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jim36fpc's avatar
jim36fpc
On our wavelength
1 day ago
Solved

RJ11 to BT cable.

Can anyone help with a problem with the digital switchover for landline phones?

My Hub3 is such a distance from my landline phone base that I would need a 15 m long RJ11 to BT cable to connect the two. I bought a new 15 m cable, but it doesn't work. Tried turning the Hub on and off with no success. Relocating the base unit to near the Hub and connecting with my old 2 m RJ11 to BT cable does work, immediately.

So, my question is, is there a length limit to this type of cable and if so, what would this be? Any help would be much appreciated. 

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    1 day ago

    If you have bought a BT plug to RJ11 plug in a 'straight' format, I think that is your problem.

    If you are using the VM adapter out of the back of the hub then a BT plug to RJ11 plug extension lead into the phone base, I think you need a 'crossover' cable (also called a fax/modem cable).

    Image below shows pins 2 and 5 on the BT plug connected to the centre two pins (3 and 4) on the RJ11 plug.

    https://rgbnetworks.co.uk/products/bt-2-pin-crossover-phone-cable

    If you remove the original RJ11 plug from the phone base and look at the lead and into the RJ11 socket on the base you should be able to confirm that it is the centre two pins in use on the RJ11

7 Replies

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  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    1 day ago

    I suspect the new 15 metre cable is defective or wired in a different way, try a replacement.

    What should work is the VM supplied RJ11 plug to BT socket adaptor, 
    then a 15 meter phone cable with BT plug to BT socket.

    • jim36fpc's avatar
      jim36fpc
      On our wavelength
      1 day ago

      I already tried a replacement, but still no luck. Thank you.

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    1 day ago

    There should not be a distance problem with the lead but what cable exactly did you buy? I am assuming you bought RJ11 plug to BT plug but these can have different internal wiring configurations.

    On a phone extension cable you can sometimes see the colours of the internal cable cores. Pins 2 and 5 on the BT plug should connect to the centre two pins of the RJ11 plug.

    Also, some particular phone base leads may require a specific configuration which is different from the above so a generic lead may not work with a particular model of phone.

    If you already have a cordless system, you may be able to buy another satellite handset/charger base for your existing system. This would allow you to place the original base/handset next to the hub and use the satellite handset in the location where the original phone/base used to live.

    • jim36fpc's avatar
      jim36fpc
      On our wavelength
      1 day ago

      This is where I'm at a bit of a loss.  It's described as "6P4C (6 Pin BT style plug - 4 wires connected - STRAIGHT)."

      It looks more sturdy than my old 2 m cable.

      Thank you for your reply.

      • goslow's avatar
        goslow
        Alessandro Volta
        1 day ago

        If you have bought a BT plug to RJ11 plug in a 'straight' format, I think that is your problem.

        If you are using the VM adapter out of the back of the hub then a BT plug to RJ11 plug extension lead into the phone base, I think you need a 'crossover' cable (also called a fax/modem cable).

        Image below shows pins 2 and 5 on the BT plug connected to the centre two pins (3 and 4) on the RJ11 plug.

        https://rgbnetworks.co.uk/products/bt-2-pin-crossover-phone-cable

        If you remove the original RJ11 plug from the phone base and look at the lead and into the RJ11 socket on the base you should be able to confirm that it is the centre two pins in use on the RJ11

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person
    1 day ago

    VM "should" really be doing this work as they are changing you to a different connection.  Is you phone, at the moment, connected to an extension socket? If so, can you use this wiring?

    • jim36fpc's avatar
      jim36fpc
      On our wavelength
      1 day ago

      The phone was connected to a BT socket but since the digital switchover I have had to relocate it to the Hub, which is in another room.

      I rang VM to ask, and after 25 minutes they agreed to send an engineer around next week. To be honest I only wanted some advice on the cable. Relocating the base unit is possible. It doesn't get the use that it once would have, so location isn't as important as it once was. And a have a satellite unit.

      It's just that the time spent buying the cable, threading it (and a replacement) through ducting and three walls (ok the holes were there already, but still a faff) could have possibly been avoided, with a bit more information from VM. I would have thought this scenario could have been foreseen.

      Thank you for your reply. I appreciate the help.