Extra-long RJ11 cable

[joe2812]

AOL have upgraded us from 512 to 1Mbps but forgot to mention we need to change all the DSL cables in our house to RJ11. Only problem is the computer is in the back room and the phone cable is routed through the attis from the front room in the house.

I can't find a cable over 10m long and need one at least 15. I can't seem to find a junction box or anything to join 2 cables together, does anyone know how to get round this?

[Lost_luggage34]

You can join RJ11 male-male with an RJ45 coupler ;

RJ45 coupler - example here (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?C=SEO&U=Srch&Criteria=RJ45%20COUPLER)

I would suggest the Cat5e version at the same price as, although it doesn't state, I would think it is shielded. You need the inline version.

Perhaps not the most elegant solution but it works. Alternatively you could invest in an RJ11 crimper, a couple of RJ11 ends and a piece of RJ11 type flat cable. At £3.99 vs about £25 I know which method I would choose !

Would just advise to route a reasonable distance (12 inches)away from power/lighting cables and fluorescent lighting if it's going via the attic.

Hope that helps.

[Helli-Gurl]

I would be a bit concerned about running a cable over 10m.

If it's the cable between your PC and the router/modem you're ok, can go some big distances but between the Modem/Router and the wall socket / termination point Industry Standards say no more than 10m

[timmcat]

There's plenty of 20m on ebay - for example here. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67857&item=6776849035&rd=1)

[Cornish Jack]

Helli-Gurl makes a good point. The 10m limit from the house master box is for real. I had to install a new phone line to allow me to use broadband on an attic installation. Absolutely no joy at all on a 15m extension from the previous master box.

[ORAC]

Got my house wired with sockets when it was built. Modem plugged into a phone socket and a switch in the attic (4 storey town house), cables run to sockets in all rooms in the house. PCs plugged into sockets using 1-5m extensions as required. Master phone box is on ground floor. No problems whatsoever.

Videk (http://www.videkonline.co.uk/home.asp?page=Sections&chapterID=3) will sell you cables up to 30m off the shelf and extention cables. Good company, used them many times.

[Helli-Gurl]

There are lots of longer cables for sale, but really only any good between your PC and router, from the router to your wall socket as I said before should be no more than 10m, not saying it won't work, but if you get probs and you call your ISP or get an engineer out and they find out it's over 10m then they are well within their rights to say "tough luck"

Basically the desgn standards for xDSL ctate the router/modem/TA should be no more than 10m from the xDSL termination point....i.e. your wall socket

x

[joe2812]

Well what we have at the moment is a splitter in the main phone point in the lounge. From there comes a phone cable thru' the attic down to another junction box on the wall next to the PC, where the phone cable comes out of there to the modem (about 3m).

What I was going to do was have an RJ11 cable out of the main phone point like it does now, run it as far as it'll go, add another RJ11 cable if i need to, then plug the modem in.

AOL isn't supplying us with any cabling, modem update information or assistance as it's nothing to do with them so we're a bit stuck!

[Lost_luggage34]

Thanks for the explanation.

I agree with Helli-Gurl's point re. distance and standards but at 15m you won't have a problem unless you wrap the cable around a fluorescent lamp or lift motor etc.

My revised suggestion would be ;

-purchase some good quality internal 'phone cable, about 20 m.
Not the flat type but twisted pair - Cat 5 will do nicely.

- run the phone cable from the current master socket in the
lounge to the PC

- remove master socket and install at the PC end

- install an extension or secondary socket in the lounge (you may
also need a junction box depending on the type of extension
socket used)

- use a spare pair in the 'phone cable to connect up the
extension socket back from the relocated master socket.

End result, you have extended the master socket to be close to the PC so no cable distance issues. The socket in the lounge has simply become an extension from the master socket.

I've done this in a similar setup, works fine, is simple to do, is reliable and cost effective.

If you currently use a separate microfilter, you may want to consider changing the master socket faceplate for one with a 'phone and RJ11 (inbuilt microfilter) sockets - about £11 as I recall.

The faceplates which use the Krone type connections are better. These are readily available from any decent Electrical Wholesaler vs. the screw connection types from DIY stores.