ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Voice - Data - Video Discussion Identify telephone number?

I've done a reasonable amount of telephone premisis wiring and installation, and have a challenge coming up.

One of my commercial accouts is "re-doing" the control center in their batch paving plant...

I need to identify which pairs go to which line. Carpenters and others have cut cat3 lines, and, perhaps colorblind others, have tried to reconnect....

What is the "official" name for the number which you dial to determine which telephone line you are connected to? I have the number for some of our local telco's, but not this one. Is there any "standard" like 411 etc. that is common?

Thanks for your help!

Grov

Those numbers are not given out, particularly on a public board like this one. Reason is that they become used by people who have no business using them and then they get changed or removed. When that happens legitimate users are inconvenienced.

If anybody here wants to give any of these numbers out in this post DON'T!!

I would suggest that you simply call your cell and note the number on the display. This can actually be a better solution, make a call from each line then scroll through the recent calls to see the order.

-Hal

The #'s are definitely something that shouldn't be shared.
If you are id'ing a particular line just call your cell from the line and hang up before you hit voice mail and you won't use any minutes.
If you are trying to look for a particular # on a demarc frame that has exposed binding posts, a good trick I learned was to call the # you were looking for and run down the frame with a piece of copper shorting out pairs, when you hear a crackling in the phone you are calling the # with, you hit the right pair.

Thanks for the ideas guy's!

Actually, I tracked down the Verizon guy and got what I needed from him - and yes, I agree with not sharing publicly... Turns out the "majic numbers" are CO switch dependant - the ones I had were all for a #5ESS, and they are programmable!

The problem is a little more wierd now that I've dug into it. The DEMARC has 3 lines coming in, and 5 CAT3's going out. Lines go to a total of at least 8 dual RJ-11 jacks...

I opened the critical box; found 6 CAT3's - 3 of which were taped off. Started toning some pairs - R/G pair at DEMAC is B/Y at the critical jack box! Got L1 dial tone ok, but when I connect L2 at the DEMARC, it kills L1, and L2. Opend another dual RJ-11 box - 3 CAT3's R/G in connected to B/Y out etc.

Desired connections:
L1 and L2 to 3 2-line phones
L2 to 2 modems
L2 light on 2-line phones to show busy if either modem is active
Future - L1 and L2 to 2 more 2-line phones

In a clean-up walk-around, I discovered several taped splices, at least 2 wire nut splices, one "bean" splice, and one connection to a dial-up alarm "Oh that? We disconeected it a long time ago." "Got a key?" "Nope - lost it."

RJ-31X inside ?????

Did old DEMARC's use Yellow for ground????

Customer doesn't want to re-wire building - small (30 x 40) 2 floors - industrial office and plant control room - metal siding outside....

Hope my helper likes toning pairs...he'll get the outside - it's supposed to be up to 20 deg tomorrow!

And, I'm really there to start on a 2000A 3 phase 480 hookup - waiting on final specs... so I can order switchgear.....

Give them a choice:

To spend time tracing to figure out where everything goes will cost $x

To rewire everything properly will cost $y.

Make sure $x and $y are pretty close together and put on the sales hat and bridge the gap to go for the rewire. It will save a lot of headaches next time they want to change something and they call you.

Maybe they want to add more lines, maybe they want jacks in different places.. Sell them on solving all their telecomm problems

Yellow ground.

It should be standard practice to ground all unused pairs, as for the bennied ends. That usually notes a bad pair. If I were to come across a joined pair I would skip it and move on. It isint worth the time to try and find the short.

just a thought

The Cell Phone technique is the best bet.

Started using it (back when I was in the field - as oppose to behind the Monitor!), mainly because my Test Set does not have a Memory Dial function, and the ID number was an 18 digit string!!!

It's been so long, that number is probably dead now!

Scott35

Done!

New wires in place; all's well - customer happy - and got paid!

Never did find the short....

Grov

See? That was easy.. and now they'll call you next time.

What he didn't tell us is that he made more to re-run the cabling than he would've chasing that short, and it took him half the time.