481 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
481 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
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Disclaimer Notice:
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This file is presented as an INFORMATIONAL file only.
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Do not try any of the things mentioned in the text file
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as some of them are illegal to do. The bbs operator take
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NO responsibilty.
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---------------------------------------
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How Ma Bell Works
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---------------------------------------
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In this article, I will first describe the termination,
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wiring, and terminal hardware most commonly used in the Bell
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system, and I will include section on methods of using them.
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-------------
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LOCAL NETWORK
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-------------
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The local telephone network between the central
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office/exchange and the telephone subscribers can be briefly
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described as follows:
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From the central office (or local exchange) of a certain
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prefix(es), underground area trunks go to each area that has that
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prefix (Usually more than one prefix per area.) At every few
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streets or tract areas, the underground cables surface. They then
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go to the telephone pole (or back underground, depending on the
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area) and then to the subsribers house (or in the case of an
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apartment building or mutliline business, to a splitter or dis-
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tribution box/panel).
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Now that we have the basics, I'll try and go in-depth on the
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subject.
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------------------
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UNDERGROUND CABLES
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------------------
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These are sometimes inter-office trunks, but usually in a
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residential area they are trunk lines that go to bridging heads
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or distribution cases. The cables are about 2-3 inches thick
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(varies), and are either in a metal or pvc-type pipe (or
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similiar). Rarely (maybe not in some remote rural areas) are the
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cables just 'alone' in the ground. Instead they are usually in
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an underground cement tunnel (resembles a small sewer or storm-
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drain.) The manholes are >heavy< and will say 'Bell system' on
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them. they can be opened with a 1/2 inch wide crowbar (Hookside)
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inserted in the top rectangular hole. There are ladder rungs to
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help you climb down. You will see the cable pipes on the wall,
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with the blue and white striped one being the inter-office trunk
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(at least in my area). The others are local lines, and are
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usually marked or color coded. There is almost always a posted
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color code chart on the wall, not to mention Telco manuals de-
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scribing the cables and terminals, so I need not get into detail.
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Also, there is usually some kind of test equipment, and often
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Bell test sets are left in there.
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--------------
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BRIDGING HEADS
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--------------
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The innocent-looking grayish-green boxes. These can be
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either trunk bridges or bridging for residences. The major trunk
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bridging heads are usually larger, and they have the 'Western
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Electric' logo at the bottom, whereas the normal bridging heads
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(which may be different in some areas-depending on the company
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you are served by. GTE B.H.'s look slightly different. Also, do
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not be fooled by sprinkler boxes!) They can be found in just
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about every city.
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To open a bridging head: if it is locked (and you're feeling
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destructive), put a hammer or crowbar (the same one you used on
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the manhole) in the slot above the top hinge of the right door.
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Pull hard, and the door will rip off. Very effective! If it isn't
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locked (as usual), take a 7/8 inch hex socket and with it, turn
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the bolt about 1/8 of a turn to the right (you should hear a
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spring release inside). Holding the bolt, turn the handle all the
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way to the left and pull out.
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To Check for a test-set (which are often left by Bell employees),
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go inside - First check for a test-set (which are often left
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by Bell employees). There should be a panel of terminals and
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wires. Push the panel back about an inch or so, and rotate the
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top latch (round with a flat section) downward. Release the
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panel and it will fall all the way forward. There is usually a
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large amount of wire and extra terminals. The test-sets are
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often hidden here, so don$ overlook it (Manuals, as well, are
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sometimes placed in the head). On the right door is a metal box
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of alligator clips. Take a few (Compliments of Bell.). On each
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door is a useful little round metal device. (Says 'insert gently'
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or' clamp gently - do not overtighten' etc..) On the front of
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the disc, you should find two terminals. These are for your test
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set. (If you dont have one, dont despair -I'll show you ways to
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make basic test sets later in this article).
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Hook the ring (-) wire to the 'r' terminal; and the tip (+)
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wire to the other. (By the way, an easy way to determine the
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correct polarity is with a 1.5v LED. Tap it to the term. pair,
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if it doesnt light, switch the poles until it does. When it
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lights,find the longer of the two LED poles: This one will be on
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the tip wire (+). Behind the disc is a coiled up cord. This
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should have two alligator clips on it.. Its very useful, because
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you dont have to keep connecting and disconnecting the fone (test
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set) itself, and the clips work nicely.
