Help troubleshooting my landline?

[Gooch's dad]

I have AT&T/Yahoo DSL for my landline, and it has worked almost flawlessly for a couple of years now.

Yesterday, I started getting random phone calls, that rang once or twice then ended. When I picked up the line, nothing was there. If I tried calling my landline on my cell phone, I got a ring, then just static.

I managed to get a few dial tones, then even that stopped. The weird thing is, my DSL, on the same landline, works quite well. I don't see the slightest sign of slower download speed.

I followed the AT&T online troubleshooting guide, and it appears that the problem is within my house wiring. The guide instructed me to plug a phone into the outside box, and that phone got a very clear dialtone, and I could call out or receive calls on that phone. So the house wiring appears to be at fault.

I've checked the connection posts in my basement, and everything appears to be OK. I can only guess that the cable running from the connection posts out to the box outside my house is somehow faulty, but the cable appears to be in great condition.

Any ideas?

[Craig]

I have AT&T/Yahoo DSL for my landline, and it has worked almost flawlessly for a couple of years now.

Yesterday, I started getting random phone calls, that rang once or twice then ended. When I picked up the line, nothing was there. If I tried calling my landline on my cell phone, I got a ring, then just static.

I managed to get a few dial tones, then even that stopped. The weird thing is, my DSL, on the same landline, works quite well. I don't see the slightest sign of slower download speed.

I followed the AT&T online troubleshooting guide, and it appears that the problem is within my house wiring. The guide instructed me to plug a phone into the outside box, and that phone got a very clear dialtone, and I could call out or receive calls on that phone. So the house wiring appears to be at fault.

I've checked the connection posts in my basement, and everything appears to be OK. I can only guess that the cable running from the connection posts out to the box outside my house is somehow faulty, but the cable appears to be in great condition.

Any ideas?

I've dealt with a lot of house-side phone problems as a satellite dish installer and general neighborhood troublefixer. So here's an unnofficial guide from my experience.

Phone Problem (your fault not phone company's) Fix in Seven Easy Steps:

#1) Check the box connections for clean and tight and dry.

#2) Check the wall outlet connections for same.

#3) Check your phones by plugging them into someone elses outlet.

#4) Check the chords from outlets to phone by replacing them with brand new ones. Not likely, but happens.

#4) Most issues are moisture related. If the phones are operational, and the connections are good, then the lines may be corroded at some point along their length. If its winter and/or rain has been heavy, this is generally the issue. Replace the old lines with new lines.

#5) If it's been dry, then vermin are likely chewing on the wire insulation somewhere. Replace the lines.

#6) Get a terminal tool for wire ends and a screw driver that matches the phone box fastener heads where you have access to your side of the system. These are cheap (radio shack or online), and will make you a bona-fide phone problem warrior, since you are now armed with the weapons you need to tear through the system without getting stuck without them. You become fearless in the pursuit of problem solving. But be careful. This is electrical. Read up on the power requirements used to energize the system. If in doubt, don't.

#7) Don't mess with the phone company's side of anything in the system. That's a big no-no. If you break it, you pay for it. Anything on their side they will fix for free if you ask them to. When all else fails, or you're not sure about something, call them to do it. They'll be glad to fix it for you.

I hope that helps.