Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!mailrus!ncar!husc6!think!eplunix!raoul From: raoul@eplunix.UUCP (Otero) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: crossing phone lines Message-ID: <657@eplunix.UUCP> Date: 20 Sep 88 00:01:45 GMT References: <7921@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <2689@kitty.UUCP> Organization: Eaton-Peabody Lab, Boston, MA Lines: 13 In article <2689@kitty.UUCP>, larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes: > In the on-hook (i.e., idle) state, connecting the two lines exactly > in parallel (tip1-to-tip2 and ring1-to-ring2) will, in general, be undetected > by the central office apparatus since there will be no current flow. No such luck. Unless the voltage matching is perfect, which it never is, a small DC current will flow from one line to the other. This will mess up both your lines, and you will not be able to use either. Ma Bell will also usually disconnect the lines within about a week of this sort of nonsense, thinking there is a short somewhere (there is!). However, don't take any of our word for it. Just short them together at the phone jack and see.... Try some real scientific method.