7

I wonder if I can replace the phone cable that connects my DSL router to the box outside the building with a Cat5/6 cable.

The phone cable in use has only two wires inside it. So, I was wondering if I can use two wires from the Cat5/6 cable for carrying out the signal from the box to the router. I heard using Cat5e and Cat6 cables is more beneficial than the ordinary phone cable because Cat5e/6 cables handle interference better.

Also, are there any benefits to using Cat6 over Cat5 in this case? If what I said is possible, which two wires inside the Cat cables should I use? From my understanding I will use two of the wires on the Cat cable and connect them directly to the box outside after stripping them. Then, on the other side I will put an RJ11 connector and put those two wires that I used on the box to the middle pins of the connector.

Is that right? Also, will I need to cut any of the other six wires off? Which other wires should be inside?

Burgi
  • 6,493
  • 14
  • 39
  • 52
JackBrooks
  • 85
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
  • 1
    Yeah you can do that if you want. Just use the blue, blue/white pair. We did it all the time when I worked at a phone company for a while. – DrZoo Mar 07 '16 at 17:16
  • Thanks. What do I do with the rest of the wires, though? – JackBrooks Mar 07 '16 at 21:29
  • 1
    You should note that in some territories the cable from the termination box to the outside world is actually the property of your phone provider, interfering with it may invalidate your contract. – Burgi Mar 08 '16 at 14:03
  • 2
    Changing the category of cabling on POTS is rather pointless since POTS is designed to use Category-3 cabling. It is doubtful that you have the expertise or proper equipment to terminate and test for Category-5E or Category-6 compliance since a category rating is much more than just the rating of cable itself. You will just be wasting money. You will be connecting a higher category cabling to a lower category cabling system, and the resulting category rating of the whole will be the lowest category rating of any component in the system. In your case, Category-3. – Ron Maupin Mar 08 '16 at 16:51

2 Answers2

4

Blue and Blue white are center pair too. If you punch everything down into an RJ 45 jack (ehternet jack) then an RJ 11 (phone jack 2 pair) can plug into an RJ 45 jack and use center 2 pair. Lines up perfectly. Then the line can be used for RJ 45 or RJ 11 purposes. Good Luck!

Jim O'Brien
  • 56
  • 3
1

There are a few things to understand. You know what RJ45 and RJ11 are. What is a Keystone?

If you punch everything down into an RJ 45 jack (ehternet jack)

I think what Jim O'Brien is referring to here is the Keystone, the RJ45 Keystone. Also known as the female RJ45. This is the plug you would connect the Lan/Ethernet cable to, usually mounted on the wall.

then an RJ 11 (phone jack 2 pair) can plug into an RJ 45 jack and use centre 2 pair. Lines up perfectly. Then the line can be used for RJ45 or RJ11 purposes.

So basically, you'd punch down on a keystone - the Ethernet wall point / data point. (this was the clue, you "punch down" on a keystone, you crimp a jack).

Now, when you connect a RJ11 it will still fit and work because the blue and blue white wires are standard connected in the center.

Since you are using an RJ11, connected to a RJ45 Keystone in the wall, the rest of the wires on the Keystone remain dormant and do not transmit any data/voice. Because only the RJ11 White and White Blue wires are touching (connected)

Why do this? Simply because you can now use this line as an Ethernet point if you want to, or a telephone point.

However, when connecting these wires, make sure you follow a standard colour protocol throughout. Keystones usually have colour guides, but i like to keep a picture / notation handy when doing such connections just to be safe. Connect 1 wire out of sync, you'll have to cut away and reconnect.

I know this is a couple of years late, but hope it helps someone.

Anand Mahey
  • 11
  • 1