Re: circuit that watches for phone ring and resets external device

Hello Mark,


I'm looking for either a circuit, kit or prebuilt device that will hook
up to a phone line and when I dial that extension it will reset my DSL
modem and router.

All I need it to do is sense the incoming ring voltage momentarily
interrupt the power.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Use a neon bulb (NE2 or similar) with a faily high series resistor
(22k to 100k) and connect it across the phone line. Couple the neon
bulb to a photodiode or some other photo sensor. The photo sensor is
connected to your reset circuitry, whatever that may be. If you're
using a Westell DSL router, you may be running traffic that crashes
the router. Westell routers work fine for plain vanilla traffic. If
you're using peer to peer programs, Westell routers will barf on some
types of traffic.


I am using a Westell modem. It needed several resets a day in the beginning, now much better. I believe it's because of hickups at the provider's side but that was the reason to keep this modem here in the office. Ideally it should be in the LAN closet. A power cycle is the only way to reset it without opening the unit.

To the OP: A simpler method might be to buy a remote controlled power outlet. On sale these can sometimes be had under $20 with the remote. No mess. Just plug it in ... done.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com
.

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