Quick ways to attach a phone to a wall jack

Cordless telephones are handy, there's no doubt. But a corded phone still offers the best assurance of good-quality sound. Here's what you need to know about corded phones and how to attach your phone to a wall jack.

• Have at least one corded phone in your house, because cordless phones require household electrical current to function, rendering them useless during a power outage. Corded phones use low-voltage power from the telephone line.
• You can choose models that are compatible with caller ID, call waiting and other services offered by phone companies.
• Memory features allow you to program the phone to dial phone numbers by pushing a single key.
• Speakerphones permit you to carry on a conversation without using the handset.
• Phones with built-in answering machines are available.
• Older cordless phones offered only two channels, which made them vulnerable to interference from phones nearby that were operating on the same channel.
• They also had a limited range. Newer models have as many as 100 channels and ranges of hundreds of feet.

• A desk phone is connected to a cord which is in turn connected to a wall jack; pinch the tab to remove these connections, just as you would for a coiled cord. A desk phone can be moved around freely, while a wall phone is firmly attached to the wall.
• Mounting a telephone on the wall can free up counter space; you may want to mount a cordless phone, or get a long-coiled cord, for freedom of movement. Many tabletop phones can be mounted on the wall.
• Typically you remove the base from the phone, attach the base to the wall jack, then snap the phone assembly back together. (Check the owner's manual for specific instructions.)
• If you don't have a wall jack, have the phone company install one.

If the phone is not working, first check the four cord connections — two for the coiled cord connecting the handset to the phone base, and two for the cord connecting the base to the wall jack.

• If they are firmly installed and the phone still doesn't work, try installing another phone that you know works.
• If the problem persists, check the wall jack.

You can easily replace a baseboard jack if it's been damaged or become paint-encrusted or if you want a newer style.

• Remove the screw on the cover and pull the cover off.
• Loosen the screws securing all the wires, and pull the wires free.
• Remove the screw or screws holding the jack's baseplate to the wall.
• Attach the new baseplate to the wall with a screw or two.
• Connect all the phone wires and jack wires to the terminals; be sure to connect green to green and red to red.
• Tighten the screws, and make sure that no bare wires can touch wrong terminals.
• Replace the cover, and test.

Having a corded phone is essential during power outages and other electrical emergencies. Consider installing one today with these easy tips!