# Speaking of Demarks, demarcs, demarques...



## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Just exactly how many different demarks have you telcom guys seen? 
In 15 years I think I've seen around 100 different ones. Some look the same on the outside but sometimes it takes me about 20 minutes just to figure out how the damn thing works. 

I had one yesterday that was an AT&T Uverse. OK, the phone line comes in as fiber then out to the DSL modem via 2 wire 18 gauge twisted pair. Well, when I put the alarm in the loop, it killed the TV and the high speed internet. I inserted a DSL filter and bammo, all was well except no dialtone. I checked everything I could find. No dialtone. I asked the home owner who called AT&T. They told her they had a problem getting her a phone line for the alarm. Since she had no phone, she didn't know it didn't work.

This is upside down from the one I encountered.





Then it had the terminals like on the right switched to the ieft side.

I guess the point is, HOW THE HELL MANY DEMARC BOXES ARE THEIR?

It's like ho hum, another demark and them open it up and WTF is this?


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

I haven't run into one of those yet, but did run into on that had a dedicated DSL splitter and connection, as well as one for the pots.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

During my career I've seen probably 10 or 12 different demarks. Usually a new type of demarc will show up with no advanced notice or instructions on how it works. When you see 6 to 8 demarcs a day, the learning curve is pretty quick. The bad part is stocking your truck with all the different parts for the different demarcs.

The fiber Uverse demark you describe does not sound like one I am familiar with. The ones I've seen are all self contained, with ports for line 1, line 2, DSL, TV and (iirc) alarm. The 18 gauge wire runs to a transformer to power the demarc.


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

Some homes around here have these intelligent NIDs:









Most common are the ones in your second pic. Never seen the ones like your first pic.
Old Ohio Bell/Ameritech territory here.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

I'll be going back to hook em up. I'll take pics for ya.

Apparently you slide the orange tab to unlock the plastic hasp which opens on a hinge. Then you flip the little orange flippers ( like on old stereo speakers) up and you can pull out or insert the pair. No stripping necessary when you insert the wire pair and lock them by flipping it down. Then you can lock the flipper with the hasp then lock the hasp. Make sense?


Damn that was wordy!


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

LARMGUY said:


> Just exactly how many different demarks have you telcom guys seen?
> In 15 years I think I've seen around 100 different ones. Some look the same on the outside but sometimes it takes me about 20 minutes just to figure out how the damn thing works.
> 
> I had one yesterday that was an AT&T Uverse. OK, the phone line comes in as fiber then out to the DSL modem via 2 wire 18 gauge twisted pair. Well, when I put the alarm in the loop, it killed the TV and the high speed internet. I inserted a DSL filter and bammo, all was well except no dialtone. I checked everything I could find. No dialtone. I asked the home owner who called AT&T. They told her they had a problem getting her a phone line for the alarm. Since she had no phone, she didn't know it didn't work.
> ...


Corrected my speling. :laughing:


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

I found this.

http://csmedia.corning.com/opcomm/Resource_Documents/SRPs_rl/202-338.pdf

It's quit the ordeal to install these things. Breaking off brackets, using a pencil to poke a hole. WTF ever happened to screw terminals and stripped wires?


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

we run the intel ones here in chicago


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

LARMGUY said:


> I found this.
> 
> http://csmedia.corning.com/opcomm/Resource_Documents/SRPs_rl/202-338.pdf
> 
> It's quit the ordeal to install these things. Breaking off brackets, using a pencil to poke a hole. WTF ever happened to screw terminals and stripped wires?


That's the one that is in use here at AT&T Southwest. They come with 1 protector and line module preinstalled. When installing additional modules, I don't twist the extra tab off (that will break the module in 2 if not careful), I use 8" linemans to cut the tab flush. The thing about those protectors is, if you crank down to hard on the drop connection, it cuts the drop inside the protector and you will get an intermittent open. Just snug it up.

Don't stab the grommet with a pencil, long nose pliers work fine.

The line module for the premise wire is only good for 4 wires. Lots of scotchlocks if you have more than 4 wires.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

that's one fugly demarc...



This is what a well executed demarc should look like...


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

Yeah, that first pic is the one I came across, has the purple tab for the DSL only, and the other orange ones for phone. The one I came across had another box, 4x4 perhaps that had some more of those orange things in it to splice more wires.

Wish I had pics of some of the demarcs I've opened up, but most pale in comparison of some of the patch panels I've worked on.


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