Office of Information Technology at Ohio University

Office of Information Technology at Ohio University

Checking your Telephone

Many telephone line problems turn out to be caused by a faulty telephone or accessory. Before you submit a trouble report, please follow the steps outlined below. Doing so could save you the cost of an unneeded tech visit.

Disconnect all telephones, modems, line splitters, etc. from their wall jacks. Unplug all cordless phones and answering machines from their power outlets.

Take one phone (preferably a regular corded phone) and plug it back into each wall jack, one by one, to see if this solves your problem.

If the problem still persists, choose another phone (or borrow a neighbor's phone) and repeat step 1.

If you find that you only have the problem when you plug the phone into one particular jack, then the problem is with your inside wiring.

If you find that the problem only happens with a particular phone, modem, etc, then the problem is caused by that piece of equipment. You need to replace that item or not use it.

If the problem persists regardless of what phone you use, you could have a problem with your phone line.

Special Note for Cordless Phone Users:

Many unusual problems can occur with cordless phones. To avoid service call charges, please make sure your cordless phone is working correctly before reporting trouble. Common symptoms of cordless phone problems include:

phone rings and no one is there
no dial tone
callers receive busy signal when you are not on the phone
static on the line, even when the cordless is not in use
callers are disconnected unexpectedly during conversation
calls do not go through when dialed or wrong number is obtained

If you have any of the above problems, disconnect the phone from both the wall jack and the power outlet. If the problems go away, then the phone is to blame. In some cases, you can fix a cordless phone by restoring its original factory settings. To do this, remove the battery from the handset and let the phone sit for a few seconds. Then reassemble and plug the base unit back in. If you still are having problems, try replacing the battery. Typically, cordless phone batteries only last 1-2 years with regular use and will cause many of the above problems before they actually go "dead".