Right wires,
wrong wires

For a phone system with a central control unit ("KSU"), you need a "home-run" configuration (what computer guys call "star topography"), with a direct path from each phone jack to the control unit.

In older construction, particularly homes, "loop-through" wiring is more common, where the circuit passes from one jack to another and another.

Loop-through wiring is OK for simple phones and "KSU-less" phone systems.

The traditional 4-conductor "quad" wire with green, red, black and yellow should not be used in new phone installations. Use 4-pair (8 conductor) Category 3 or 5 wire.

Panasonic phones don't need four pairs, but it's nice to have extra wire in the walls. The cost of extra wire is insignificant compared to the price of opening up walls to add more wire later.

The KX-T7130 and KX-T7135 phones require three pairs of wire for off-hook call announcing when connected to an analog or digital 1232 control unit. Newer analog phones and control units use two pairs of wire. Digital phones can work on one pair of wires, but need a second pair for the eXtra Device Port on the back of the phone.

It's nice to have spare wire for additional devices later on, or to compensate for wire damaged by plumbers or squirrels. If you are running new wire, we recommend 4-, or 6-pair 24 gauge to each phone location. Wire is cheap to buy. Installing more wire later on is not cheap, and can be very messy. You can buy wire at our PhoneGeeks.com website.