How to Wire a Telephone Line

Setting up your own telephone line can keep installation fees to a minimum. Your phone company will set up a Network Interface Device (NID) on the side of your home, but you'll have to run phone wires to the jacks in your home. You can wire a telephone line with little experience, although you must follow a few safety precautions.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Cable splitter
• Telephone jack plates
• Cat 5 cables, gauge 22 or 24

1. Disconnect your line at the Network Interface Device. You should be able to disconnect the incoming line from the box by unplugging the wire on the outside of the house. If you aren't sure which wire to disconnect, call your phone company for instructions.

2. Wire your line to the appropriate pair of wires in the NID. Typically, the first line will follow the "Christmas pair" of red and green wires, while the second line will go with the "Halloween pair" of yellow and black wires. Wind the wire counterclockwise around the colored pole, and then screw it in with a screwdriver.

3. Run the Cat 5 cables out of the NID device and into your home. Some NIDs have holes in the back for the wires to pass through, while others have a covered cable that goes down into your basement.

4. Split the line into as many branches as you'll need once it enters your home. You should probably split the line into as many pieces as you have rooms. Splitting the line at this one central location makes troubleshooting easier later.

5. Feed the telephone wire through your walls and connect it to the back of the telephone jack plate. You may want to run several lines through the same conduit to keep them separate and insulated from any other wires in the wall. Keep the telephone lines at least 6 to 12 inches away from any other types of wiring to prevent interference.

Tips & Warnings

• Part of your NID will be sealed or locked shut. Don't worry about this half since it is for the phone company's use.
• Most NIDs can be wired for four phone lines, but an electrician or worker from the phone company will have to help you wire the telephone line that way.
• Phone lines are generally safe to work on, but they do carry a large electrical charge when there is an incoming call. Always disconnect the line before working on it.
• Be sure that wires in the NID do not touch each other. If they do, it will create a short circuit, and none of the phone jacks will work.