Sockets and cabling question
Petre Huile
I'm in North America and I'm trying to find out some information for
my elderly parents in the UK.
They've just replaced a fax machine and have a cabling issue. The old
arrangement was to plug the line out from the fax into a BT socket
which had a 1 to 2 socket multiplier adapter in it (i.e. an adapter
that turns one wall socket into 2 sockets). The second socket on the
adapter had a cordless telephone unit connected to it (BT plug again).
Unfortunately, the BT compatible plug on the new fax machine (Brother
T84) is peculiarly shaped and blocks the second adapter socket so they
can't set up this arrangement again. I want them to connect the
cordless phone unit to the EXT socket on the back of the fax machine
(rather than plugging it directly into the wall) but the socket and
plug are obviously incompatible (BT plug on the cordless phone that
needs to go into a smaller EXT socket (RJ45???) on the back of the
fax.
Is there an adapter to do this? Is this a safe electrical connection
to make (don't want to fry anything)? Is there a better way?
Thanks.
Petre.
Phil McKerracher
"Petre Huile" <phu...@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:5ada05a7.0307...@posting.google.com...
The easiest solution is probably to get a standard extension lead from any
DIY shop, plug it into the original twin adapter and plug the fax machine
into the other end.
Leads with RJ11 plugs to BT sockets probably do exist, but probably only
connect two wires which means the phone won't ring unless you connect a
"master" adapter to generate the third wire. This is all a bit complicated.
It does have the advantage though that phones connected this way to the back
of the fax machine probably can't inadvertently cut off a fax transmission.
www.maplin.co.uk, www.rswww.com and www.farnell.com are possible on-line
sources of phone bits in the UK.
--
Phil McKerracher
www.mckerracher.org
Nick
You may well find that the cable on the cordless phone has a BT plug on one
end and RJ11 on the other. Presuming that the EXT socket on the fax is also
RJ11 you could just install a cable from fax to cordless with RJ11's each
end. Maplins are a good bet for sourcing such things.
HTH
Nick.
Jack
"Phil McKerracher" <ph...@mckerracher.org> wrote in message
news:46wPa.8205$nK3.63...@news-text.cableinet.net...
>
> "Petre Huile" <phu...@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
> news:5ada05a7.0307...@posting.google.com...
> > I'm in North America and I'm trying to find out some information for
> > my elderly parents in the UK.
> >
> > They've just replaced a fax machine and have a cabling issue. The old
> > arrangement was to plug the line out from the fax into a BT socket
> > which had a 1 to 2 socket multiplier adapter in it (i.e. an adapter
> > that turns one wall socket into 2 sockets). The second socket on the
> > adapter had a cordless telephone unit connected to it (BT plug again).
> >
> > Unfortunately, the BT compatible plug on the new fax machine (Brother
> > T84) is peculiarly shaped and blocks the second adapter socket so they
> > can't set up this arrangement again.
You can get multi-way adaptors with the sockets arranged side-by-side, or
stacked one on top of another. Looking at the Brother guide, I'd say you
need the stacked type. The Brother's outsize T-shaped plug has a built-in
socket. This is intended for an answer machine, but it may be possible to
plug the phone in here, without the need for another adaptor, and allowing
the fax to detect when the phone is off-hook.
Search under telephone accessories at Maplin and you will see both styles of
adaptor.
You will also find an "RJ45 to BT adapter", if the socket is an RJ45. These
are widely used on structured office cabling systems. Probably, the slave
type would be OK, but master might be safer to ensure the phone rings.