29586ge1-a corded phone. When this is connected to the phone jack we get a dial tone for a few minutes and then get the signal indicating a bad connection. The other jacks go dead too. We had a power surge or lightning. The phones without transformers work but the two phones with transformers do the same thing - dial tone for a few minutes and then quit. So I am wondering if I need to buy new phones.

The busy signal message only indicates that the phone doesn't get a dial tone signal. This could result from a problem with the wires inside or outside the home. With some modern fiber optic systems, the modem that translates the signal back to POTS (plain old telephone system) analog could be faulty.

I like to use an old corded basic phone for most diagnostics. First, try a new RJ-11 cord between the phone base and the jack. (I've seen someone use the coiled handset cord between the phone and the jack. That doesn't work.) If the new cord works, great. Otherwise, test with another phone. If the test phone has a dial tone, then the problem is with the BT system. For cordless phones, double check if the unit is getting power. Transformer bricks should get warm. If it is under warranty, contact the company.

If you still don't have a dial tone, test the phone line at another jack for that number, if one is available. If other jacks work, then you have a problem with that jack or the wiring back to the incoming service. Most phone jack faceplates either secure the wires with screws or a keystone. For the first, you will need to strip the wires before securing them to the appropriate point. For the second type, you don't strip the wires. Instead you need a punch-down tool (available at most hardware stores in the low-voltage wiring section). Use https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for the correct wire placement. If you recently had someone work on the service connection, check if all of the extension wires were connected to the correct part of the service box.

If the problem isn't specific to one jack, check your incoming service box. In some cases, you can just plug in the basic phone's RJ-11 cable and listen for a dial tone. If there is no dial tone, contact your telephone company. Somewhere upstream, there is a damaged wire. For underground copper telephone wiring, the problem could be from animals chewing on the wires or someone damaging the wires while digging. Most companies should fix outside problems for free. Some will try to sell you a service upgrade instead.

If you can't test the service at the box, contact the telephone company. They have the equipment to test the line. These technicians can also fix inside wiring problems for a fee.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(Yes, I have dealt with these problems before. The service upgrade was the strangest one. They unplugged four extension wires at the start of the job. Then they lost one wire behind the siding when they finished. It took three minutes for me to find the wire and plug it back into the service box with RJ-11 jacks.)

There are a few reasons to get a line in use message; the message indicates that the phone does not detect a dial tone. For a simple corded phone, the problem could be the phone wire, the jack, the wiring between the jack and the incoming service or the service line. For all phone types, I use a simple corded phone for some of the testing. Try a new RJ-11 cord between the jack and the phone. Do you hear a dial tone? Make sure that you didn't use a handset cord in the place of the RJ-11 cable. Try a different phone. If there is a dial tone, replace the first phone. If you have another jack on the same phone line, try using the test phone at that jack. If you have a dial tone at the second jack, you have a wiring problem at the first jack or in the wiring to that jack. If you do not have a dial tone, find your incoming phone service box. If you are lucky, you have RJ-11 jacks inside the box. Plug your test phone into that jack and check for a dial tone. If you have a dial tone, you have a wiring problem. If there is no dial tone, the problem is the outside line. If you have a DSL line, check the DSL filter. If it's inside, you may need to replace it. If it's in the service box, ask your phone company to check it.

If you have a cordless phone system, you can have additional problems beyond those for a corded system. Check if the base has power. (Is the power transformer warm or cold?) If that is plugged in and cold, check if there is a switch or circuit breaker that is off. Replace the transformer if the power was good and check the phone again. If the transformer was warm, then check if the handsets were too far from the base. Move into the room with the base and see if the handset and base can communicate. You may want to check the find handset option. If the handset doesn't respond, check if the handset is registered with the base. You may need to replace the phone system. (If it is under warranty, contact Panasonic.)

If you have a problem with a specific jack, you can remove the face plate and check for loose wires. Some jacks use a keystone. These wires will need to be pushed back into the keystone with a push-down tool that is available at most hardware stores in the electrical section. The other type of jack uses screws to secure the wires. You need to strip the conductors and secure them in the correct position. See https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for the wiring diagram. (If you have the wires connected to the wrong pins, your phone won't detect the dial tone or the call signals.) If the problem is inside the walls, you may want to have the wiring done by someone else. There will be a service charge but it's often easier than accessing all of the wiring yourself. (If you have a single story home with an open basement to inspect the wiring, then it could be easy.) If the problem is at the service box and outside, then your phone company should fix the problem for free. (Some companies don't won't to do this and may try to sell you a service upgrade if you have copper wiring.)

