OT: Convert 4Wire POTS Line to Ethernet

[Vercomm]

Hey Guys,

This is a bit off topic, but does anybody know of a device that can convert a 4 wire POTS line into ethernet?

Here's the scenario, a customer is using a 4wire leased line from the Telco to monitor water levels at a remote area. The customer has "old" modems attached to the 4wire circuit and they run at selectable speeds of 1200baud to 19200baud. Over the past year the customer has expirience many problems with the leased line and wants to put something in place to replace it.

I have found several devices that could move the 4 wire circuit wirelessly, but in several months these old modems will be replaced with new devices which will use ethernet.

My thoughts are this, I am proposing to put in a wireless ethernet link between the sites (canopy or something similar), but in order to do this now I need a device which can convert the 4 wire output from the modem into ethernet and vice-versa at the far end. By proposing it this way we won't have to upgrade the equipment when the modems are replaced.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks,

Jamie

A few hours more on the internet reveals I'm looking for some sort of an ATA (analogue telephony adaptor). With so many to choose from could anyone suggest one that they have used or could work well in my application (i.e. converting analogue modem tones)?

Thanks!!

[The Pager Geek]

JPS NXU-2A

Not only does 4wire audio, but also 2 I/O's and a User Config End to End Serial Port. Fairly inexpensive compared to other things.

Instead of using the modems, just plug the RS232 devices right into the JPS. One on each end of the Canopy.

Good Luck

tpg

[kabrown1996]

Vercomm-
I understand your question in that you want to just cut off both ends of the POTS line, put an RJ45 on both ends and just use it as one long patch cable.
It is possible to do but the results are very unreliable. Phone cabling, especially CAT3 and under is primarily designed for analog devices such as basic phone service running at 46+/- volts dc with no twists in the wires which is ok for the human ear.
However computer traffic over cabling such as Ethernet is bi-directional digital at 5 volts dc and is super sensitive to cross talk and EMI interference primarily due to the large volume of data that it is pushing through. That is why quality data cable typically CAT5e have the pairs specially twisted to reduce this interference.
However if you want to give it a try a see what happens get 2 rj45 male connectors and on one end put the 4 POTS wires into positions 1,2,3,and 6 and do the same on the other. Both ends of the line have to be identical (ie; position1 yellow, position2 black, etc). Make sure that the connectors are oriented with the opening to the left, the contacts to the right and the connection clip on bottom when you hold it in your hand and terminate the connection. The positions are 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 from top to bottom.

This assumes you are using standard ethernet (ie; 10baseT, 100baseT) which are typical for most homes and businesses and not 1000baseT or "Gigabit ethernet". Standard ethernet only uses 2pair (4wires) for TX/RX

[Jim202]

The way I read the question is that he wants to replace the pots line with some form of Ethernet
communications flow. You just can't put connectors on a 4 wire POTS line and flow IP data over it.
You wont get anything out of the distant end.

Jim

Vercomm-
I understand your question in that you want to just cut off both ends of the POTS line, put an RJ45 on both ends and just use it as one long patch cable.
It is possible to do but the results are very unreliable. Phone cabling, especially CAT3 and under is primarily designed for analog devices such as basic phone service running at 46+/- volts dc with no twists in the wires which is ok for the human ear.
However computer traffic over cabling such as Ethernet is bi-directional digital at 5 volts dc and is super sensitive to cross talk and EMI interference primarily due to the large volume of data that it is pushing through. That is why quality data cable typically CAT5e have the pairs specially twisted to reduce this interference.
However if you want to give it a try a see what happens get 2 rj45 male connectors and on one end put the 4 POTS wires into positions 1,2,3,and 6 and do the same on the other. Both ends of the line have to be identical (ie; position1 yellow, position2 black, etc). Make sure that the connectors are oriented with the opening to the left, the contacts to the right and the connection clip on bottom when you hold it in your hand and terminate the connection. The positions are 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 from top to bottom.

This assumes you are using standard ethernet (ie; 10baseT, 100baseT) which are typical for most homes and businesses and not 1000baseT or "Gigabit ethernet". Standard ethernet only uses 2pair (4wires) for TX/RX

[The Pager Geek]

The way I read the question is that he wants to replace the pots line with some form of Ethernet
communications flow. You just can't put connectors on a 4 wire POTS line and flow IP data over it.
You wont get anything out of the distant end.

Jim

Guys re-read it. He was "proposing a wireless Ethernet link between sites"

Thus, he is looking to go from 4W analog to Ethernet and back on the other end.
I know of the JPS for a single 4W and a user serial port, or a RAD IpMUX-1E for 4 - 4wire circuits plus a user Ethernet port.
Then you can use whatever wireless bridge solution you want. Canopy, AirMux, etc.

tpg

[wavetar]

I was going to suggest RAD as well, used them once in a similar application with good results.