[UCIMC-Tech] [Imc-bookkeeper] telephone in b2p workroom not working
Mike Lehman
rebelmike at earthlink.net
Sat Mar 5 17:29:43 CST 2011
Chris,
Thanks for playing sleuth. Here are a few more things.
The main patch panel in the hall near the south door used to have a
cover. My guess is that someone took it off, it got misplaced and then
who knows? Unless it's sitting on top of those various boxes and was
just missed.
I can't quite figure out if the line between the VOIP Comcast modem is
just left over from when the VOIP was installed and is not in use? Or if
it actually connects the VOIP modem to the old phone panel near the
south door for some reason I don't understand? I presume that there
wouldn't be a reason to connect to the POTS since we have the VOIP
bringing in things via cable. But since I know nothing about the VOIP
modem, maybe it has to be connected to both cable and POTS?
This also is making me wonder if the B2P phone has actually been down
ever since we installed VOIP two years or so ago? That's entirely
possible, but I'm amazed that no one noticed until now if that's the
case. This would account for why the B2P phone is not working, because
it was NEVER hooked up to the VOIP and that it's connection to the old
phone panel was taken out of service after we dropped AT&T.
344-2536 sounds familiar, like it was the number of someone I know, but
don't recall it ever being used by the IMC? I remember talking about
having a fax line, but never that we actually did. Between getting old
and the diss, I just don't trust my memory anymore, though:-(
The old patch panel is used for AT&T service to other users in the
building, AFAIK all tenants. So it is active. I just figured it was
superseded by the Comcast VOIP for the IMC.
The fancy phone network box in the boiler room is the PO's phone
service. There's probably alarm stuff connected to it, too, so we should
be cautious around it. I don't think anything in the hall near the south
door is still used by the PO, but am not certain.
It wouldn't hurt to extend 344-8820 to B2P, Bike Project, etc, but there
is the potential for people to leave phones off the hook, etc where it
would interfere with its use upstairs. If it is the case that the B2P
phone was never hooked up to VOIP, then maybe the lines can be spliced
together to connect it to the VOIP? In any case, before we do that, let
me check with Jamie in B2p to see if I can get to the bottom of when
they last noticed the phone working.
Mike
On 3/5/2011 4:11 PM, Chris Ritzo wrote:
> I spent some time beginning to document the phone infrastructure
> situation in the building. I'm writing up my documentation on the imc
> wiki in the Tech Admin docs which is password secured to the tech
> group. Once it's complete I'm going to look at creating a Building
> Infrastructure section of the wiki which would be protected to IMC
> members & place it there.. I'll work with Leon on that- he may have
> started something already. This could also be a space for others to
> document infrastructure & building issues like the HVAC system for
> instance.
>
> Here's the rundown of what I found today:
>
> - We are indeed on Comcast Voice. The cable modem service terminates
> on the west wall of the boiler room. The cable modem has four phone
> ports, two of which are active, one which is in use currently. Both
> lines below were tested at the modem this morning and confirmed to be
> working.
>
> *Line #1: 217-344-8820*
> Active, in use phone line. This is the main number for the UC-IMC. The
> line plugged into the modem runs along the ceiling in the boiler room,
> through the maintenance room and along the basement east hall and
> terminates at the telephone patch panels near the south basement door.
> Every few feet or so, this gray cable is now marked with a green sharpie.
>
> The phone line terminating in the Books to Prisoners space runs
> through the wall, across the hallway and south to the same telephone
> patch panels. This cable is also gray and now is marked "BTP" in green
> marker in several places along the cable run.
>
> /**/Somehow line #1 is patched to another cable run that terminates in
> the first floor Finance office.
> - /*TO */*D*/*O: this line needs to be traced back from the Finance
> office
>
> */*Line #2: 217-344-2536*
> This is also an active line, though currently not in use. It may have
> been used in the past as a separate fax line? I plugged a phone into
> it at the cable modem and called my cell to confirm that it's working.
>
> ***SUGGESTION** - If this line is not in use, it could be used for
> BTP, or another purpose. *I'm posting this here because I'm not
> certain whether it's set aside for something or not. Tech group /
> others - can we talk consensus on what to do with this second line?
>
> *NEXT STEPS:*
> - Trace phone line going to Finance/Production and document
> - Re-patch cable running to BTP and test
> - NOTE: I don't have a clear understanding of how the phone patch
> panel is used to patch & connect lines. I'm doing some research, but
> if anyone has expertise...
> - There are five large phone wire patching panels near the south
> door and another one or two in the boiler room.These are part of the
> OLD phone infrastructure of the post office and we've simply reused
> it. We can certainly continue to do so, though I think we should put a
> box over the patch panels after this.
> - We could also go with something much simpler and re-wire using
> some standard phone junction box connectors at key points, eliminating
> the old patch panels. Thoughts on this???
>
> - Pending approval or whatever, we could run a phone line from the
> boiler room to BTP. Given security concerns on that end of the
> building, lines could also extend to the Family Room and the Bike
> Project.
> - I'll leave it up to Building/Finance to determine that. Tech can
> implement whatever is decided..
>
> A final aside, tech has been talking about rewiring/re-securing phone
> and data wiring for a while now. This is a longer term project- we
> have a functioning network where we need it, but want to take it to
> the next level, make it better looking more secure, etc. Just so folks
> are aware. It really won't impact people except will clean up the
> wiring cable tied around pipes, etc., and the network will be better
> documented for future techies. Brian Duggan's been doing a rad job of
> recruiting some new folks into the IMC who are tech-savvy, and it's my
> hope we can begin getting them involved in this initiative maybe by
> summer.
>
> ttfn -Chris
>
> On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 6:13 AM, Chris Ritzo <chris.ritzo at gmail.com
> <mailto:chris.ritzo at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Not sure. I think there are just a lot ofwirea running around and
> the phone stuff near the south file could have been snagged or
> pulled inadvertently. I plan to do some more tracing sat. and try
> to map out the lines so stuff is better documented.
>
> On Mar 2, 2011 8:50 PM, "Mike Lehman" <rebelmike at earthlink.net
> <mailto:rebelmike at earthlink.net>> wrote:
>
> Chris,
> Well, that's interesting. I didn't look closely the other day
> because I didn't have a light, but I thought things looked a
> little rough, even for something at the IMC.
>
> Since I didn't look in detail, I'm just speculating, but...
> Maybe someone was trying to steal copper and got interrupted?
>
> If so, yet another reason for improving security.
> Mike
>
>
>
> On 3/2/2011 8:22 PM, Chris Ritzo wrote:
>
>>
>> >
>> > I've taken an initial look at the phone situation and done a
>> little tracing and testing. There'...
>>
>> >
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