Modular Telephone Jack and Data Jack Installation Instructions & Photo Guide
These basic instructions are the same with 4-pin USOC phone, Category 3, CAT 5E (Ethernet) and 6-pin modular jacks. We carry switchplates with one (SPTJ1), two (SPTJ2), three (SPTJ3), or four (SPTJ4) openings for RJ11 or RJ45 modular jacks. Click Phone Jack Switch Plates to buy a modular phone jack switch plate - available in 17 finishes. There are color codes on the sides of the modular jacks that correspond to wires on the screw terminals. Match up the colors based on your wiring.
WARNING: We do not guarantee the accuracy or safety of these instructions. Consult with a licensed telephone repair professional before proceeding. Please call the Leviton technical support line at 800-824-3005 with questions or refer to their online instruction manuals. Photos listed left to right, top to bottom.
Before You Start:
This is the front of the plate with screw terminals on back that we will replace with a modular phone jack.
Tools required:
-Wire cutter
-Wire stripper
-Screw driver
-Push tool (or can use caps included with jacks)
Modular Jack to be installed: Front and back views of the Leviton Modular Jack packaging. Package calls it a Quickport Voice Grade Jack. Buy Leviton modular jacks.
Steps for Installing a Modular Telephone Jack
Inside of the old phone plate we are replacing. There is one set of wires (one solid blue, the other white with blue stripe) that is attached to the old plate.
Green set and orange set of wires also are coming out of beige telephone cable (partially covered with lavender paint in the photo), but are not being used.
Cut back the outer cable housing (beige in our photo) containing the colored wires, being sure not to cut the plastic casing on each individual wire. Determine which color code grid on the jack corresponds to your wiring using the chart on the package instructions. The wiring in our picture corresponds to the bottom row of colors. Push solid blue wire and white wire with blue stripe into their correct slots with your fingers. (Repeat these next steps for each set of wires you have.)
Use tool provided to push wires completely down into slots.
Top view of wires pushed completely down into slots.
Trim wires using wire cutters.
Left side of jack with wires attached.
Right side of jack with wires attached.
Snap modular jack into telephone jack plate. It might help to push on clip with a slot head screwdriver to help bend clip in and through opening.
Place black bridge clip over pair of slots
Push black bridge clip all the way down to prevent wires from coming out.
Screw plate into wall and plug in telephone cable. You're done!
This type of plate is too wide and too deep to be covered by our standard telephone jack plates, so if needing to replace this style, we recommend purchasing the same type. Buy wall mounted phone jack covers.
The type of wiring inside this box is called a daisy chain. Only one main cable is strung through this building. The cable comes in, is cut and attached to the telephone jack, then goes out of each box, so the phone jacks in other rooms are are all connected in one long chain. (Pairs of wires [two blues, two whites with blue stripes] are twisted together then placed under the screw to make the connection.) This type of arrangement won't work with a modular telephone jack, so our plates won't work.
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