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Home alarm & phone lines question

I noticed in my telco box that the red/green goes to the alarm panel first, then the rest of the house is wired off two other wires that return from the alarm panel. I am guessing that this is so that the alarm can isolate the rest of the phones in the house and dial out even if a phone is off hook somewhere?

Also, the buried telco cable runs conspicuously up to the phone box on the wall, and the wire to the alarm panel runs conspicuously out of the phone box up the wall and into the soffet. I could take care of the latter problem by drilling through the wall behind the box and running the wire through the wall. I could also armor the supply wire with conduit. But I'm not sure how much these measures really matter if the burglar could just get into the box with a flathead and snip the wires.

I know they have those services that monitor for an open phone line, but I've already had several telephone outages since moving here and it is my understanding that a telephone outage in conjunction with those services would product a false alarm, correct me please if I'm wrong.

Am I chasing my tail or is there a way to make disabling the phone system less easy or obvious?

Reply to
runderwo
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If the sni is on the garage wall you can move the entire box into the garage (telco used to not like this, but the seem to not give a crap anymore). Cover the remaining line with rigid conduit or emt and you're done.

Or cover the sni with locking nema box.

Or get radio backup system and leave the box and wire alone.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Actually most residential burglars are not smart enough to snip wires - watch America's Dumbest Criminals to get an idea.

If they are smart enough to snip wires, they would not be trying to rip-off someone's TV or whatever, they would go after something more worthwhile.

If you have a lot of stuff which is more valuable than what a typical homeowner would have - something which might attract a higher class burglar with brains, then you can get a concealed inside phone drop and leave the existing drop as a dummy drop.

And/or get a cell phone backup. If silent alarm, can set it to be audible if can't get through to monitoring center.

Reply to
Bill

You can just get a cellular system. No need for a cell phone backup. GE/alarm.com are now beginning to sell completely wireless, cellular systems. No more phone line connections, no more big metal boxes in the closet. It is all self-contained in the panel on the wall. Email me for more info. I can show you how to get all this new equipment upgrades for FREE.

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com

Reply to
surfer349

I don't really own a lot of stuff, it is more for secondary personal protection than for protecting any sort of valuables. (Primary personal protection is under the bed)

How does this work with buried cable and a slab, would the telco charge a big fee for this? I can mount and wire the box myself but I'd need them to bring the buried wire into the house somehow.

Yeah, I'm considering that now since several posters mentioned it. Sounds like it'd be a lot less trouble and no less reliable.

Reply to
runderwo

Runderwo,

I don't know who this poster is, but I'm gonna tell you, DON'T go with anyone who tells you that cellular alone is OK or with anyone who offers you anything for FREE!

There is one company in particular that is out there promoting that Cellular is secure all by it's self. Obviously, if you've ever had a dropped call or poor reception on your cell phone, you know this can't be too reliable. And, of course, you'll be paying more for your monthly monitoring, so you can make up for twice the actual cost of your "FREE" system, over the next 5 years.

Reply to
Jim

your wife lover?

Reply to
Petem

telcos won't do it. read my post above...basically you'd cover the feed from the ground up and into your garage with EMT or Rigid conduit. I've even done this with concrete.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Protecting a buried telephone cable.

One alternative is to bring the telephone "drop" feed in below grade. To do this, first dig a hole about a foot deep and 2 feet wide by 2 feet long where the wire comes up out of the soil. Move the cable away from the wall so you don't damage it. Now drill a

1-1/2" diameter hole through the foundation from the inside. Start 3-4" above grade level and angle the hole 60º down so it comes out of the wall several inches below the surface. I like to do this with the big rotary hammer from Bosch but it can be done with a hammer drill and a little patience.

Once the hole is drilled, unwire and remove the telephone company "protector" (often called a NID or DEMARC) from the exterior wall. Install the protector inside the house about 18-20" above the floor. Pass a length of galvanized metal conduit through the hole. Slip a nylon bushing into each end of the conduit. Thread the drop cable through the conduit and reconnect it to the protector. If the ground wire is too short to reach, replace it. Do NOT splice a new wire to the existing one. Reroute the inside wiring from the jacks and the alarm system to the new location. Test everything.

Make a simple "C" frame out of pressure treated 2x4 lumber to fit the hole. Fill the hole to the bottom of the wood with gravel or sand. Mix up some Quick-Crete or other fast setting concrete and fill the frame to the brim. No thief will ever cut your phone line. The telco's don't like this but they won't do anything about it.

Reply to
Robert L Bass

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