Basic Wiring Instructions on How to Connect My Telephone

Connecting your telephone

Landline telephone service not only connects you with other telephone customers, but it can also provide the circuitry for DSL (digital subscriber line) Internet service. To connect a telephone using a landline service, the telephone must be plugged into a properly wired telephone jack. Wiring the jack to the telephone service box (also known as the "demarcation point") requires that at least two wires are connected to both the telephone jack and the telephone service box.

Things You'll Need

• Telephone service box
• Wall-mounted telephone jack
• Telephone cable
• Electrical pliers
• Crimp-type spade terminals (4)
• Phillips screwdriver
• Six-foot telephone cord
• Modular telephone

Instructions

1. Loosen and remove the sealing screw from the telephone service box. Strip four inches of the outer insulation jacket from the free end of the telephone cable. Strip 1/2-inch of insulation from the red and green wires.

2. Slip the first spade terminal over the green wire and crimp the terminal to the wire. Slip the second spade terminal over the red wire and crimp the terminal to the wire.

3. Loosen the red and green screws inside the telephone service box and slip the spade terminal connected to the red wire between the red screw and the metal connector point. Tighten the red screw until it holds the spade terminal snugly. Repeat for the green wire.

4. Unwind the telephone cable spool until there is enough wire to reach the telephone jack, plus six inches of slack. Cut the telephone cable from the spool and route the telephone cable through the telephone service box outlet hole. Close the telephone service box. Insert the telephone service box sealing screw and tighten the screw until it holds the box closed firmly.

5. Strip four inches of the outer insulation jacket from the free end of the telephone cable. Strip 1/2-inch of insulation from the red and green wires. Slip the third spade terminal over the green wire and crimp the terminal to the wire. Repeat with the red wire.

6. Loosen the telephone jack cover screw and remove the telephone jack cover. Loosen the red and green wire connector screws. Slip the spade terminal connected to the green wire between the screw head and the green wire connector terminal. Tighten the screw until it holds the spade terminal firmly against the connector terminal. Repeat with the red wire.

7. 

   Plug one end into the phone with the other end going to the jack.

   Replace the telephone jack cover and tighten the telephone jack cover screw. Plug one end of the telephone cord into the telephone jack. Plug the other end of the telephone cord into the telephone.

References

• University of Pennsylvania: Doing Your Own Telephone Wiring