How to Wire a Phone Jack

Wiring a phone jack for an additional telephone or modem requires nothing more than the ability to match colors and the availability of telephone wiring in your house. Here are a few simple steps in setting up that new telephone extension.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wire strippers
• Needle nose pliers
• Screwdriver

1. Check the telephone wires coming into your house. Older systems will be wired with green and red 4-strand cables and will possibly have a second set that is black and yellow that can be used for a second telephone line. Newer homes will have CAT 5 cables that are white with a blue mark and blue with a white mark for the first extension and white with an orange mark and orange with a white mark for the second line.

2. Carefully strip the insulation off the set of wires for the first line, making sure that enough wire is exposed to make a good, clean connection.

3. Loosen the screw connected to the green wire on the back of the faceplate and attach either the green telephone wire or the white with blue mark wire, bending the end of the exposed wire using needle nosed pliers so that it fits between the faceplate and two washers being held in place by the screw.

4. Repeat the process for the second wire and for the second line, if necessary.

5. Test the connection using an extension telephone before attaching the faceplate to the wall. If the signal isn't clear, reseat the wires and test it again.

6. Attach the faceplate to the wall.