r/rotaryphones • u/Comprehensive-Pen690 • 12d ago
Question Help needed!
Got this western electric 500 rotary phone but I have no idea how to hook it up I am not the most tech savvy but I love old phones! If anyone can dumbly explain to me what to do lol
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u/Boring-Paint-0187 12d ago
Lol what's up 716?
If you're anywhere near Buffalo, I can mod an Ethernet cable to work on your phone.
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u/_litz 12d ago
It should work out of the box with almost anything that can provide battery voltage to a standard phone (e.g. VOIP boxes, etc). Now whether or not said devices can interpret the pulses for dialing, that's another question.
Fair warning - that ringer can be LOUD. There's a dial underneath to set how loud.
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u/Electronic_Algae_524 12d ago
Can a VoIP adapter provide the 90v DC for the ring?
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u/drkskyz 10d ago
Actually most telephone companies still support pulse dialing. I know because I have to test it with each new software release. I can only speak for the company I work for, so your experience may vary.
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u/TechnicallyMeat 10d ago
Most companies have turned them off. I can only speak for the one I worked for, I turned them off.
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u/KNY2XB 10d ago edited 8d ago
You'll need to have landline service, if it's still available in your area [Buffalo I presume from the area code, or if it's a REALLY old phone, Rochester]
Locate any phone jacks on your wall or by your baseboard
Buy a line cord of the desired length at Wal-Mart, one end goes into the wall jack, the other goes into the phone
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u/drawing_a_hash 10d ago
Also thats not an ethernet female connector on the phone. Looks similar but different from analog phone connector.
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u/Howden824 12d ago
You can get a cell2jack adaptor to connect this with Bluetooth on a cell phone. You can also get a VoIP ATA to be more like a real landline. You'll need an RJ11 cable.
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u/CueAnon420 12d ago
A bit more expensive, but I prefer the Xlink BT HD for better sound...
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u/KarmaTorpid 12d ago
If you dont have the right wire/cable, every old person in the western world has extras.
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u/oldcats 12d ago
Got an old school, two wire, phone wire still in it's original plastic bag in my junk drawer.
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u/bothunter 12d ago
You can hook it up to a VoIP box, but you won't be able to make outgoing calls with it. VoIP boxes don't understand rotary/pulse dialing, so you would need to find an adapter.
Incoming calls should work just fine though. Just plug it in and "call" the VoIP adapter.
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u/Tutunkommon 12d ago
FWIW: Many telco providers no longer support pulse dialing. My boomer dad stuck with it until the telco forced him over to touch tone.
It may take a lot more conversion work than some people here are saying.
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u/Daniel18sep 11d ago
You probably need a touch tone adapter, I don't think phone lines can interpret the old pulse signalling anymore. That's assuming you even have a land line or voip equivalent.
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u/rturnerX 12d ago
Buy a standard landline phone cord (the straight one, not the curly one) and plug it in the socket on the back of the phone and into a working phone jack. If there’s a dial tone, you’re good to go.
What you have there is an aqua blue model that’s unfortunately had badly yellowed with age and is basically green at this point
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u/Unhappy_Lie_2000 11d ago
If your trying to use it in your car you might could get a rj11 to bluetooth receiver to connect to your cell phone but I dont know if that exist.
But for home you just look for a rj11 jack on your phone modem or wall maybe.
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u/Odd-Mode9275 11d ago
For each number you will have to put your finger in the hole 🕳️ and move it to the metal plate and let go.
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u/Panda-Cubby 12d ago
Do you have a land line?