PBX For Home ?

Edwards Finance > Phones

Q. I want to install a PBX system (landline) in my home. I've heard, from sellers/installers, that you must have an individual wire from each jack going to where the phone line comes in (i.e. a different wire from each jack to one central location -- where the PBX would plug in). Before I order a system, I want to make sure that I have the proper wiring. I do not want to re-wire my home. 1) How do I check if I have this wiring in my home? 2) Most sellers say that if I do have this wiring, the Merlin Legend or Magix system is the only way to go. Are there any other Avaya/ Lucent/even Nortel systems that would work? 3) Is the Merlin Legend/Magix the best bet for a home PBX?

A. TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My opinion is just that: IMO. I have a small PBX here in my home and I had to do this: The phone box was mounted on the outside, on a wall. The former arrangement was at that outside box I had ONE incoming phone _pair_ and THREE _pairs_ going out to around my house. The PBX could not be mounted outside of course; I wound up putting it inside on a wall in my computer room area. I had to bring ONE _pair_ of wires in for the phone line inbound, and THREE pairs had to run back outside to go from the PBX to the various stations known as 103, 104, and 105. (had to install those three pairs). On this six extension PBX, three of the extensions (100, 101, and 102) did not have to run back outside to get to their destinations. So, I had to in total have four _pairs_ of wires running to the phone demark box (and the pole) from the PBX. These went through a newly made hole in my wall, then tacked along the outside wall to the phone box (or demark) where one of the pairs connected to the (old) incoming pair; the other three pairs were hooked to the (old) three extensions around the house, via their original wiring). For the second incoming line which had previously been by the computer only (a VOIP line), I used a 25-foot phone cord to run from the back of my router/ATA box on the computer over to the closet where the PBX unit is now mounted. Incoming calls (either the landline or the VOIP) default to station 100 which is aliased to also ring on '0'. I can answer or transfer any incoming call (either Vonage VOIP or landline) to any station desired by dialing *7 plus 100 or 0 to answer the call, press the flash key to get new dial tone then dial the three digit station number desired, or 0 if I wish to transfer to the 'operator'. So I wound up using 4 new _pairs_ (out of a new six _pair_ cable) to get myself in and out of the outside demark to/from the PBX, and 3 existing _pairs_ to get to my bedroom, dining area and living room. Then I used three additional _pairs_ to get three extensions in the computer room area (which were already around) plus another _pair_ for the VOIP line. I'm not exactly sure of what you're saying, but first let's keep our defintions clear: A "trunk" is the line(s) between your home and the central office. An "extension" is one of the telephone sets in your house. Sometimes extensions are referred to as lines, but I'd rather use "extension" to be clear. Anyway, historically a PBX does three functions: 1) Connects incoming trunk calls to an extension phone. 2) Connects outgoing calls from an extension to an outside line (trunk). 3) Connects extension to an extension. To do this, all wiring, both trunks and extensions, must come to a central place to be connected to the PBX. All extensions must have their own wire to the PBX to be rung uniquely. Your trunk line(s) probably all terminate in the same place in a junction box in the basement, after coming in from the demarc box outside. However, your extension lines may or may not be unique. Some wires may go out individually to each extension (good for your purposes), but others may be extended from one extension to another (bad for your purposes). I have no idea of modering PBX offerings. In the past, the Bell System and others had systems designed especially for home use. For home use a key system may be a better deal. If you plan to have fancy phones at each extension you might be better off with a key system. Anyway, I suspect there are vendors who produce economical modest sized systems that might meet your needs.

Ask Edwards a Finance Question

Other Questions:

Business phone system - where to start?

Have you looked into Asterisk software? It is a PBX application running under Linux on an x86 system. It is freeware developed mainly by a company called Digium. Digium sells PC boards such as one to terminate a T-1, for example. It might...

Going to have to get one of those pocket models. Last two movies I went to there was some idiot with a cell phone ringing.But wait, what if the cellphone user is aware of the jamming and just blast out their ringtone anyway?, Or turn the volum...

Can I leave my cell phone on but not answer it in flight. My phone says who called so I can later call them back on the ground???? I HAVE been turning it off before flying.To be legal, no. Your cell phone transmits when the power is on. Tha...

What is the impedance of an analog voice grade line? How would I match the 8-Ohm impedance from my audio recorder to the telephone line? The red and green wires in a telephone cord are the audio lines. Which one is signal and which one grou...

Does anyone have or know where I could obtain Plessey DECS system telephones and/or the necessary PABX cards?Can i pick the system information out from a telefon-system with CAPI (for example AVM FritzCard and Telekom XI721)? For me the busy ...

Edwards Finance Menu

Ask a Question
About Us / Me
Contact Me
Privacy Policy

Sitemap

My Favorite Sites

PFBlog
Google Finance
Yahoo Finance
Motley Fool
Nveille's Financial Blog
AllFinanceMatters
Free Money Finance
2MillionBlog
The Terror Finance blog

Q&A Subjects