DIY Telephone House Wiring

A telephone jack must ultimately be connected to the telephone service access point (also known as the demarcation point).

Landline telephones require a hardwired connection from the telephone demarcation point to a telephone jack. Many electronics and hardware supply stores carry the necessary components--such as telephone wire and surface-mount telephone jacks--to wire a home for a landline telephone. However, the wiring from the demarcation point must run to the correct contacts on the telephone jack; otherwise, a telephone will not work properly.

Things You'll Need

• Surface-mount telephone jack
• Telephone wire
• Electrical pliers
• Active and installed telephone demarcation point (service from the phone company)
• Screwdriver
• Crimp-type spade terminals

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Instructions

1. Run a length of telephone wire that will reach from the demarcation point to the place where you wish to install the telephone jack. Using the electrical pliers, remove approximately one inch of the top insulation layer from both ends of the telephone wire so that the inner wire insulation colors are exposed.

2. Strip one-half inch of insulation from the colored telephone wires. Place one spade terminal over each stripped wire, and crimp each terminal to its respective wire.

3. Loosen and remove the telephone jack retaining screw. Remove the telephone jack cover. Loosen the internal terminal screws.

4. On the jack side of the telephone wire, insert the spade terminal connected to the red telephone wire under the red terminal screw, and tighten the terminal screw so that it holds the spade terminal to the telephone jack terminal. Repeat this step for each wire and its corresponding terminal screw color. Once the wires are installed, replace the telephone jack cover and reinstall and tighten the case-retaining screw.

5. Go to the demarcation point, and open the demarcation point door. Loosen the colored internal terminal screws inside the demarcation point casing.

6. On the demarcation side of the telephone wire, insert the spade terminal connected to the red telephone wire under the red terminal screw, and tighten the terminal screw so that it holds the spade terminal to the red demarcation terminal. Repeat this step for each wire and its corresponding terminal screw color. Once all wires are installed, close the demarcation point door.

References

• Uniblue Systems: How to Install a Phone Jack
• HomeTech: Residential Telecommunications Wiring Primer