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This file is presented as an Informational text file only.
Do not try any of the things mentioned as some are illegal
to try. The bbs operator takes no liabilty.
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How Ma Bell Works - Part II
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"CANS" - Telephone Distribution Boxes
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Basically, two types:
1> Large, rectangular silver box at the end of each street.
2> Black, round, or rectangular thing at every telephone pole.
Type 1 - This is the case that takes the underground cable from
the bridge and runs it to the telephone pole cable (The lowest,
largest one on the telephone pole.) The box is always on the
pole nearest the briging head, where the line comes up. Look for
the 'Call before you Dig - Underground cable' stickers..
The case box is hinged, so if you want to climb the pole,
you can open it with no problems. These usually have 2 rows of
terminal sets.
You could try to impersonate a Telco technician and report
the number as 'new active' (giving a fake name and fake report,
etc.) I dont recommend this, and it probably won't (almost
positively won't) work, but this is basically what Telco linemen
do).
Type 2 - This is the splitter box for the group of houses around
the pole (Usually 4 or 5 houses). Use it like I mentioned
before. The terminals (8 or so) will be in 2 horizontal rows of
sets. The extra wires that are just 'hanging there' are
provisions for extra lines to residences (1 extra line per house,
thats why the insane charge for line #3!) If its the box for
your house also, have fun and swap lines with your neighbor!
'Piggyback' them and wreak havoc on the neighborhood (It's
eavesdropping time...) Again, I don't recommend this, and its
difficult to do it correctly. Moving right along...
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APARTMENT / BUSINESS MULTILINE
DISTRIBUTION BOXES
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Found outside the buliding (most often on the right side,
but not always... Just follow the wire from the telephone pole)
or in the basement. It has a terminal for all the lines in the
building. Use it just like any other termination box as before.
Usually says 'Bell system' or similar. Has up to 20 terminals on
it (usually.) the middle ones are grounds (forget these). The
wires come from the cable to one row (usually the left one), with
the other row of terminals for the other row of terminals for the
building fone wire pairs. The ring (-) wire is usually the top
terminal if the set in the row (1 of 10 or more), and the tip is
in the clamp/screw below it. This can be reversed, but the cable
pair is always terminated one-on-top-of-each- other, not on the
one next to it. (I'm not sure why the other one is there,
probably as aprovision for extra lines) Don't use it though, it
is usually to close to the other terminals, and in my experiences
you get a noisy connection.
Final note: Almost every apartment, business, hotel, or anywhere
there is more than 2 lines this termination lines this
termination method is used. If you can master this type, you can
be in control of many things... Look around in your area for a
building that uses this type, and practice hooking up to the
line, etc.
As an added help,here is the basic 'standard' color-code fo
multiline terminals/wiring/etc...
Single line: Red = Ring
Green = Tip
Yellow = Ground *
* (Connected to the ringer coil in individual and bridged
ringer phones (Bell only) Usually connected to the green
(Tip)
Ring (-) = Red
White/Red Stripe
Brown
White/Orange Stripe
Black/Yellow Stripe
Tip (+) = Green (Sometimes
yellow, see above.)
White/Green Stripe
White/Blue Stripe
Blue
Black/White Stripe
Ground = Black
Yellow
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RESIDENCE TERMINAL BOX
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Small, gray (can be either a rubber (Pacific Telephone) or hard
plastic (AT & T) housing deal that connects the cable pair from
the splitter box (See type 2, above) on the pole to your house
wiring. Only 2 (or 4, the 2 top terminals are hooked in parallel
with the same line) terminals, and is very easy to use. This can
be used to add more lines to your house or add an external line
outside the house.
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TEST SETS
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Well, now you can consider yourself a minor expert on the
terminals and wiring of the local telephone network. Now you can
apply it to whatever you want to do.. Here's another helpful
item:
How to make a Basic Test-Set and how to use it to dial out,
eavsdrop, or seriously tap and record line activity.
These are the (usually) orange hand set fones used by Telco
technicians to test lines. To make a very simple one, take any
Bell (or other, but I recommend a good Bell fone like a princess
or a trimline. gte flip fones work excllently, though..) fone and
follow the instructions below.
Note: A 'black box' type fone mod will let you tap into their
line, and with the box o, it's as if you werent there. they can
recieve calls and dial out, and you can be listening the whole
time! very useful. With the box off, you have a normal fone test
set.
Instructions:
A basic black box works well with good results. Take the cover
off the fone to expose the network box (Bell type fones only).
The <RR> terminal should have a green wire going to it (orange or
different if touch tone - doesnt matter, its the same thing).
Disconnect the wire and connect it to one pole of an SPST switch.
Connect a piece of wire to the other pole of the switch and
connect it to the <RR> terminal. Now take a 10k hm 1/2 watt 10%
resistor and put it between the <RR> terminal ad the <F>
terminal, which should have a blue and a white wire going to it
(different for touch tone). It should look like this:
-----Blue wire----------<F>
!
----White wire-----!
!
10k Resistor
!
!
--Green wire-- !----<RR>
! !
SPST
What this does in effect is keep the hookswitch / dial pulse
switch (F to RR loop) open while holding the line high with the
resistor. This gives the same voltage effect as if the fone was
'on-hook', while the 10k ohms holds the voltage right above the
'off hook' threshold (around 22 volts or so, as compared to 15-17
or normal off hook 48 volts for normal 'on-hook'), giving
Continued In: Ma Bell Part II