linking pin three will have a dramatic effect on broadband speed."

I think that most ADSL filters have an "automatic disconnect pin 3" function wired in.

Cheers

[plumbbob]

Sorry Rosebery, but you miss the point. The pin three ring wire is connected to the back of the BT master socket face plate and the ADSL filter has no effect on the result.

All the extension wires and the third wire in particular act as an aerial and significantly impair ADSL performance when connected before a filter.

If you have not disconnected the wire, try plugging the router directly into the BT test socket and be prepared possibly to see a three fold increase in download speed.

In fact, there are now replacement faceplates available for the BT master socket to enable the internal house wiring to be linked after the ADSL filter. The only downside here is the router has to be placed within reach of the master socket.

Trust me, try it!

[acsimpson]

This sounds interesting. I have 2 extensions wired from my master socket. Currently one is unused and the other has cordless phone and ADSL router on it. Would I be better to remove the 3rd wire from one extension and use it as a ADSL line and plug the phone into the other one?

Unfortunatley the master socket is in the middle of the hall and can't be used.

[plumbbob]

The point is to try and do away with the pin 3 wire altogether. It was originally required when phones were the bell type and continued with some of the early electronic ringing phones. Without it, extension phones would either not ring or would suffer from the "tinkle back" effect generated by the loop disconnect (pulse) dialling mechanism. Nowadays, pretty much all phones including routers, on a modern master socket just need the connections to pins 2 and 5. Nothing else.

The absolute best solution is to use one of these

adslnation.com/products/xte2005.php

which does away with all other micro filters and stops the extension wiring from causing interference.

If you can't put the router into the faceplace then at least disconnect the bell wire.

Incidentally, google this web article.

jarviser.co.uk/jarviser/broadbandspeed.html

I took my router from the upstairs office extension and plugged it into the BT master socket. The speed basically doubled. By removing the faceplate and trying the test socket saw the speed double again.

[rosebery]

"Sorry Rosebery, but you miss the point."

But only because I hadn't grasped what you were saying! Are you advocating disconnecting a wire within the master socket? Surely thats illegal under telecommunicatons legislation. Probably why I mised the point then. <grin>.

As a matter of interest my router is plugged into the Master socket. My system reports 54 Mbps via the wireless connection but it goes up 100 Mbps on ethernet.

So you are suggesting that if I take the face plate off and connect into the test socket that will go up substantially. I'll try it in the morning to see.

Cheers

[rosebery]

OK so having shifted furniture, piles of childs carp dumped in hall and the wretched dog I've discovered that I fell upon PBs solution quite by accident sometime in the past when my broadband was playing up. Must be about 6 months ago now.

My router is plugged directly into the test socket. (which prob accounts for my high speeds per previous post). The face plate (to which the telephone extension wiring is connected) is, however, in place but not actually screwed to the front of the socketso that the router cable can go in the test socket. So I don't need to test that theory then.

Just one question now. I can, of course, disconnect the wire at pin 3 on the back of the faceplate without crossing BTs chinese wall. So I'll try that and see how the telephones go. They are making strange noises from time to time.

Thanks Bob for the insight. I'll tidy up the installation now.

Cheers