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How to Add a Phone Extension
By: Danny Lipford 
Can you run an extension line off an already in use phone jack to a room which may not have one? – Robert
Hi Robert,
It’s not hard to extend a line from an existing phone jack to a new one in another room. Simply unscrew the existing jack from the wall, and attach the color coded wires for the new cable to the matching terminals. Then run the cable to the new jack and attach the matching wires to it.
For more information about working on phone lines, check out our articles on:
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15 Comments on “How to Add a Phone Extension”
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December 31st, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I tried the above method of running a cable from an existing jack to a room that has no jack but my internet failed. My intent is to have the existing jack still function (work) while I run a wire to a room that has no jack. Any recommendations?
January 10th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
My network interface had a small grounding wire going to a cold water pipe. I think it was connected to the yellow (unused) terminal. However, in everything I read online or on paper about wiring makes no mention of a grounding wire.
What do you think?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
HI IAM ADDING A NEW PHONE AT&T CAME HOOK UP YHE LINE OUT SIDE. I HAVE HOOK THE BLACK WIRE TO THE BLACK AND YELLOW TO YELLOW I AM NOT GETTING A DIALTONE DO I NEED A TEASTER GIL PAREISA
December 13th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
which colour wire is the ringer
March 11th, 2010 at 7:28 am
I am eliminating my business line in adjacent room, but would like to use the phone jack/extension in our bedroom to keep the internet service associated with the computer in the adjacent room.
Do I merely take the black & yellow lines associated with the business line and combine them with the red & green lines for the home phone? And, if so, do I put the black line under the red; and, the yellow under the green?
December 30th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Hi and thank you for your time. I have an existing jack in my livingroom with a phone cord plugged into it. I want another phone in the livingroom and would like it to have its own jack that I will connect to the baseboards. Are you saying that I can simply
1)remove the cover from the existing jack
2) Take 10 feet or so (as needed) of extra phone wire and stip it to display colored wires;
3) combine those added wires to the existing wires so there are 2 red wires going to the one screw and 2 green wires going to the existing greeen screw
4) strip the other side of the added phone wire and attach those wires to the new jack?
Ben Erickson Says:December 30th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Bea,
Yes. Good luck with your project!
January 29th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
what due the colors mean in the phone jack
i know that there are red green yellow and black
why due we have those colors and what due they due each one
Ben Erickson Says:January 30th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Hi Dand,
The color of the insulation on each wire in a phone cable is used to identify which wires are which on both ends of the connection. The wires are the same otherwise and can be interchanged as long as you use the same two colored wires on each end of the connection. For example, if you attach the red and green wires to the terminals in a phone jack, you need to attach the red and green wires to the terminal on the other end of the line as well. Usually the red and green wires are used for the first phone line in a house, yellow and black for the second line, and blue and white for the third. But if the other wires in a line aren’t being used, you can use them instead. This is particularly handy if one of the wires you’re using has a short in it and no longer works.
May 3rd, 2011 at 8:33 pm
My computer is in the basement and my phone lines are upstairs. I have not been able to use my fax machine due to this. I have a wireless system can you tell me what to do and the necessary supplies to get from the hardware store. Thank you so much
September 2nd, 2011 at 11:06 am
I have a 5 wire telephone line (blue,white,white/blue,yellow,black) this is for line 2 cause line 1 is red green. what colors go to red and green terminals in the interface box. when i hook up the white to the red term. i have dial tone on line 2 but lost dial tone on line 1. thank you
December 6th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
hello does anybody make a wireless router for home phone lines i need to put a land line in 4 rooms but have 1 in living room . thanks
January 20th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
want to put phone in kitchen but no jack, but there is a box with the wire in it but it’s for the jack in the adjacent room. How do I add a jack in the kitchen using the same wire ?
February 6th, 2012 at 5:27 am
I’m having trouble with my phone line ever since a satellite tv tech has been out here working.In the customer access panel I had two different wires leading off of the same line (two red wires to one screw and two yellow wires to one screw) Now nothing works with this configuration.If I disconnect one of each color wire the remaining wire is sound and works.Likewise the other way around.Is there anything that I should look for?This has always worked in the past…thanks in advance!
April 21st, 2012 at 1:52 am
how do i hook up a wall phone wire is there green,red,yellowand black. but the red wires have wax like material on them do i remove it or what. please help me