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On the terminal board, there should be about 10 screw
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terminals per side. Follow the wires, and you can see which
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cable pairs are active. Hook the clips to the terminal pair, and
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you're set! Dial out if you want, or just listen (If someone's
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on theline). Later, I'll show you a way to set up a true 'tap'
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that will let the person dial out on his line and receive calls
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as normal, and you can listen in the whole time. More about this
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later...
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On major prefix-area bridging heads, you can see 'local
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loops' ,which are two cable pairs (cable pair = ring+tip, a fone
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line) that are directly connected to each other on the terminal
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board. These 'cheap loops' as they are called, do not work
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nearLy as well as the existing ones set up in the switching
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hardware at the exchange office. (Try scanning your prefixes'
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00xx to 99xx #'s.) The tone sides will announce themselves with
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the 1008 hz loop tone, and the hang side will give no response.
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The first person should dial the 'hang' side, and the other
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person dial the tone side, and the tone should stop if you have
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got the right loop.)
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If you want to find the number of the line that you're on,
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you can either try to decipher the 'bridging log' (or whatever),
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which is on the left door. If that doesnt work, you can use the
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follwing:
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---------------------------
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ANI # (Automatic Number ID)
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---------------------------
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This is a Telco test number that reports to you the number
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that youre calling from (It's the same, choppy 'Bell bitch' voice
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that you get when you reach a disconnected #)
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For the 213 NPA - Dial 1223
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408 NPA - Dial 760
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914 NPA - Dial 990
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These are extremely useful when messing with any kind of
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line terminals, house boxes, etc.
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Now that we have bridging heads wired, we can go on... (dont
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forget to close and latch the box after all... Wouldnt want to GE
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and Telco people mad, now,would we?)
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Continued in: Ma Bell part II
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Disclaimer notice:
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This file is presented as an Informational text file only.
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Do not try any of the things mentioned as some are illegal
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to try. The bbs operator takes no liabilty.
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-------------------------------------
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How Ma Bell Works - Part II
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-------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------
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"CANS" - Telephone Distribution Boxes
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-------------------------------------
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Basically, two types:
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1> Large, rectangular silver box at the end of each street.
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2> Black, round, or rectangular thing at every telephone pole.
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Type 1 - This is the case that takes the underground cable from
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the bridge and runs it to the telephone pole cable (The lowest,
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largest one on the telephone pole.) The box is always on the
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pole nearest the briging head, where the line comes up. Look for
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the 'Call before you Dig - Underground cable' stickers..
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The case box is hinged, so if you want to climb the pole,
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you can open it with no problems. These usually have 2 rows of
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terminal sets.
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You could try to impersonate a Telco technician and report
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the number as 'new active' (giving a fake name and fake report,
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etc.) I dont recommend this, and it probably won't (almost
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positively won't) work, but this is basically what Telco linemen
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do).
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Type 2 - This is the splitter box for the group of houses around
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the pole (Usually 4 or 5 houses). Use it like I mentioned
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before. The terminals (8 or so) will be in 2 horizontal rows of
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sets. The extra wires that are just 'hanging there' are
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provisions for extra lines to residences (1 extra line per house,
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thats why the insane charge for line #3!) If its the box for
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your house also, have fun and swap lines with your neighbor!
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'Piggyback' them and wreak havoc on the neighborhood (It's
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eavesdropping time...) Again, I don't recommend this, and its
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difficult to do it correctly. Moving right along...
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------------------------------
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APARTMENT / BUSINESS MULTILINE
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DISTRIBUTION BOXES
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------------------------------
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Found outside the buliding (most often on the right side,
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but not always... Just follow the wire from the telephone pole)
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or in the basement. It has a terminal for all the lines in the
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building. Use it just like any other termination box as before.
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Usually says 'Bell system' or similar. Has up to 20 terminals on
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it (usually.) the middle ones are grounds (forget these). The
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wires come from the cable to one row (usually the left one), with
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the other row of terminals for the other row of terminals for the
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building fone wire pairs. The ring (-) wire is usually the top
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terminal if the set in the row (1 of 10 or more), and the tip is
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in the clamp/screw below it. This can be reversed, but the cable
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pair is always terminated one-on-top-of-each- other, not on the
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one next to it. (I'm not sure why the other one is there,
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probably as aprovision for extra lines) Don't use it though, it
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is usually to close to the other terminals, and in my experiences
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you get a noisy connection.
