Mixed mode extensions

[chiefjim]

I need to connect three extensions to my Ooma system. One will get the Scout so I can take advantage of the features it offers. The other two don't need that. With the landline disconnected from the house will that work being back fed through the existing wiring?

[WayneDsr]

According to a few users in the forum connecting the PHONE out on the hub to your wall jack will place ooma hub connection on every phone jack in the house.

Wayne

[chiefjim]

According to a few users in the forum connecting the PHONE out on the hub to your wall jack will place ooma hub connection on every phone jack in the house.

Wayne

But can I still use a Scout in another room, say a floor below, so I can check voice messages and such?

[WayneDsr]

Yep, plug with WALL of the hub into the wall jack as well and the Scout will work. I do not run this setup myself, but heard of others in this forum do it successfully.

Wayne

[chiefjim]

Yep, plug with WALL of the hub into the wall jack as well and the Scout will work. I do not run this setup myself, but heard of others in this forum do it successfully.

Wayne

Thanks. Will give it a try

[bw1]

Like others have said, you can plug the phone port on the hub to the wall jack to power all of your phone jacks in your house and you should disconnect the phone line coming into your house even if you have no landline dial tone.

I did read that someone also plugged the wall port on the hub to the wall jack to also connect the scout. In order to do this you have to connect a two line splitter to connect both the phone and wall ports to the same wall jack.

Based on what I read here from one of ooma's moderators, doing this is not recommended and could cause issues because you're effectively wiring the phone and wall ports on the hub together.

A better option is to plug the phone port to line 1 and the wall port to line 2 of your house wiring. Then you can connect your phones to line 1 and your scout(s) to line 2.

I tried to test this but the line 2 of my house wiring wasn't working.

[lohertz]

A better option is to plug the phone port to line 1 and the wall port to line 2 of your house wiring. Then you can connect your phones to line 1 and your scout(s) to line 2.

That is probably the best option. Of course you have to make sure you have std 4 wire telephone wire installed. Depending on the age of your home, you may find cat 5 used as the phone wire.

All else fails you could add some cat 5e or 6 to replace it!

[chiefjim]

Slight variation to this theme. Hub and wireless phone base are on one floor. Additional wireless extensions throughout the house. Can the scout be used elsewhere within the house independently if a phone is not actually attached?

I ask because I'm aware some electronics require an impedance load to function properly

[jmassimilla]

I have 2 scouts in different parts of the house with no phones attached for the sole purpose of monitoring calls and checking voicemail. They both work perfectly.

[southsound]

bw1
If you are trying to use the second pair for ooma, remember that some homes are wired in a star topography - in other words, all of the cables meet at the network interface box on the outside of the house. If you have never had more than one line in your home, the white/orange and white/green pairs may not be connected together in that intrerface box. Connecting them (white/orange to white/orange, orange/white to orange/white, ect) will make the jacks in other rooms work. You can strip the wires and twist together, using tape to finish up the job, or better yet, use ScotchLock connectors or "beanies."