I've lost dial tone to all of the wired phones from: a contractor who cut a wire while digging and rodents who chewed on the underground wires. A lightning strike took out the DSL filter once and killed the voice line. Since upgrading to fiber optics, I still lost the dial tone intermittently due to a faulty modem in the service box. I've lost a single phone extensions from someone using a handset cord (simple fix) and a service upgrade where the technician didn't connect all of the phone cables to the service box at the end of the job. Since the wire was loose behind the vinyl siding, it was easy to fix.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

A "Line in Use" message generally means that the phone can't get a dial tone. If all of the handsets/phones for that line are on standby or on hook, you need to check the wiring and incoming connection. First, connect a new RJ-11 cord between the phone and the jack. Check if there is a dial tone with the new cord. At least once, I saw a handset cord used in place of the RJ-11 cable. This combination will give this type of issue. If you have a DSL line, check the filter and replace it if it is inside.

For the rest of the wiring trouble-shooting, I like to check the wiring with a basic corded phone. Check if the test phone gets a dial tone at the first jack. If it does, then your first phone has a problem. If there is no dial tone, try plugging in the test phone at another jack on that extension line. If there is a dial tone, that suggests a problem at the first jack or the wiring to that jack. If you do not have a dial tone or there is no second jack, find your service connection. Open the box and look at the connections. If there is an RJ-11 jack, plug in the test phone. If you have a dial tone here, you have a wiring problem. If there is no RJ-11 jack or no dial tone, contact your telephone company. They can test the phone line and determine if the problem is inside or outside.

If the jack could be faulty, remove the cover plate. Look for any loose wires. There are two types of jacks - keystone and screw terminals. To replace a wire in a keystone jack, you will need a punch-down tool available at most hardware stores in the electrical and wiring aisle. Do not strip the wire; just place it in the correct position and push the wire into place with the tool. For the other type of jack, strip a small section of wire and secure it under the screw. See http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx to see the terminal connections.

In many places, the phone company technicians will fix an outside problem for free. This includes a DSL filter in the service box. (There are some phone companies that are trying to force system upgrades and will avoid fixing older wiring.) If the problem is inside but not at the jack, you may want a professional to search for the issue. Your phone company technicians will often do this for a fee.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(I've had dial tone issues several times. Some were caused by rodents chewing on the copper wires (underground service). Others were due to work crews digging up the wire. A final outage issue had to do with a lightning strike damaging the DSL filter. With a fiber optic connection, we've had two service issues. The first was just after the installation and involved only one jack. That cable had been dropped during the service upgrade. After locating the RJ-11 cable behind the siding and connecting it to the service box port, the problem was solved. The second required a service call - the fiber optic modem card began to fail and couldn't properly translate the signal. The card was replaced solving all of the problems.)

Unplug the base station for a few min's and see if that cures the issue.

hi ... try this, change the cord in first.
if this don`t work: and make this test. whit another phone connected maybe in other place of the house(check first if you have dial tone ), plug the problematic phone, wait few minutes press talk on the other phone. if don't have dial tone the problem is the phone unit ,was impact by a lightning on the phone line.
few minutes after you connect the cord the line make a shortcut.
only an electronic technician can repair that, and sometimes is expensive.

Unfortunately, I do not have a manual for the GH-4102. However, most cordless phones get out of range messages at a few points: low handset battery, no power at the base or no dial tone at the base. Other possibilities are the phone base and handset lost the registration or one or the other isn't transmitting/receiving properly.

Things to try: unlpug the base power (from both the wall outlet and the phone) and phone line cord and remove the battery from each handset. Wait a few minutes and then reconnect the batteries and plug in the power and data connections. (Check when you unplug the base power adapter if it was warm; that indicates the unit was at least getting power at that point.) Recharge the handset batteries and then re-register the handsets, if needed.
Consider replacing the handset batteries if they are more than a year old (this includes the time that the phone may have been on a shelf after manufacturing). Try a new phone data cable (RJ11).

Next test your phone line and make sure that you have a dial tone. I like to use an old corded phone with the new phone cord for testing. If there is no dial tone, test the line at another jack. If there is still no dial tone, find your incoming phone line and open the service box. If you have a relatively new service, you will be able to plug your test phone into the service box and test there. If you can't test the line or there is no dial tone at the service box, contact your telephone company. They will test and fix outside problems for free.

If the problem is inside, look at all accessible wiring and make sure that the lines aren't damaged. If only one jack is bad, open the faceplate and fix any loose wires. There are two types of connections. The first holds the conductors under screws and the wire must be stripped back and secured. The other uses a keystone jack. The conductor wires are not stripped but a special tool punches the wires into place. You can find the punch-down tool at many hardware/home improvement stores in the wiring section. See http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for a picture of the correct wiring for the jack.

If your phone line has a dial tone and the above fixes didn't work, contact the company and get the phone repaired if it is under warranty (usually 1 year). If it is out of warranty, then decide if it is worth repairing or if you should replace the unit.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Whenever I see this issue, I grab an old corded phone as a test phone. The line in use message could be a problem with the phone line or the phone. First make sure that the base has power and try a new phone data cord (RJ-11). Next plug in a test phone to that jack and see if you get a dial tone (preferably with the new data cord).