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Final note: Almost every apartment, business, hotel, or anywhere
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there is more than 2 lines this termination lines this
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termination method is used. If you can master this type, you can
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be in control of many things... Look around in your area for a
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building that uses this type, and practice hooking up to the
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line, etc.
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As an added help,here is the basic 'standard' color-code fo
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multiline terminals/wiring/etc...
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Single line: Red = Ring
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Green = Tip
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Yellow = Ground *
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* (Connected to the ringer coil in individual and bridged
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ringer phones (Bell only) Usually connected to the green
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(Tip)
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Ring (-) = Red
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White/Red Stripe
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Brown
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White/Orange Stripe
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Black/Yellow Stripe
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Tip (+) = Green (Sometimes
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yellow, see above.)
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White/Green Stripe
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White/Blue Stripe
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Blue
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Black/White Stripe
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Ground = Black
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Yellow
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----------------------
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RESIDENCE TERMINAL BOX
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----------------------
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Small, gray (can be either a rubber (Pacific Telephone) or hard
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plastic (AT & T) housing deal that connects the cable pair from
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the splitter box (See type 2, above) on the pole to your house
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wiring. Only 2 (or 4, the 2 top terminals are hooked in parallel
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with the same line) terminals, and is very easy to use. This can
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be used to add more lines to your house or add an external line
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outside the house.
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---------
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TEST SETS
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---------
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Well, now you can consider yourself a minor expert on the
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terminals and wiring of the local telephone network. Now you can
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apply it to whatever you want to do.. Here's another helpful
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item:
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How to make a Basic Test-Set and how to use it to dial out,
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eavsdrop, or seriously tap and record line activity.
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These are the (usually) orange hand set fones used by Telco
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technicians to test lines. To make a very simple one, take any
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Bell (or other, but I recommend a good Bell fone like a princess
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or a trimline. gte flip fones work excllently, though..) fone and
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follow the instructions below.
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Note: A 'black box' type fone mod will let you tap into their
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line, and with the box o, it's as if you werent there. they can
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recieve calls and dial out, and you can be listening the whole
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time! very useful. With the box off, you have a normal fone test
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set.
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Instructions:
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A basic black box works well with good results. Take the cover
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off the fone to expose the network box (Bell type fones only).
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The <RR> terminal should have a green wire going to it (orange or
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different if touch tone - doesnt matter, its the same thing).
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Disconnect the wire and connect it to one pole of an SPST switch.
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Connect a piece of wire to the other pole of the switch and
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connect it to the <RR> terminal. Now take a 10k hm 1/2 watt 10%
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resistor and put it between the <RR> terminal ad the <F>
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terminal, which should have a blue and a white wire going to it
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(different for touch tone). It should look like this:
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-----Blue wire----------<F>
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!
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----White wire-----!
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!
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10k Resistor
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!
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!
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--Green wire-- !----<RR>
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! !
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SPST
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What this does in effect is keep the hookswitch / dial pulse
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switch (F to RR loop) open while holding the line high with the
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resistor. This gives the same voltage effect as if the fone was
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'on-hook', while the 10k ohms holds the voltage right above the
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'off hook' threshold (around 22 volts or so, as compared to 15-17
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or normal off hook 48 volts for normal 'on-hook'), giving
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Continued In: Ma Bell Part II
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Disclaimer notice:
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This file is presented as an Informational text file only.
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Do not try any of the things mentioned as some of them
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are illegal to do. The bbs operator takes NO responsibilty.
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--------------------------------------
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How Ma Bell Works - Part III
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--------------------------------------
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Test Set Version 2
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Another design is similar to the 'type 1' test set (above),
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but has some added features:
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From >----------------Tip------<To Test
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Alligator set
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Clip >----------------Ring-----<phone
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! !
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x !
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! !
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o !
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! x---RRRRR---!
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! x !
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!---x !
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x----0------!
