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[nklght]

My wife decided that she wants to add a phone jack to a room using a wireless phone jack.  Since x-10 uses and the wireless phone jack both use power lines to communicate, can I use them together without interferance, or should I get a proffessional to hard-wire the location, since it will take me a while to run the line.

[steven r]

I don't think the wireless phone jack signal will interfere with the X10 signal but I'll defer to anyone out there that has used one.

What is the intended use of the jack for that room? If it's just for a phone, a cordless phone with a 2nd handset for that room would be cheaper and more reliable. Wireless phone jacks have there best value for an occasional use line such as the phone connection for a satellite receiver. They aren't ideal for a dial up connection or heavy use phone connection. A hardwire connection allows a corded phone to work during a power outage, also.

[dave w]

I always hate it when someone blathers on this forum and does not answer the posters question. However, I'm going to do it now.

I can't speak to the cordless phone jacks using powerlines for communications but I have tried to use the powerline intercom systems and they stop X10 in its tracks.

[HA Dave]

I always hate it when someone blathers on this forum and does not answer the posters question. However, I'm going to do it now.

I had the same experience with the wireless intercoms as dave w..... even though the guy at Radio Shack assured me there would be no problem with X10 interference.

Fortunately, I had saved the receipt, and carefully removed the intercoms from the boxes. I simply returned them the same evening. You could try the same with the wireless phone jacks.

[nklght]

My brother-in-law,
purchased a cordless phone with a remote base and all he did was complain about how much interferance the phone had.  The only reason I was curios was because were we want the phone to go is almost to get to now, some funky angles have to be made in the wall inorder to get to jack in the appropriate location, the builder never recieved the change order.

[steven r]

My brother-in-law,
purchased a cordless phone with a remote base and all he did was complain about how much interference the phone had....

A good 5.8 GHz remote base phone should be fine in almost all homes. Make sure it's 5.8 GHz both directions. Some call themselves 5.8 GHz but are only 5.8 GHz one way and 2.4 GHz the other. Also you'll reduce the chances of your phone interfering with other things if you stay away from the 2.4 GHz band. Buy it from a store that will let you return it.

I haven't worked with one yet, but the Uniden DECT phones look very good. They use the latest phone frequency for cordless phones. Uniden constantly scores as a top cordless phone manufacture. I expect one of them will be my next phone when I replace the old Uniden 2.4 GHz ones I have now.

Utilizing the newly ratified DECT 6.0 frequency band, this phone provides the clearest voice reception available and can easily be used with Wireless Home Networking (WLAN) systems without negative impact. This phone offers state-of-the-art technology that provides brilliant sound and maximum voice security without interference from other wireless devices.

[HA Dave]

I was in Sam's Club the other day and noticed the new DECT 6.0 (Digital Enhanced Cordless Communications) . Looks like the old 2.4 Ghz phone will be fading away soon. Remember the 900Mhz? I still have one in the garage.

[steven r]

...Remember the 900Mhz?...

I remember the ones before 900MHz! One of the advantages of the higher frequencies is a shorter antenna. The phones prior to 900MHz had long antenna that had to be extended. You could almost sword fight with them. Watch an old movie sometime.

[steven r]

As you can tell from my previous message, Uniden has earned a brand loyalty for me with cordless phones.
That said, Costco has an incredible deal on the Philips DECT with answering machine and 4 handsets for only $89.99. Price goes up to $119.99 after July 2, 2007.

The two handset, base and remote, Uniden DECT 6.0 that is expandable to 6 handsets is currently $81.99 at Best Buy and $79.99 at Fry's.

Do you get that I believe a good remote phone is a better option than a wireless jack?

[nklght]

Thanks for the help,
after contacting the BBB, my builder decided to install an actual phone jack in the location, which my wife wanted.  It was in our contract, and we paid for it.  Unfortunatly, now she wants a phone jack in every room of the house.  My in-laws had a cordless phone with remote bases and all they complained about was the bad signal,  I do not see how a phone system using the powerlines to move phone jacks, does not interfere with x-10 signals, since they both use the powerlines in the house to transmit signals.