If you do not get a normal dial tone, try another jack on the line. If you still do not have a dial tone, find where the phone service comes in and open the box. If you have a new service, you'll find an RJ-11 jack in the box. In that case, plug your test phone into the jack. If there is no dial tone or you can't test at the service box, contact your phone company. They will test the line and fix any outside problem.

If it is an inside problem, inspect all visible wiring and open the wall plate if only one jack is bad. There are two standard types of wall plate connections. For one, you strip the conductors and secure them under a screw. For the other, you use a punch down tool to press the conductors (without stripping them) into the right spot in the keystone jack. This tool is available at many home improvement stores in the wiring section. See http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for a picture of the correct wiring.

If the problem is with your phone only, try to reset it. Take the batteries out of the handsets and unplug the power cord from the base and the wall outlet. Wait a few minutes and then plug everything back in. Make sure that the power brick is warm (getting power) and that the handset batteries are fully charged.

If the reset doesn't help, you should contact the manufacturer. If the phone is under warranty have them repair it. (If it is out of warranty, decide if it is worth fixing.) Most of these phones are not meant to be repaired by the consumer.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

I have a standard trouble-shooting routine for cordless phones. 1) Remove the battery from the handset (from all handsets for a multi-handset version). Then unplug the power cord from the base and wall outlet and also remove the telephone cord. Wait a few minutes and then reconnect the power and phone line cords. Reconnect the battery (ies) for the handsets. Make sure this connection is tight. Then make sure that the battery is fully charged (15 hours before first use) and register the handsets if needed. This is done by putting each handset onto the base in order for the D2997. Wait about 30 seconds for each one until you see the Handset Registered message. Make sure that you are within range of the base.

Next try a different telephone (RJ-11) phone cord between the base and the wall jack. Also check if the power adapter for the base is warm. For the next set of tests, I like to use an old corded telephone. Using a different phone, check if you get dial tone at the jack. If there is a dial tone, then the problem is with the Uniden phone. If the above trouble-shooting didn't help, then contact Uniden. These phones aren't meant to be user serviced.

If you do not have a normal dial tone, try another jack on the same telephone line. If there is dial tone at another jack, then you have a problem with the first jack. Otherwise find where your telephone service comes in. If you have a fairly new service, you'll find an RJ-11 jack. Plug your test phone into the jack and test for dial tone. If you have no dial tone or can't test your line, call your phone company. They will fix any outside problem for free. If it is an inside wiring problem, look at the visible wiring and determine if the wires are damaged. Open the jack (if only one is bad) and check for loose wires. There are two types of jacks. One secures the terminal wires with screws and the other uses a punch-down jack. For the screw type, strip additional insulation from the conductors, if needed, and then reconnect them. For the punch-down type, you will need the punch-down tool. It is available at many hardware stores in the wiring section. Use this diagram to check your jack wiring: http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx . If you can't see an obvious problem with the wiring, you may want a professional to deal with the wiring in the wall. Your telephone company will do this for a fee.
Uniden has the manuals for their DECT phones on their site: http://www.uniden.com/bin/venda?ex=co_disp-view&bsref=uniden&scat=dectphones_mnl . The manual for the D2997 is available here: http://www.uniden.com/content/ebiz/uniden/resources/ownersmanuals/D2997om.pdf .

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

get a new phone

680 - There is no dial tone.

All versions of Windows are affected by this error.
No dial tone: There are many possible causes of a No Dial Tone Error.
First, try testing the modem's ability to detect dial tone and to dial by using HyperTerminal with the direct to COM port connect method - see Using HyperTerminal. If you give your modem an AT&FX1 command, and then a dial command, dial-tone detection will be disabled; if you still do not get dial tone, the modem may not be installed correctly (especially if it is a PCI or soft-modem); or the cable from the modem to the phone-line jack may be bad or installed in the wrong connector on the modem - try another line cord, and make sure you are plugged in to the LINE - not phone - jack on the modem. Plug a regular phone into the phone jack on the modem and make sure it has dial tone. The modem may also be defective. Many new modems come with an electronic circuit instead of the traditional electro-mechanical relay used to take the modem off-hook. Some of these designs are proving less reliable; often, they will be 'stuck' in the off-hook position, so unplugging, the plugging in the phone cord may give dial-tone. If this is the case, the modem needs repair or replacement.
If the modem will blind dial (x1), but not detect dial-tone otherwise, the problem is likely to be in the proper selection of the Country in Windows->ControlPanel->Telephony or in improper installation of the modem or lack of support for your country in the driver you are using. Check to see if there are updated drivers for your modem.
If the modem dials properly with detection (x3) in HyperTerminal, but does not detect dial tone when using DUNs, the problem may be DUNs (check for upgrade or re-install) or the proper setup and modem selection for the DUNs connectoid.
For Embarq telephone service customers, this error can indicate that you have a message waiting in your voicemail. Embarq changes the dial-tone sound to a "fast" busy signal when a new message is present in your voicemail box. This "fast" busy signal can confuse the modem into thinking there is no-dial tone present on the line.