How Do I Set Up Landline?

Question

I'm a new customer (technologically challenged) and would really appreciate some assistance! I want to connect phones to use my landline. Do I just plug the phone cord from my phone set in to the modem jack or do I need other equipment? I previously had VoIP service with another company and had a box (I guess it was a modem) and am using ATT cordless phones. Before switching to xFinity I only had my internet through broadband, and most recently only using the hotspots on my cell phone. All of my xFinity equipment is only about 6 weeks , and the intstall tech told me I didn't need the jacks on the walls of my house, that the service is VoIP. Thanks so much for any help that you can provide!!

CCAndrew · Answer

If you have a base phone with satellite phones scattered around the house, plug your base in Tel 1 port of the gateway and as long as the gateway is activated properly, you should have dial tone and be able to call in and out

Ca2Va1978 · Answer

This was what I was thinking I needed to do, but I tried and got nothing. Phones say "no line" and there is no dial tone. I'm going to let my phones charge completely and try again tomorrow. I'm also going to move the modem on to the living room TV, which is more centrally located in the house (the area I will be needing to use the phone is on the opposite side of the house from where the modem is now).

Thank you so much for your help! You may be seeing me again tomorrow!

BruceW · Answer

@Ca2Va1978 wrote: ... the intstall tech told me I didn't need the jacks on the walls of my house, that the service is VoIP. ...

Their phone service is VOIP between the Internet/Wifi/Voice gateway device in your home and Comcast, but the phone jacks on that device provide a POTS (analog "Plain Old Telephone Service") interface to the telephone(s) in your home.

Disconnect your current telco from your home's phone wiring.
Run a standard modular base cord from the modem or gateway device to the nearest telephone jack to energize your home's phone outlets.

That should allow any phone plugged in to any jack in the house to work. If you have a phone in the room where the gateway is located and only 1 phone jack there, you'll need some sort of phone wiring "Y" connector for that.

If you happen to have a third party alarm system that uses the phone line, you should probably have that company handle this as such alarm systems typically use special hookups.

Ca2Va1978 · Answer

Thank you, but I have no phones connected to wall jacks and the modem is in my bedroom and there are no jacks anywhere near it. I can move the modem in to the living room, but there are no jacks in there either. With my last VoIP system there was nothing connected to a jack, and I don't even know if the wall jacks even work in my house.

Any other ideas? 🙂

CCAndrew · Answer

If you get that 'No line'then there wouldn’t be a dial tone, probably not provisioned or provisioned properly. Also make sure it’s in tel 1 and not the Ethernet ports, it happens.

Cdcruz · Answer

We have phone hacks throughout or house... we also have a 'smart' box in our closet. At our last home the tech put the modem in the smart box but in this new house the guy just put it in the living room. And none of our phone lines work through any of the phone jacks in the home. Do we need to put it in the smart box or should it be in the living room? Also, our internet $ucks! We were told we were going to get extenders or something like that mailed to us but it’s so bad that we turn off our Wi-Fi and use our data from our cell phones instead because the Internet is so horrible.

jsanet · Answer

I have landline with Verizon and use the answering machine. I have Xfinity cable and Internet with them. I do not have a cell phone, but want to get one with Xfinity as triple play they offer is a good price. Will I still be able to use my landline which is in the kitchen and bedroom and also keep answering machine. Does Xfinity take care of all this?

Home Phone Service & Equipment

Ca2Va1978

How Do I Set Up Landline?

Was this helpful?

CCAndrew

Ca2Va1978

BruceW

Ca2Va1978

CCAndrew

Cdcruz

jsanet

New to the Community?