Jaybarry2's profile

Tutor

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4 Messages

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013 8:29 PM

Plugging home phone into wall jack instead of Residential Gateway??

We are new to U-Verse and have television/home phone with it. Our home phone and TV were initially plugged into the Residential Gateway. My girlfriend did not like the location of the home phone; and now has our home phone plugged into the wall jack instead of the residential gateway. Even with the home phone now plugged into the wall instead of the Gateway; the caller ID still show up on our television screen etc. Apparently a tech came and I am guessing activated  our land line in the wall jack for her while I was not home. My question is?? Will we now be billed separately for a home phone since its now not being plugged into the gateway? Does it matter if the number is the same? Or does it have to be inserted into the gateway? I thought the whole point of U-verse was that it had to be all through the gateway. Do I have to now have our line that she is apparently using disconnected and re-plug home phone into Gateway? Have no idea what to do and would appreciate help. Thanks

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

New Member

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25.7K Messages

11 years ago

First thing I would do is call you cell from the wall jack and see what number it says, then plug in the phone to the gateway and see what number it says.  You can't have uvoice and a land line with the same number.  Is it possible that the tech backfed all the house jacks from the back of the RG?  That would be where the dial tone originates from with uvoice.  Look on the back of the RG and see if there is a modular cord plugged into the jack that says Line 1 & 2 and if so then he probably backfed the dial tone to all the jacks in the house.

 

Edit: Oh and you can't get on screen caller ID with a land line so it has to be backfed from the RG (if the wall jacks are the same number).

ACE - Master

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6.9K Messages

11 years ago

my phones have never been connected to the rg.  All previous installs the rg backfed the phone line to the distro box.

ACE - Expert

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34.7K Messages

11 years ago

Techs used to do backfed dial tone standard on U-verse voice.  Now I think you have to sweet talk them to get it.

 

However, for the OP, backfed dialtone means that the technician connected the line1 connector on the back of the RG to your house phone lines' center pair (probably at the nearest phone extension jack to the RG) which means you can connect a phone to any other outlet.  However, this means that the center pair needed to be disconnected from the incoming service at the NID, and apparently isn't being used to feed your RG.

 

Former Employee

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549 Messages

10 years ago

Hi Jaybarry2,

 

Just checking up on your post. If you encounter any issues with your service or equipment in the future, I recommend checking out our Troubleshoot & Resolve solutions to help diagnose the issue.


- MorganCS
- ATTU-verseCare

Contributor

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2 Messages

8 years ago

How do you "backfeed"??  ATT just turned on my service and never came into the house. I get no dial tone any any other jack in my house.  There is only one port 1&2 which is being used.  I am not happy about this problem!

 

Contributor

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2 Messages

8 years ago

Not paying for something they should be including!!  Especially in older homes.

I can do it if told the correct way. 

What is a NID?

Just wish they would have told me this is what I was getting instead of traditional home service, which is what I wanted.

My cordless works in other rooms, but I want all the connections to work so I can plug in other phones!

Tutor

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5 Messages

8 years ago

Dear "mythoughts" -- I have had a land line ("POTS," plain old telephone service) in my house with multiple extensions for 21 years. I just ordered U-verse Voice so I could bundle my land line with my internet and TV (which was set up in 2009 with U-verse).

 

I was having a problem like DjinRacine -- the instructions for installation said to plug a phone into my Gateway's Phone Lines 1 & 2 port. But then, none of my extension phones worked. So I called AT&T customer support twice and had LONG, fruitless conversations with reps who had no idea what to tell me. Well ... one rep suggested I pay for a $99 service call and have them install "another jack." I didn't want to do that, but now I think he was probably talking about a "two-port wall plate" like you mentioned. (He didn't say that though.)

 

Anyway, after studying some installation guides I found at AT&T, plus reading what you said, I decided to try plugging my Gateway into the wall jack instead of the phone. That meant I couldn't have a phone in the same room, but now all my other jacks in the house WORK, so I figure I can live with it!

 

My QUESTION is: It works, but is it OK to connect it up this way? In your statement above, you said "to have the other jacks function, you need to rewire the jack at the gateway.

One pair for the NID to gateway, another pair for the gateway to house wiring. 

This will require a (2) port wall plate or biscuit." My Gateway is connected to the house wiring with a power plug.

 

I am also wondering WHY the AT&T self-installation guide I received does not mention this problem/solution, and the AT&T phone reps do not know how to answer this question!?!? (I guess it's because I'm a dinosaur, and most people nowadays have the wireless base station and satellite phones in other rooms.)

 

Expert

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10.1K Messages

8 years ago

@mickmac1 - The house wiring could have different connections that make it not work, such as a short or connecting to the broadband feed for the RG. But, if it works, it works. It does not have incorect connection.

 

The simplest way to add a phone in the same room as the RG is a two set coupler (not a two line coupler).

 

Second would be a two jack wall plate. connect the two jacks to the house wie, matching color for color.

Tutor

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5 Messages

8 years ago

Thanks "aviewer,"

FYI, I just realized I had some wiring done by an AT&T technician years ago when I had some problems with my Uverse TV. Cables coming from the wall, with wires connecting to the Gateway "Ethernet/Home Network" and one to "DSL/Broadband."

 

ADD A PHONE: Can't find "two set coupler" by Googling. Is there another name? I happen to have an item that looks like it could work -- it says "2WIRE" on it. On one side are two phone jack recepticles, and on the other side is one "male" connector to go into the phone jack on the wall. I think it might be a DSL filter. Would this work do you think?

Expert

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10.1K Messages

8 years ago

@mickmac1 - I cannot tel what you have. You can always try it.

 

I did not realize how difficult it would be to determine if a splitter/coupler is LINE or SET. If you go to walmart or target or home depot or lowes or radio Shack or Frys. look for set not line on the packaging.

 

The two could look exactly the same but are wired differently -

 

The two set version takes the two inner prongs on the one jack side & applies them to the inner prongs of both jacks on the two jack side. So, each can connect to a one line set.

 

A two line version applies the inner prongs to one jack on the two side & the outer prongs to the inner prongs on the other jack on the two side. Allowing each line to match a one-line set.

 

This link says set in a sentence - http://www.walmart.com/ip/RJ11-6P4C-M-to-6P4C-F-2-Way-Telephone-Jack-Splitter-Phone-Line-Extender-Adapter/47558579

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