Hello all. I've got a head-scratcher of a problem I'd appreciate some input on.
I have a 3x8 and 4 extensions. I've recently relocated the 3x8 and had to rerun cat5 through the roof between the demarc and the 3x8, front of bldg to back...about 130 feet. I use two pairs for the incoming lines and have an extension on pair three that goes back to a front extension. This extension frequently drops off during the day. It either begins ringing nonstop, or 3 dots appear on the display. No dialtone is present when it goes offline. If unplugged for a minute or so then reconnected, the display returns to normal and the phone works. However, it usually goes offline again later. This only happens during the day! Before the move, this phone was set up next to the 3x8, on the same extension, and it worked flawlessly for a year, so I doubt it's the phone or the extension on the BIX block.
Now, what I have noticed that may be a clue is the presence of radio broadcast on the tail end of voicemails, after the caller hangs up. It's about 1-2 seconds worth before the system clears the line. I figure we must be fairly close to a broadcast station. When the extension was close, it wasn't apparent. Now that I've increased the distance and have the cat5 up above ground, could the radio interference be causing connectivity problems? The wire could act like an antenna.
The other three phones are on much shorter lengths of wire that do not cross over the roof. They appear to be immune so far. If I hadn't heard the radio broadcast in the phone I wouldn't consider it a possibility.
If it's not, what troubleshooting steps would you take next? If it could be radio signal interference, what kind of filtering could be employed?
Thanks to all for the great support of this forum.
I have a 3x8 and 4 extensions. I've recently relocated the 3x8 and had to rerun cat5 through the roof between the demarc and the 3x8, front of bldg to back...about 130 feet. I use two pairs for the incoming lines and have an extension on pair three that goes back to a front extension. This extension frequently drops off during the day. It either begins ringing nonstop, or 3 dots appear on the display. No dialtone is present when it goes offline. If unplugged for a minute or so then reconnected, the display returns to normal and the phone works. However, it usually goes offline again later. This only happens during the day! Before the move, this phone was set up next to the 3x8, on the same extension, and it worked flawlessly for a year, so I doubt it's the phone or the extension on the BIX block.
Now, what I have noticed that may be a clue is the presence of radio broadcast on the tail end of voicemails, after the caller hangs up. It's about 1-2 seconds worth before the system clears the line. I figure we must be fairly close to a broadcast station. When the extension was close, it wasn't apparent. Now that I've increased the distance and have the cat5 up above ground, could the radio interference be causing connectivity problems? The wire could act like an antenna.
The other three phones are on much shorter lengths of wire that do not cross over the roof. They appear to be immune so far. If I hadn't heard the radio broadcast in the phone I wouldn't consider it a possibility.
If it's not, what troubleshooting steps would you take next? If it could be radio signal interference, what kind of filtering could be employed?
Thanks to all for the great support of this forum.
