Re: POTS and Ethernet over CAT-5 Cable

["Alan C. Jones" <alcjones@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Brian,
     I have done this exact same thing with my house.  There are 6 double
strands and 12 single of CAT-5 leading from my control closet to 18 RJ-45
wallplate jacks (single or double, or course).  I can't remember where, but
some ancient research I did led me to the discovery that an RJ-11 or RJ-14
(i.e. a single or double line POTS) plug will click right into the standard
RJ-45 jack and tap the non-Ethernet conductors.  I currently have only(?) 5
computers on  the home network and may cut 1 or 2 laptops off for wireless.
For the last 7 or 8 years, this has let me plug in a computer OR a phone at
any jack and have no noticable interference to either.  It was quite handy
when my son would have 5-6 friends bring over their systems for a weekend of
high intensity gaming warfare. Same reason I kept 10 lbs of hot dogs anf a
case of Mountain Dew in the garage fridge at all times. I really wish I had
been smart enough (and wealthy enough) to run dual coax to each jack at the
same time!  Isn't hindsight wonderful?

Good luck!!!
Alan


"BrianEWilliams" <sorry_no_email@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1124057322.937473.85690@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Is it possible to use some of the extra wires in CAT-5 cable to run a
> POTS line or two?  I heard that Ethernet only uses two of the eight
> wires.  Is this true?  If so, seems like I could run 3 POTS lines in
> addition to my Ethernet over my CAT-5 home network.
>
> If this is correct, are there any jacks available that would make this
> easier than cutting open my cables?  Thanks.
>