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x = Spst Switch
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o = Red LOD 0 = Green LED
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RRRRR= 1.8k 1/2 watt xxxx= Dpst switch
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resistor
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When the SPST switch in on, the LED will light, and the fone
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will become active. The green light should be on. If it isn't,
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switch the dpst. If it still isnt, check the polarity of the
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line and the LEDs. With both lights on, hang up the fone. They
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should all be off now. Now flip the dpst and pick up the fone.
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The red LED shold be on, but the green shouldnt. If it is,
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something is wrong with the circuit. You wont get a dial tone if
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all is correct.
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When you hook up to the line with the alligator clips
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(Assuming you have put this circuit inside our fona and have put
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alligator clips on the ring and tip wires (As we did before)) you
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should have the spst #1 in the off posistion. This will greatly
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reduce the static noise involved in hooking up to a line. The red
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LED can also be used to check if you have the correct polarity.
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With this fone you will have the ability to listen in on
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>all< audible line activity, and the people (the 'eavesdropees')
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can use their fone as normal.
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Note that test sets #1 and #2 have true 'black boxes', and can be
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used for free calls (see an article about black boxes).
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Test Set Version 3
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Courtesy of: Lex Luthor
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SYSOP of Plover Net
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To do test set 3:
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Using a trimline (or similar) phone, remove the base and cut
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all of the wire leads off except for the red (ring -) and the
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green (tip +). Solder alligator clips to the lug. The wire
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itself is 'tinsel' wrapped in rayon, and doesnt solder well.
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Inside the one handset, remove the light socket (if it has one)
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and install a small slide or toggle switch (Radio Shack's micro-
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miniature spst works well). Locate the connection of the ring
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and the tip wires on the pc board near where the jack is located
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at the bottom of the handset. (The wires are sometimes black or
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brow instead of red and green, respectively). Cut the foil and
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run 2 pieces of wire to your switch. In parallel with the switch
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add a .25 uf 200 VDC capacitor (mylar, silvered mica, ceramic,
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not an electrolytic). When the switch is closed, the handset
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functions normally. With the switch in the other position, you
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can listen without being heard.
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Note: To reduce the noise involved in connecting the clips to a
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line, add a switch selectable 1000 ohm 1/2 watt resistor in
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series with the tip wire. Flip it in circuit when connecting, and
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once on the line, flip it off again. (or just use the 'line disc-
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onect' type switch as in the type 2 test set (above)). Also
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avoid touching the alligator clips to any metal parts or other
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terminals, for i causes static on the line and raises poeple's
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suspicions.
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---------
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RECORDING
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---------
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If you would like to record any activity, use test set 1 or
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2 above (for unattended recording of >all< line activity), or
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just any test set if you are going to be there to monitor when
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they are dialing, talking, etc.
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Place a telephone pickup coil (I recommend the Becoton T-5 TP
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coil or equivalent) onto the test set, and put the TP plug into
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the mic. jack of any standard tape recorder. Hit play, rec, and
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pause. Alternate pause when you want to record (I dont think
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anyone should have any difficulty with this at all...)
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Well, if you still can't make a test set or you dont have the
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parts, there's still hope. Alternate methods:
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1> Find a bell test set in a manhole or a bridging head and
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'Borrow it indefinately...
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2> According to Sir Francis Drake, test sets can be purchased
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from:
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Techni-Tool
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5 Apollo Road
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Box 368
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Plymouth Meeting
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PA., 19462
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Ask for catalog #28
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They are usually $300 - $600, and are supposed to have MF
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dialing capability as well as TT dialing. They are also of much
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higher quality than the standard bell test sets.
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If you would like to learn more about the subjects covered here,
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I suggest:
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1> Follow Bell trucks and linemen or technicians and ask subtle
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questions. also try 611 (repair service) and ask questions..
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2> Explore your area for any Bell hardware, and experiment with
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it. Don't try something if you are not sure what youre doing,
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because you wouldnt want to cause problems, would you?
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Under NO circumstances do NOT try any of the things mentioned in
|
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this documentation!
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(and we really mean it! If you get caughF<68>?<3F>$<03>s<EFBFBD>Ltp<1B><>-@<40>`<60> <0B><><EFBFBD><<3C><><EFBFBD>x<08>E<><45><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><=}> <09>-<2D>o5z |