Re: POTS and Ethernet over CAT-5 Cable

[Mike Barnes <august2005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In comp.home.automation, BrianEWilliams wrote:
>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.

Here in the UK I run Ethernet and POTS down the same cat 5 and have
never experienced any problems. Internal wiring for POTS uses three
cores in this country. Ethernet uses two pairs everywhere. So that's
only one POTS, not three.

>If this is correct, are there any jacks available that would make this
>easier than cutting open my cables?  Thanks.

I've wired it all without any special cutting open. I've terminated the
fixed wiring at a wall plate which has one Ethernet socket and one phone
socket. The patch cords are all normal.

If you don't want to modify your fixed wiring, a pair of "cat 5 cable
economisers" will take you part of the way - they put two ethernet
signals down one cat 5 cable. Then you'd need two ethernet-to-POTS
wiring adapters, if such things exist.

--
Mike Barnes