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How to Replace a Wall-Mounted Phone Jack

Nathan Fisher

Telephone jacks need to be replaced occasionally, usually because they have become outdated, discolored or damaged. Replacing a wall mount phone jack is a simple procedure. Doing it yourself will save you money. While there are different configurations, the standard home phone jack consists of four colored wires for two phone lines.

If you have a screwdriver you can replace your own telephone jack.
  1. Unplug the telephone line from the jack. Use the proper screwdriver to remove the screw of the faceplate from the old jack. Remove the cover.

  2. Remove the center-mounting screw of the old jack from the wall using a screwdriver.

  3. Locate colored wires attached to the terminals on the inside plate of the old jack. Depending on when the wiring was installed, the colors will be black, red, green and yellow, or white with an orange stripe, blue with a white stripe, white with a blue stripe and orange with a white stripe.

  4. Disconnect the wires from the terminals of the old jack, using a screwdriver.

  5. Attach the colored wires to the matching color-coded terminals of new phone jack. Be sure sure to tighten the screws firmly.

  6. Attach the new jack to the wall with the screw from the old jack. Attach the new faceplate with the new screw. Plug the phone line into the jack and test the phone.