More and more devices need a telephone connection, such as fax machines, cable boxes or alarm systems, and calling the phone company to come to your home to install a jack every time you buy one of these devices is costly and time consuming. That's where wireless phone jack systems come in. Like everything else, these systems come with advantages and disadvantages.
Basic Idea
You need a phone jack where there is currently none. Enter the wireless phone jack system. In a basic setup, there are two units: the transmitter and the receiver. You run a phone line from your phone or other device into the transmitter, which plugs into any ordinary electrical outlet. The signal is then sent wirelessly to a similar-looking device that is the receiver, which also plugs into any ordinary electrical outlet. The final connection is a second phone wire from the receiver to another phone jack in the house.
Extensions
Many homes, especially older ones, may only have a jack or two. However, you may have a couple of phones, a fax, a couple of satellite boxes and a DSL line that all need access. With one phone jack system, you could theoretically get an infinite number of extensions (some systems limit the number of extensions; others don't). This means you could have two, three or even four devices plugged into transmitters all sending information to the same receiver and, by extension, the same phone jack. This saves you a significant amount of money, as you'll only need to buy one receiver rather than four.
Advantages
The advantages of this system include the fact that you can hook up any item anywhere in your house to a phone jack simply by plugging something into an ordinary wall outlet. These systems are significantly cheaper than having the phone company come out and wire outlets anywhere you need one. No set up is required, other than plugging everything in.
Disadvantages
These wireless systems tend to use the same frequency that most other wireless devices we have in our homes use, which is 2.4 gHz, the standard in wireless technology. The problem is that these 2.4-gHz devices can also include wireless Internet, cordless phones and even some microwaves. If you use any of these things (or all of them) in close proximity (meaning in the same room), you might run into some interference. This is particularly problematic with fax machines and old-school computer modems that need consistent signals to send and receive all the necessary information.
Where and What to Buy
You can get wireless telephone jack systems anywhere electronics are sold. Try Amazon.com, Best Buy, Walmart; this technology is fairly prevalent these days. Spend a bit of extra money when you buy them. If you can find one higher than 2.4 gHz (5.8, for example), go with that. Less devices are at 5.8, and you will receive less interference.
Tags: phone jack, into ordinary, company come, electrical outlet, into ordinary electrical, jack system, jack systems
