How to replace old 610 wall socket with ethernet wall socket?

I am trying to find an Ethernet wall socket that can fit in the same area as my old 610 socket without any further wall cutting, drilling, or modifications. Are there any options available?

Also, I am wondering why one socket has black and white wires compared to the second one that only has a single white wire. Is the same white wire in room 1 going through to room 2? Is it okay to pull them out and replace them with Ethernet wires?

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JacobZ

Hi @berserk,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Unfortunately, I am not aware of what the specific function of each inner wire is, and I'd encourage you to contact a suitably licenced professional such as an electrician who does work with data cabling to assist with this work.

While it is unlikely there is a live current running to the old phone lines in your case, for any readers, please note that it is worth double checking with a voltage tester to ensure there is no live voltage.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will find an outlet that fits the footprint of the old socket perfectly. The closest replacement I can find is the Deta RJ45 Skirting Board Outlet which is quite similar, but the dimensions are not exactly the same. If you paint the location of the old socket, this should give you a fairly good-looking replacement.

Allow me to tag some of our knowledgeable members to see if they have any advice to offer, @CSParnell, @Nailbag, @Dave-1.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Dave-1

Evening @berserk

You are looking at an old phone socket, the black cable is the cable that traditionaly runs to the street and the white/cream one is one that bunny hops to other outlets in your house.

The cables cant be used for networking. The configuration of the cable itself isnt meant to be. Also if you still have your phone hooked up ther is 52V DC and up to 90V alternating DC to make the phone ring carried over it.

I have cabled my house with network cable and really it wasnt too hard. (I had underneath access to the house 🙂 ) Can enlarge upon that if you want to know more.

I know of no ethernet socket that will fit in that spot, the only thing I could think of would be a mounting box with a RJ45 plate on the front.

Dave

berserk

Thankyou Dave,

I don't have any landline phone, nor planning for one. I can get rid of the wires and colour the patches.

I am just worried about the area where the wooden boundary strip is missing. Do you know what it's called and if Bunnings can cut one small piece with same style for me so that I can glue that in?

Thankyou,

Dave-1

Evening @berserk

Yeah they do stand out dont they 🙂

The squarer large piece of timber is the skirting board.

You then have what looks like a pine molding to make the floor edge look nicer with a floating floor by the look of it.

Pine Mouldings

Porta 40 x 8mm 2.4m Clear Pine Rounded Edging Bead is the closest I could guesstimate 🙂

I would actually suggest to remove the strip either side of the hole and replace it with one new continueous length one as it would look a lot more seemless. The existing edge looks like it just has nails in it so you could use two flathead screw drivers near the end and lever it out gently.

Place one flat head screwdriver verically next to the end piece (this is what you will be leaving against, its so you dont mark your wall)

Then come in horizontaly with the other screwdriver and put the blade just behind the end of the timber and tap with a hamer gently. You could even use the handle of the hamer in place of the screwdrive to be the "bump" for the leaverage of the horizontal screwdriver.

Once you remove one side and before you take off the other side, Id take it with you to Bunnings so you can match the profile or closest one to what there is in store.

Dave

Nailbag

Hi @berserk the colour of the outer core has no relevance, only the internal ones. The blue and white wires are the main telephone landline wires and also the ones used for an ADSL internet connection. the other two would be used for back one the day when people had a 2nd seperate line for say a fax machine. The cables have no voltage/current running through them until the landline rings then its upward of 100V which is not protected by your electrical safety switch.

The first socket with the two cables is an extension for a landline in parralel to another outlet/s. I wouldn't remove the cables unless you have no further use or need them as a draw-wire to pull your CAT5 cable through. Instead join the wires colour for colour, tape them independently and tuck them into the wall, just in case that connection point joins to another you may want in another room. The single white cable can again be used as a draw wire or disconnect the socket and tape the ends of each wire before tucking it back in to the wall.

You can install a skirting outlet to replace the old phone sockets.

To fill the gaps in the skirting you may not going to find the exact same profiles easily due to their age. And even then you need two different types and full lengths. As the spaces are very small I would insert a short length of 19 x 32 DAR pine and use a sharp hobby knife to carve the profile for the curved skirt and then fill and gaps or complete the profile with a multipurpose gap filler. which can be sanded into shape when cured. then fix your outlets. This would be a very easy DIY solution.

Regards, Nailbag

JacobZ

Hi @berserk,

Just to follow on from the great advice @Dave-1 and @Nailbag have offered, this timber profile is called scotia and it comes in a variety of dimensions and finishes to match.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

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