[Dan Lawrence]

We have a pair of Panasonic 2.4 portable phones and they do not affect X10.  I have had zero X10 problems. One of the bases is 2 feet above 2 lamp modules and is plugged into the same outlet the lamps modules are, and the two lamps turn on and off with no communications problems, even with the handset in use.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Thanks for the help,
after contacting the BBB, my builder decided to install an actual phone jack in the location, which my wife wanted.  It was in our contract, and we paid for it.  Unfortunatly, now she wants a phone jack in every room of the house.  My in-laws had a cordless phone with remote bases and all they complained about was the bad signal,  I do not see how a phone system using the powerlines to move phone jacks, does not interfere with x-10 signals, since they both use the powerlines in the house to transmit signals.

It might actually be cheaper in the long run, not to mention a lot less frustraiting to bite-the-bullet and have the phone jacks hardwired.  If you get the right guy to do it, it probably wouldn't cost too much more to have them run some CAT 5e or CAT 6 cables and jacks for LAN connections, TV cable, etc. while he is at it.

When considering the actuall cost, you must also factor in stuff like:

• The cost of replacing cordless phone batteries (or the phones themselves) every 3-5 years or so.
• Most cordless phones get their power from a wall-wart plugged into your power line (costing you money) and do not work during a power failure, while most hardwired phones get their power from the phone company (costing them money and they are passing that cost along to you anyway) and usually will work during a power outage.
• Cordless phones aren't very good for plugging in computer modems, satellite boxes, etc.
• Cordless phones can interfere with / be interfered with by other wireless devices in your home.

As far as the plug-in phone jacks, they are adding noise onto the power line, maybe not directly at X10 frequencies, but, any additional noise in an already noisy environment like the power line can cause strange and unexpected results.  Also, they too are not likely to work if the power fails.

My 2 cents. 

[HA Dave]

It might actually be cheaper in the long run, not to mention a lot less frustraiting to bite-the-bullet and have the phone jacks hardwired.  If you get the right guy to do it, it probably wouldn't cost too much more to have them run some CAT 5e or CAT 6 cables and jacks for LAN connections, TV cable, etc. while he is at it.

Bill makes an excellent point here! Although some contractors are still running "doorbell wire" for phones... currently (according to my brother, a phone systems installer) CAT 5 is what is used for phones now-a-days.

There are books on wiring, and rewiring. Learning how to do this for yourself could be helpful for many years to come.

Not only does fishing wires provide hours of entertainment for yourself...  you might be amazed at how many friends and neighbors will enjoy watching you fish wires for them too. And putting that phone jack, speaker, cable or ethernet connection, or receptacle, EXACTLY where the little lady wants it... really improves the WAF (Wife Approval Factor) the first time. Soon the wife will find MANY exact spots where an above mentioned connection should be located.

Think of the pride you will feel as the MILES of various wires are strung, stapled, and ran through conduit. Wiring isn't just a craft or a profession.... it's a fulfilling hobby! Soon you may find yourself as comfortable crawling through spider webs under your home .... as you are now, on your sofa. Or you may find the dry warmth of a 100 degree attic, as relaxing as a sauna. 

Good luck...and have fun.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Not only does fishing wires provide hours of entertainment for yourself...  you might be amazed at how many friends and neighbors will enjoy watching you fish wires for them too. And putting that phone jack, speaker, cable or ethernet connection, or receptacle, EXACTLY where the little lady wants it... really improves the WAF (Wife Approval Factor) the first time. Soon the wife will find MANY exact spots where an above mentioned connection should be located.

Think of the pride you will feel as the MILES of various wires are strung, stapled, and ran through conduit. Wiring isn't just a craft or a profession.... it's a fulfilling hobby! Soon you may find yourself as comfortable crawling through spider webs under your home .... as you are now, on your sofa. Or you may find the dry warmth of a 100 degree attic, as relaxing as a sauna. 

Thank you Dave for pointing out many excellent reasons to hire a professional (especially as they have been doomed to the above life already)!      

[KDR]

Another option which many phone company installers use is to run the wiring on the outside of the home and then pass it through the wall where the jack is to be located (on outside wall ). Depending on the type of exterior finish you have the wiring can be almost invisible from the outside.

Me, I love running wires. That's why I keep rolls of the stuff on hand 

^{----------------KDR}