[SOLVED] Query: Using Ethernet cable from phone jacks for internet

[eszed556]

Hello community,
I'm currently using a 100mbps FTTN internet connection. The distribution box at home has 2 phone jacks (Photo A) feeding 2 RJ11 cables (3 feet each) into the modem's DSL 1 and 2 ports. The modem/router supports a WAN and 4 Ethernet ports.

The internet technician advised to connect 2 phone lines for better speeds - and I am getting the speeds as promised. Individually a single phone line was no where near desired speeds. I do not have phones in use.

Currently in a wireless setup. The issue is poor wireless signals around the house. The objective is to replace the RJ11 cables with preferably a 15 meter CAT6 cable to relocate the router to a better location and thus connect my PC via Ethernet as opposed to wireless.

1. Is it possible to splice an Ethernet cable to 2 phone jacks to plug into the WAN port on the router?

2. If not, what is my other option for relocating the router - invest in longer RJ11 cables to achieve distance?

Thanks for reading.

 

[bill001g]

The wan port on your router is only used to connect to say a cable modem or maybe a external DSL modem. You can not hook phone lines to a ethernet port they must connect to the dsl ports. Unless you want to run your current router as just a modem and place a different router at the remote end you are going to have to extend the phone cables.

If you look at the wire coming into your house you will see there are only 4 individual wires being used. You could just run 2 longer cables but if you really want to you can use 2 different pairs in the same ethernet cable. You could for example use the blue/bluewhite and the orange/orangewhite pairs. You would connect one end to those screw terminals marked modem t/r. You could put rj11 plugs on and use the port but they are the same really. On the modem/router end you would put 2 rj11 plugs on. You would need to put the 2 wires from each pair in their own rj11 and make sure they are connected to the center 2 pins.

There are also huge number of rj11-rj45 adapters/splitters.

The simplest though is to just run 2 phone cables with rj11 on each end.

T

 

[eszed556]

The wan port on your router is only used to connect to say a cable modem or maybe a external DSL modem. You can not hook phone lines to a ethernet port they must connect to the dsl ports. Unless you want to run your current router as just a modem and place a different router at the remote end you are going to have to extend the phone cables.

If you look at the wire coming into your house you will see there are only 4 individual wires being used. You could just run 2 longer cables but if you really want to you can use 2 different pairs in the same ethernet cable. You could for example use the blue/bluewhite and the orange/orangewhite pairs. You would connect one end to those screw terminals marked modem t/r. You could put rj11 plugs on and use the port but they are the same really. On the modem/router end you would put 2 rj11 plugs on. You would need to put the 2 wires from each pair in their own rj11 and make sure they are connected to the center 2 pins.

There are also huge number of rj11-rj45 adapters/splitters.

The simplest though is to just run 2 phone cables with rj11 on each end.

T

Thanks. It seems that the easiest solution is to get a longer pair of RJ11 cables to reach desired location.

Alternatively, I just discovered an RJ11 tucked into the drywall with 4 wires connected to it as opposed to 2 wires in the RJ11s in the pic I attached. The previous tenants probably left this behind which I suspect is now disconnected.

Is there a way I can connect 4 wires from the phone jacks in the distribution box to a single RJ11 cable with 4 wires and just plug that 1 into the modem/router's DSL port? Is this going to compromise signal ? If so, I can try to trace the RJ11 (with 4 wires) I just discovered in an attempt to reconnect it.

 

[bill001g]

You can use those 4 wires.

There are actual modems that can use both phone lines on a single cable so it is pretty common to carry both on a single cable. They come into your house that way.

Since your equipment appears to use 2 separate cables so you will need to hook 2 rj11 to the cable. If the current cable is correctly done it is called rj14. It has 1 pair on the middle pins 3,4 and the second pair on pins 2,5. You can buy standard adapters that convert that wire into 2 jacks. It depends on the tools you own, it is cheaper to just cut the ends off and use 2 rj11 plugs but if you do not have the tool buying the adapters may be cheaper.

 

[eszed556]

You can use those 4 wires.

There are actual modems that can use both phone lines on a single cable so it is pretty common to carry both on a single cable. They come into your house that way.

Since your equipment appears to use 2 separate cables so you will need to hook 2 rj11 to the cable. If the current cable is correctly done it is called rj14. It has 1 pair on the middle pins 3,4 and the second pair on pins 2,5. You can buy standard adapters that convert that wire into 2 jacks. It depends on the tools you own, it is cheaper to just cut the ends off and use 2 rj11 plugs but if you do not have the tool buying the adapters may be cheaper.

