I was wondering if it is possible to tap off your phone lines with ethernet connectors.

As an example. I take a phone jack in the bedroom, I splice off the line of the phone and insert an RJ45 connector along with the phone connector. Hopefully the line will be 4 wire. I can't imagine it would work with only 2 wire. I don't know for sure.

Would that work?

My thoughts are the problems with the entire phone line connections. I know the phone line runs out of the house. Would it not work because of that when I attach a switch to it?

If anyone has accomplished this or tried to, I would like to know. Thanks.

I'm guessing that the house would have to be pre-wired with CAT-5 because of collisions that can occur.

No, that will not work. Phone and Ethernet use different wiring and even were it the same largely phone lines carry current. You would need some kind of converter or specialized equipment or you'd end up frying your gear in all likelihood... lot like an etherkiller.

i thought that might be the case. Thanks.

Well, you really can do it. Wire is wire. Most newer homes even have cat5 installed as both phone and data as a choice. Even if it was POTS wire it would work at shorter lengths and lower speeds. You would want to isolate it from the bell system since they do still have a hook voltage on it. If you look you will find that the POTS wire is always 4 wire and has been for 40 years.

Wireless usb devices are pretty cheap. Two of them and you are online too.


If you want they make a deal that may work better. They make gizmo's that run ethernet over power lines. If you have a single beaker panel you will be able to use these devices anywhere up to maybe 70 feet away. I think they are called power something.