Probably a daft question, but is there any reason not to use two sets of cordless phones on one phone line?
We used to have two phone lines (home and business), but now have just the one. Both had cordless phones, so we now have a spare set of cordless phones. I realise a call could not be transferred from a phone on one set to a phone on the other set, but, other than that, any reason not to use both sets on one line? No possible interference issues?
Why not just register the old handsets with one base station?
You should be able to register both phones to one of the base stations then just use the second base station as a dumb charger for its Matching phone. This is all down to basic GAP compatibility, you should be all right making and receiving internal and external calls and (I think) transferring calls but advanced features like answephone might not work from the "foreign" handset.
Give I would give it a try using each BS in turn to see which gives the best results.
You will probably need the manual for the registration procedure, no doubt in a PDF online.
On the other hand... ...sometimes just plugging them in at two phone points so you can just pick up the other extension and continue the conversation is seen as a better plan, especially my SWMBO.
DECT is very good at avoiding mutual interference, it just works.
We have two here, precisely because we don't want to dial between extensions and it's *easier* to transfer calls with two different base stations. Pick up on one, hang up on the other. (This is for transferring a call between a conventional cordless phone and DECT headset).
A friend bought a new DECT phone when one of her two analogue wireless ones packed up. The new phone has a rather quiet ring, so I repaired her analogue one and reinstalled it. Now the combined ringing of the DECT handset, the two analogue handsets and their base-station can be heard in all parts of the house, and any of the three handsets can be used without problems.
And no doubt her conversations can be heard all over the street.
Does that ever work?
My experience with GAP and DECT has been very poor in that I have yet to find two handsets that work together. Maybe I'm just unlucky though.
Yes. I have got really awful Philips DECT handsets registered to my Panasonic base station with not problems. I binned the Philips base station because it was a complete lemon.
You may have to read the manual cover to cover to make it work but they are usually interoperable. Obviously it isn't in the maker A's interest to make it too easy to register a make A handset with maker B's base.
News formulated the question :
None at all.
If they are a very old analogue set, there might be interference, but probably not - try it.
If they are modern DAC type, set one base up as the one base which is plugged into the line and operate all four phone from that one base, you should then be able to transfer calls between them.
There is a limit to the number of devices you can hang on one line according to the sum of their REN numbers. The total max REN used to be reckoned as four in the UK, but I don't know if this is still the case. This article was updated last February, so it should still apply.
Bob Henson wrote in news:l7s5ce$fpq$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:
I would think that REN does not apply to DECT extensions as the extensions ringing is not a function of the incoming line - other than the first base unit. Can someone confirm?
In article , DerbyBorn writes
Yes, it's the physical load on the line that matters so the number of DECT handsets does not matter.
It's worth noting too that if a unit (phone/base-station/ringer) places any ringing load on the line then the minimum REN recorded against it must be one (no 0.5 or 0.25). As DECT base stations merely load the line to detect the ringing rather than power the ringer itself then they may present a far lower load, permitting you to break the rules by exceeding an official REN of 4.
I can't believe that. The phone has to look like 1 REN otherwise the exchange will think the line is broken. Or maybe I'm wrong, and the BT master socket looks like 1 REN with nothing plugged in?
I've got 5 sets here - one with twin handsets. All DECT, though. You might have problems with old analogue types.
True. However, it might still apply depending what other devices the OP has attached already. One old wired telephone for use in power cuts, two DECT bases (if he hung the second one on separately), a modem/fax machine and Robert is your Avuncular Relative.
In message , Bob Henson writes
Thanks, guys, for all the comments. Two entirely sets of four now plugged in and working. No, we don't need eight, but at least that keeps the handsets charged.
Non transferability is unlikely to be a problem. Not something we ever use. We do have an old style phone for power cuts, but that is the only time it is ever plugged in. No fax machines, or anything like that.
To be honest, we only want multiple phones because we can't hear them in other rooms! The walls here are thick, solid granite, and modern phones are not as loud as the traditional ringing phones most of us grew up with. Could just be that we're a pair of deaf old gits :-)
Good - glad they're all functional. You can't have too many phones anyway - when you as old and arthritis riddled as me, the shorter the distance you have to walk to answer the phone the better. We've only got three - one on each floor - and with the doors shut you certainly can't hear them well - not when you're getting a tad Mutt & Jeff too.
Fit one of these:
But that only has one gong, for the more traditional two gong sound use:
But that isn't as loud.
Naw, tone callers are crap pretty much monotonic with no transients. real bells have lots of transients and a range of frequencies. Much easier to hear and locate.
A on hook line is open circuit at DC and only has the 1.8uF capacitor in series with the 470 k "out of service resistor" across the line. Any sounders are across the resistor. The master socket doesn't have a REN of 1.
The reason for the REN was that when the modular jack system came in most sounders were still real bells with coils that required volts and current to rattle properly. To many on a line and either they wouldn't rattle very well or you'd get "ring trip". The current taken by the sounders is enough for the exchange to think the call has been answered so it connects the caller but only to the on hook line...
There is no requirement to fit a phone to any of the installed sockets and not loading the bell is not a fault condition.
Automated test circuitry will look for the combination of a 1.8uF cap in series with a 470k resistor but not for a ringing load.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.