I do have access to a network crimp tool.

Since I recently discovered this RJ14 cable I would like to utilize it. Pics attached below for your reference. I do know that the previous tenants had placed their modem in this location.

If I can trace it back to the distribution box (about 10 feet) and assuming I can correctly configure the wires, will I be able to achieve connectivity by plugging this into just one DSL port my modem/router?

How would I connect this to the cable coming into the house (it is the black one connecting to the 2 Comtest jacks in my original post)? Is it just a matter of color matching and connecting the wires to the discovered RJ14 cable? That would mean bypassing the 2 Comtest jacks?

Please advise.

 

[bill001g]

It all depends on your modem. If the modem is designed to take 2 phones lines on a single cable then that cable will work fine. You can see the 2 lines, the red,green and the black yellow in that cable. Many you can plug a cable like that directly into them.

On the wire coming into the house the pairs look they they use blue & while for one phone line and red and orange? for the second. The second one is hard to see.

I do not think you need those boxes actually since they are phone filters I suspect. The simplest way would be if you have enough wire is to cut the end off the rj14 cable and strip it back You could then connect the red/green to say the blue/white and the yellow/black to the red/orange. You could just connect them to the screw terminal marked modem rather that build cables.

Otherwise you could pull the wire out and build and take get a rj14 jack and terminate the wires on the back and just plug your current cable into it.

 

[eszed556]

It all depends on your modem. If the modem is designed to take 2 phones lines on a single cable then that cable will work fine. You can see the 2 lines, the red,green and the black yellow in that cable. Many you can plug a cable like that directly into them.

On the wire coming into the house the pairs look they they use blue & while for one phone line and red and orange? for the second. The second one is hard to see.

I do not think you need those boxes actually since they are phone filters I suspect. The simplest way would be if you have enough wire is to cut the end off the rj14 cable and strip it back You could then connect the red/green to say the blue/white and the yellow/black to the red/orange. You could just connect them to the screw terminal marked modem rather that build cables.

Otherwise you could pull the wire out and build and take get a rj14 jack and terminate the wires on the back and just plug your current cable into it.

The modem/router is a Bell Home Hub 3000 - I'm afraid I don't know much beyond that, but maybe I can ask the helpline.

Assuming the Home Hub can take 2 phone lines in 1 single cable, I will try that after tracing the RJ14 and correctly connecting to the jack modem ports.

Assuming the Home Hub cannot, after I successfully trace the Rj14 and connect to the jacks can I split the RJ14 end into 2 RJ11s, connect to DSL ports and make it work?

Is it safe to connect the RJ14 cable I found directly to the black cable coming into the house or do I need an RJ14 jack?

x---x---x

I am new to networking and this is a new house, hence the confusion. Thanks for your help thus far.

 

[bill001g]

I am going to bet it will work to connect directly to the phone line coming into the house. From the little I can find on your router it need 2 different rj11 connections. Then again its hard to find the manual.

It should be pretty each to strip the wire back far enough to put 2 different rj11 on the wire.

 

[eszed556]

Took forever but yesterday I managed to trace the RJ14 through the drywall to the house panel. There is also a power plug next to the RJ14 where I can connect and mount my modem/router further into the house.

To my surpise, I also found a concealed Ethernet cable next to the power plug which leads 5M further into the center of the house.

If I connect this Ethernet cable to the LAN port my on my modem/router and then to a switch like this one (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00KFD0SEA/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza), will I be able to supply internet connectivity to other LAN devices such as a SmartTV and PC from the Netgear switch?

I have been unable to locate my network crimping tool so I will order a cheap one from Amazon to split the RJ14 into 2 for the modem/router. Is there any risk of cross-talk between the 2 lines? I only use a 100mbps connection which is more than enough for my needs.

Slow updates as I only get a chance on weekends.

 

[eszed556]

So after 3 hrs of crimping various combos on the RJ14 cable, the modem just wouldn't sync. Defeated, I called the technician who arrived today. Turns out 1 of the 2 pairs in the RJ14 cable was faulty. I was relieved that it wasn't my fault.

With his help we fished an Ethernet cable to replace the RJ14 cable and connected it the the lines coming into the house. I was hence able to relocate my modem to a better position allowing me to connect a switch to it further into the house. Now my desktop and TV are wired. Latency has improved and so has WiFi reception.

Thanks bill001g for your guidance.