Land Phone line issue...Overloading?

[ChetK]

I was wondering if it's possible to overload my phone line. I've got regular voice, an alarm system, DSL, and now I'll have satellite on the same phone line. I realize that the voice part is on a different frequency than the others, but do the DSL, home alarm and satellite receiver use same frequencies? Is there a possible problem having three items like that?

My security company told me that, if I have DSL, then I need to get a "filter" put on the line. I never paid the extra bucks for the filter and everything still seems to work fine. The alarm company always calls when I accidentally trigger the alarm. And my Dish Network 6000U shows the caller ID just fine. And I never have problems with my DSL connection. So, maybe I'm just paranoid? I'm just thinking about how everything is using the phone line now-adays and I'm wondering if I will ever run into problems with it. Like if I wanted to eventually go to wireless DSL or something.

 

[Sean Mota]

I think you are fine if everything works.

 

[occammd]

You should have the DSL micro-filters on all of your other lines that are not DSL.
There is a load limit on phone lines. I forget how it is spec'd, but the load is on each unit, like a phone, look on the back. Most things will be 1 or 2 loads. Maybe someone else can comment on the limit, but I think it is between 5 and 7 loads.

 

[Trindle]

No ChetK I work for an alarm company and what you should do is tell them you need a POT splitter on your line and not all those stupid microfilters. Here in Cinci the local telco does it for free if you tell them what your set up is.

 

[ChetK]

Cool. Thanks for the info. I'll look into the POT splitters.

 

[Trindle]

No ChetK I work for an alarm company and what you should do is tell them you need a POT splitter on your line and not all those stupid microfilters. Here in Cinci the local telco does it for free if you tell them what your set up is.

 

[cameron119]

A DSL Splitter with homerun is what you need, as pointed out by trindle. A phoneline only has so much power, and you loose it as you apply more load...but the power increases as load increases to a point. If you don't have 1000' of wiring and 40 phones, you won't have any problems.

DSL Microfilters add a load to the line, as well as attenuating the DSL signal. If you use above 4, the attenuation can become an issue. Without a doubt, especially with an alarm, the POTS Splitter (whole house filter) is the way to go.

A DSL or POTS tech from your telco will come and install the filter. One output is POTS-only while the other is DSL-only or simply have a POTS output that filters for those devices only (while allowing the DSL line to be connected to the existing terminals/gel splices).

With an alarm, you either have one line going to the alarm from the NID and your telephone outlets connected from there OR you have one wire going to the alarm from the NID with one pair TO THE ALARM and one pair RETURNING TO THE NID for distribution from the NID. Those configurations are to ensure the alarm can steal the line in an emergency. The POTS Splitter will work in both instances, since its job is to filter the POTS only. You will also have less load on the line due to filters, since one filter/splitter attenuates much less than multiples. A POTS splitter also does a better job of isolation. Your line rates will likely improve after the homerun.

POTS: Plain Old Telephone Service

After installation, here is your likely configuration:

Drop from telco->protector->POTS Splitter->DSL output to DSL modem outlet, POTS output to alarm and distributed to telephones for line grabbing.

You will still have dialtone on the DSL outlet, since that is the unfiltered side of the splitter to allow passage of the DSL signal. This means that line grabbing won't function if you inadvertantly connect a telephone to the same jack and use it during an emergency since it doesn't pass through the alarm. This is okay, since hopefully you aren't planning on using your DSL jack to talk .

If you're made of money, some folks (businesses mostly) get a "dry" pair for their alarm. This would require a different alarm or configuration since the alarm doesn't "dial", but rather is always in communication with the monitoring center, like a leased line.

FYI: All of the devices you've mentioned, including the alarm (excepting DSL) utilize the same frequencies in the voiceband.

 

[occammd]

I suggested the micro's 'cause they want to charge me to install the splitter and the micro's come in the box. For his number of loads, is there any probelm with this?

Does anyone remember the load rating, it used to be in U's or something like that, but I can;t find anything on it?

 

[barth2k]

The thing I wonder about is will everything eventually want to be connected to the phone for "security"? Your xbox, your hdvd, your cd, your PC. You don't own anything, it owns you.

 

[occammd]

land lines are on their way out, generally speaking. businesses need to catch up. give it all an internet connection

 

[David_Levin]

Remember the term REN? Stands for "Ringer Equivalence Number". The limit is largely due to what it takes to make the phone ring.

Remember the big-old phones with a coil of wire, creating an electro magnet, driving a striker into a pair of bells.... Those puppies pulled some power.

What would generally happen if you plugged in too many phones is that they wouldn't ring anymore.

Electronic phones tend to have REN on the order of 0.2. Loading is just not much of an issue anymore. Using multiple phones simultaneously does lower the volume.

DSL filters are a totally different issue then loading.

 

[occammd]

Thank you, that was what I was trying to remember. Is it still required to be <5ua on hook?

 

[cameron119]

Remember the term REN? Stands for "Ringer Equivalence Number". The limit is largely due to what it takes to make the phone ring.

Remember the big-old phones with a coil of wire, creating an electro magnet, driving a striker into a pair of bells.... Those puppies pulled some power.

What would generally happen if you plugged in too many phones is that they wouldn't ring anymore.

Electronic phones tend to have REN on the order of 0.2. Loading is just not much of an issue anymore. Using multiple phones simultaneously does lower the volume.

DSL filters are a totally different issue then loading.

Your saying that a device with 100' of thinly spooled copper designed to attenuate high-frequency signals doesn't increase load? LOL. A DSL filter absolutely increases load. It attenuates power. Go ahead and throw 15 microfilters on a line, and come back and speak to us about them not having a load. It isn't a ring load, but it will attenuate the ringing voltage power, since wiring naturally attenuates signals.

 

[Voomster]

Phone Line - DSL

It took me a year to finally get PacBell to wire a three way splitter for DSL with home run connection to computer / digital splitter for alarm and single pair for home phone lines

PacBell's tech found 25% loss if cable box was hooked to phone line
if you un sure --- test it for free

go to DSL reports . com

http://www.dslreports.com

then tools . then speed test local to your area (java script required)
test your down load speed with and without phone line hooked to cable box and or alarm system

Voomster