atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Installing RJ45 data jacks for voice

I have a pet peeve and this affects all of us. Today's cable jobs always want a separate C5 data jack for voice use. This is supposed to future proof the customer "in case we go with a VoIP system later". IP systems are designed to share the PC data jack. Having dedicated jacks creates a dual network. This may offer some QOS and up time benefit but is it worth it?

Avaya dealers probably are saying "so what is the problem?", but aren't most of the systems the rest of us sell still using RJ11? When a 4P4C plug is inserted into an RJ45 jack, it bends and fatigues pins 1-2 & 7-8. I have also been on many service calls involving an RJ45 jack where the phone cord has been pulled tight and the plug has become ajar in the jack. Depending on the job and the customer, I have actually retrofitted 8P8C plugs on my line cords.

When I have the opportunity for input, I always encourage C3 and RJ11 for voice. If C5 cable is a must but the jacks aren't, I install RJ11s and satisfy IT by leaving a service loop for "future".

Is all this being decided by those same professionals who request RJ45 plugs or am I missing something?

I think it's pretty stupid to use 8 pin jacks for voice. I always install 6 pin jacks and cat 3 cable. For whatever reason, at my college, they use 8 pin jacks and cat 3 cable. All this does is confuse the end user who will then try to plug their computer's ethernet cable into the wrong jack.
Seeing as the only visible difference to the customer is the color of the jack, I can't really blame them for not knowing where to plug it in.

EXACTLY!!!

Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.

I absolutely agree with what you are saying about a 6P plug damaging the 8P jack. That's well known except in geek circles where they refuse to accept it. So let them plug an NIC into a ringing phone line and see how long it lasts.

As for Avaya, the reason they have 8P/4C jacks on the Partner is because it's the upgrade path from the Merlin. The Merlin "breadbox", 820D2 etc. that used Merlin phones actually used what is now 568B wiring and jacks. (Matter of fact that's where the 568B standard came from.) So the 8P jacks on the Partner are so the old wiring could be re-used- plug and play. Funny thing is that required plugging the Partner phones with regular line cords and 6P/4C plugs into the old 8P/8C wall jacks, unless you retained the old D8W line cords. Maybe that's how it started.

But of course whenever a CG or IT "professional" gets their hands on a Partner they think the 8P jacks are so they can use patch cords. I've even seen Partner phones connected to the wall with big blue patch cords. Guess they think that makes them IP phones or something.

-Hal

Hal, I use CAT 7 patch cords for connecting POTS phones now... the performance improvement is truly amazing! :db:

Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.

I'm pretty sure Jeff means 6P4C.

Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.

That last was a response to a post that seems to have disappeared....

Get out the hip waders. Dave you're going to have the RJ police on you. I can see the smoke rising in Virginia from here.

When I find an 8p8c jack used for phone I either replace it or I do have some of the adaptors to reduce it down to 6 or 4 pin.

That was my post Jim, I pressed the wrong button and deleted it lmao, your not crazy. As I was saying I install c5e for both unless they want c6 for data but I only use voice jacks for the sets.

Not sure what you meant by the 6P4C, the Leviton USOC jacks I use are 6P6C.