How to Rewire a Home Phone Line Alternative

Having a second phone line is convenient.

Most residential homes have single phone lines, but there are some homeowners who prefer to have an alternative line or a second phone line. A second phone line has two wires coming from the telephone company into the network interface device (NID) just outside your home. A second line requires an additional phone cable and jack to be installed inside your house. Learn to wire an alternate phone line and enjoy the convenience of having a two-line phone service.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdrivers
• Telephone cable
• Diagonal pliers
• Wire stripper
• Cable staples
• RJ-14 telephone jack

Instructions

1. Depress the clip found on the modular connector inside the NID, and pull the connector out of its jack to disconnect power from the phone company. The modular connector is the same as the clear plastic plug (RJ-11) found at the end of the patch cord on your telephone. The NID is commonly mounted by the telephone company on a wall outside your home, and you can trace it by following the cable from the utility pole into your home.

2. Expose the wires inside the telephone cable by stripping off three inches from its jacket, using diagonal pliers. Strip off 1/2-inch of plastic insulation from the tip of the exposed red and green wires, using a wire stripper. Insert the telephone cable through a hole at the base of the NID, and pull the cable up from inside the NID.

3. Twist the red and green terminal screws inside the NID counterclockwise by a few turns to loosen them, using a screwdriver. Wrap the red and green wires clockwise once around their matching green and red terminal screws. Turn the screws clockwise to tighten them using a screwdriver.

4. Install the telephone cable along a route from the NID to your telephone jack. Fasten the cable along baseboards, walls or ceilings, using cable staples every 12 inches. Avoid placing the cable alongside power lines to prevent poor data transmission.

5. Cut the cable once you reach the jack, using diagonal pliers. Strip off 3 inches from the outer covering of the cable, using diagonal pliers to reveal the color-coded inner wires. Strip off 1/2-inch of insulation from the tip of the red and green wires, using a wire stripper.

6. Loosen the red and green terminal screws inside an RJ-14 phone jack, using a screwdriver. Hook the red and green wires clockwise around their matching green and red terminal screws on the jack, and tighten the screws to secure the connections. Mount the jack on the wall with screws supplied with it. Go outside your home and replug the modular connector inside the NID to turn on power to the phone line. Plug a telephone into the jack and place a call to test the line.

References

• Hello Direct: The Basics of Telephone Wiring
• The Family Handyman: Cable and Telephone Wiring
• Public Service Commission of Wisconsin: Adding Wire to Existing Service