Who here can help/comcast couldn't

[bsa_bob]

My garage is full of tools and hottrods pics later, It is 100" from my house i think the phone wire i buried in plastic 20 years ago, has given up on me. Static is bad.What in detail!! as i know about 32 fords 55 chevies etc but not phones, so word this help so easily ,i can understand it. Pulling Anew wire that far that small is not an option anymore.. I need to know how, and what to buy, to get a portable wireless phone working in my garage[that don't static. i am out there still after all these many years ....now building my 25th kar, I started and finished all of them 55 chevy.is the last bob s
ps thank you for letting me in your garage bob

 

[Train]

Have you tried a different phone? I know out here when we get static, it's usually moisture somewhere where the connections are.

 

[bsa_bob]

tried dif phone still static

 

[brownbagg]

get a wifi phone

 

[BillK]

the phone wire i buried in plastic 20 years ago, has given up on me.

Bob,
Does that mean the wire is in a piece of plastic conduit ? If so, that should be easy to pull a new one. You mentioned Comcast, is this an internet based phone ?

 

[toolmiser]

I am not an expert, and my info might be dated, but a lot of the phone lines are four conductor, and you only two to make the phone operate. Point is try the other pair, you have nothing to loose.

 

[Baada]

I am not an expert, and my info might be dated, but a lot of the phone lines are four conductor, and you only two to make the phone operate. Point is try the other pair, you have nothing to loose.

Try this first. If that doesn't work, a high quality extreme range cordless phone might do the trick? I saw one that covered 10 acres of open land when I did a quick amazon search. 100' shouldn't be an issue.

 

[The Cobbler]

I agree with trying another pair. the telco does that all the time on their lines.
also make sure that the connections at each end are good...

 

[jeffmoss26]

I was also going to suggest trying another pair.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Bob,
Does that mean the wire is in a piece of plastic conduit ? If so, that should be easy to pull a new one. You mentioned Comcast, is this an internet based phone ?

I thought the same thing, is it buried in conduit ? If it is, why would it be hard to pull a new wire, along with a Cat5e or something else for data while you're doing it.

 

[alinc100]

Simple answer buy a set of cordless phones. the base unit plugs into the home phone line/Comcast modem as well as an electrical outlet. Other phones plug in to electrical outlets and connect via the base unit. Instant phones anywhere you need them. No wiring ,no splicing ,no digging.
Prices run from $40 to $200 based upon features.

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Cordless-Phones/815/cat.html

 

[JoeFin]

Hi Bob

Option #1
- Buy a cordless phone with a "Range Extender". Not my favorite method but I've seen it work pretty good at almost double that distance.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-K...798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce1248946


Option #2
- And this is what I would do - if in fact the conduit is there and has not been run over by a plow, go by Home Dipo and grab 2 or 3 "Laborers" and repull new lines. Run in a new 4-pair plus a Cat-6 cable and you should be good into the next millennium.

Things to think about when pulling through old conduit

1. "If you can get air through it - you can get wire through it". Start by using your compressor to blow through the conduit. This will clear out water, dirt, and debris.

2. You can use the existing wires to pull in 1/8" rope of as we call it "Jet-Line" as you pull out the old wires by tying the line on before you pull the wires out.

3. Use a generous amount of "Boy-Butter" as we lovingly call it when working with fresh apprentices, (pulling soap/lubricant) by tying a small rag soaked in Boy-Butter 2 ft. ahead of the new wire coming in. This will swab your conduit clean ahead of the wires coming in as you pull it.


Now you do realize 99% of static in phone lines is because the ground connection at the "D-mark" point, (where your home lines connect to the Telco in a little 4"x6" box outside your house) has gone bad. It will be connected most likely to the same ground rod that serves as the ground connection for your main panel


Anymore questions and I'm sure the guys down in the electrical forum would be glad to share all their tips and tricks

 

[Crimson558]

I'm gonna agree with trying another pair for sure.

As far as pulling another wire through have you actually tried pulling the existing cable to see if it is possible? if swapping pairs does not fix the problem I would tie a string onto one end and give it a pull. I mean you aren't gonna be able to use the cable so you can't hurt anything, and if you are able to pull it through you have the string to tie onto your new cable to pull it in.

 

[SteveMcQ]

Bob, not sure whether its 100ft or 100yds from the house to the shop.

First thing I would do is take the phone from the shop and plug it in where the phone company dmark is on your property - that way you can at least prove out the phone. Next, assuming its good, connect the same phone where you terminate the underground line you have running to the shop. At that point you will know whether its the drop or not causing the static. If it is the drop you may as others have suggested have the option of using a different pair in the drop to see if you get a better result, or depending how you ran the drop (conduit versus alternatives) you may be able to just pull another line rather than install a new trench. Lots of different potentials for static on a 20 year old drop, from termination and grounding, to deterioration of the line or water. Check the phone first though, hate to see you go through all the effort if its the speaker connection in the phone itself!

As far as wireless options, some of the DECT 6 long distance wireless phones are fairly decent, I know a couple of folks who have had decent experience up to about 150ft with Uniden and Panasonic brands, but remember once you go wireless outdoors you are now subject to the environment - just troubleshot a buddies system and it turned out his phones dropped every time he parked his panel van at the side of the house - it was acting as a large wireless shield

 

[madstat]

It is 100" from my house...

I think 100" = 100 INCHES should be no problem for a cordless phone.

 

[cide1]

I would try swapping pairs first. Phone lines are differential, so if only one wire out of the 4 works, you can in a pinch tie the other wire to an earth ground at each end, and it will still work well enough for voice.

 

[Slednut]

I would try swapping pairs first. Phone lines are differential, so if only one wire out of the 4 works, you can in a pinch tie the other wire to an earth ground at each end, and it will still work well enough for voice.

The military use to do this in remote areas where there was no power or power lines.

If we didn't have power this would work, the ground hum will make it really hard to have a conversation.

If you did try this the one conductor would have to be connected to the ring and the tip hooked to the ground.

If someone wants a land line get it from the telephone company. It will work, even if the power is out and the internet fails.