How to Install a Wireless Telephone-Jack System

How many times have you tried to install a new piece of phone equipment and found yourself wandering aimlessly around the house looking for an available telephone jack or trying to run long lines of telephone wire? A wireless telephone-jack system can eliminate that frustration. They're easy to install and use an electrical socket to create a new jack.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Two electrical outlets
• Available telephone jack
• Wireless telephone-jack system
• Telephone cord

Install the Base Unit

1. Locate a convenient main telephone jack on the wall or floor of the room in which you wish to place the base unit, making sure there is also an electrical outlet within reach. If necessary, disconnect any phone attached to the jack.

2. Plug one end of the telephone cord into one of the jacks in the base unit and connect the other end of the cord to the wall jack. Some brands of wireless telephone jack systems will indicate on the base which jack the cord should be plugged into. If there is no indication, you may use either jack.

3. Connect your phone to the other jack in the base unit.

4. Plug the power cord of the base unit into the electrical socket. Confirm the base is working by looking for the indicator light to go on.

Install the Extension Unit

5. Decide whether you want to connect the extension unit to another phone, a fax machine, modem or your cable or satellite television box.

6. Connect the extension unit to an electrical outlet where you want to have an additional phone jack, taking care not to plug it into a surge protector.

7. Verify the unit is working by plugging a phone into the extension unit and listening for a dial tone. The sound of the dial tone confirms that the base is communicating correctly with the extension unit. After confirming this, unplug the phone if it's not the device you wish to keep connected.

8. Plug your chosen device into the extension unit and choose the appropriate setting on the wireless jack switch. Switch it to "speech" or "S" for use with a telephone. Use the "computer" or "c" setting for any other device.

Tips & Warnings

• The labels on the extension unit of the wireless jack system will vary depending on the brand, but will typically indicate "speech" or "computer" in some fashion.
• Plugging the equipment into a surge protector can reduce signal strength.