DIY: Replace a Wall Mounted Phone Jack

If you've noticed that your phone jack has started to yellow, or has become outdated or damaged, you can easily replace it. You may also want to replace a single phone jack with a double phone jack, especially if you have two landlines or a fax machine in your house.

Step 1: Remove the telephone or fax machine cord from the existing phone jack. Remove the faceplate from the phone jack as well: you will probably need a flathead screwdriver for this step.

Step 2: Remove the screw that holds the phone jack to the wall. This is normally underneath the face plate, and may require a Phillips head screwdriver to remove. Pull out the phone jack housing from the wall cavity.

Step 3: Examine the back of the phone jack and locate the wires in the back.

TIP: You should either see four wires that are yellow, red, black, and green or striped wires that are combinations of blue, white and orange.

Step 4: Remove each wire from the back of the old phone jack by loosening the screw that holds the wire to the terminal with the appropriate screwdriver, then pulling the wire from the wall out of the terminal.

Step 5: Install the phone cable wires coming from the wall into the back of the new phone jack. Most of the time the terminals are color coded to show you where to place each wire. If you have striped wires from an old phone cable installation, or the terminals are not color coded, consult the manufacturer's instructions for the new phone jack for a diagram you can follow.

To install the wire, place the end into the correct terminal, then use the screwdriver to tighten the screw to hold the wire firmly into place.

Step 6: Coil the wires carefully and place the wires and the phone jack housing into the wall. If the phone jack housing is larger than the old phone jack, trace around the phone jack with a pencil. Then use a drywall saw to enlarge the hole.

Step 7: Screw the phone jack housing into the wall. Apply the faceplate to cover the the phone jack housing.