Going from cordless to corded

My first guess is that the cord you are using between the corded phone and the wall is bad.  These cords are really cheap and you may have to replace it.  They are pretty much all the same.

The second thing I can think of is some corded phones needed to be plugged in to work.  A free one I got from Qwest 15 years ago was this way.  So see if there is a power cord to go with the phone and use it.

Thanks for responding.  I guess I'm confused about how the phone connections go.  My cordless phone, the main unit, is plugged into the phone modem.  The additional handsets are just plugged into the power outlets.

I thought the cable outlets installed in the house were for additional tvs to connect to the internet by way of the top connector on the plates and the bottom was to connect a telephone.  Am I correct in thinking that in order for the other cable outlets in my house to work with a phone when plugged in there has to be a phone connected to the modem?

If this is the case when I plugged the corded phone into the modem it worked and when I plugged another corded phone into a cable outlet in another room at the same time nothing happened.

I was under the impression that you had the option to plug in a phone even if you didn't have a modem,  Maybe I'm missing something.

iluvwinter

1. What kind of modem are you plugged the corded phone into?
2. What kind of phone is it?
3. Try just unplugging the cord from the back of the cordless, leaving it plugged into the modem, and plug that into the corded phone. If that doesn't work, its likely a phone issue.

The phone modem actually creates the phone signal. There are no phone wires on telephone poles anymore, ironically enough, so it comes into your house as a cable wire, and its the modems job to turn it from a cable signal to a phone signal, with the phone signal coming out from one of the 2 jacks on the back. Once it comes out, where it goes depends on what you have it connected to and how your house is wired. If you go from modem to cordless phone, only those cordless phones will work. To make all the outlet work in your home, either the modem has to be moved next to your punch block (usually near circuit breaker or boiler) or it requires that all  your outlet are wired together. If so, you can bring the phone wire from the modem into the wall jack, but then you cant use that wall jack for your phone, because it will be in use. I will be able to be clearer and more specific when you answer my questions above. Thanks.

First I want to thank you for your response.  My modem is from Cox and it's an Arriss and the phone I'm using to test is a V-Tech.  I think you've already shed some light on my problem

The phone works when plugged into the modem.  When I use the phone cord in the modem then connect the other end of the cord to the wall jack I tried connecting another corded phone in a jack in the other rooms with jacks and didn't get any signal.

I believe the house isn't wired the way I thought it was so I guess I'll have to stick with the cordless phones.  My cable for the television works in the other rooms so I just guessed the phones would as well.  I wouldn't have known until I wanted to use corded.

iluvwinter

Yup, I think you have figured out your problem. You might be able to get a Cox Technician out to change the wiring, though it's likely they might charge depending on what exactly needs to be done. Also, they may not be able to do it at all, it just all depends, but it couldn't hurt to ask. And even if they can't, a electrician should be able to.

Also, you sure they are phone jacks and not ethernet jacks? If you took some pictures of where all the wires come together in your house I might be able to walk you through fixing it yourself. You are still dealing with electricity (albeit not much) so error on the side of caution if your not comfortable. It would also require you to buy a tool or two at your hardware store of choice. I like when people are nice on here so I will bend over backwards to help. 

     I took a picture to send you but I think what you told me before about the wiring is probably not configured the way I thought it was.  I don't think I'd be comfortable trying to remedy the situation myself.   I can probably get Cox to send someone out to check it for me. Looking at the picture can you tell if this is a phone jack or an ethernet?

I really appreciate you taking the time to offer your assistance.

Well theres your problem right there! ::chuckle:: That is a ethernet jack. That has 6 pins, a phone jack would either be 2 or 4 pins.See link below. Short answer, get by with your cordless phone or get the help of a Tech/electrician. But I think they will, and understandable so, charge for such work. Ask before hand.

Thats not quite the end of the story though, because a ethernet jack has more pins required then a phone jack, under some conditions you can actually wire a ethernet jack AS a phone jack. RJ45(Ethernet) is actually used as phone wiring in a lot of new house.

Given that it doesn't work, I think it is highly likely that the jacks aren't connected to your phone wiring, but that is not to say you CANT use them for your phone wiring. Maybe if you connected the phone wire from the phone modem into what ever hub/switch/punch block connects those ethernet together, the ethernet could carry the phone signal. Its not ideal, since it would stop them from working as actual ethernet jack, but if your OK with that it's worth a shot.

http://www.payphone.com/images/W/IMG_4825.jpg 

I took the chance that I would look like an idiot with that jack picture.  Thanks so much.

I think for now I am just going to leave everything as is.  I wish that they had wired it the other way instead of with the ethernet.

I learned a lot about how the wiring should be done so when I finally get it taken care of I'll know how to explain what i want.

Thanks again so much for your time and patience. 

No problem at all my friend. You are far from stupid. A stupid person never learns from his mistakes, a genius learns from every mistake. And actually alot of people would kill to have ethernet run through their home, so I am quite envious. Hope you have a great week.