My base phone gets dial tone, handsets do not

When a cordless phone says "Out of Range" or "Searching for Signal", there are a number of possible issues (assuming you are close to the base). 1) The handset battery may be low and not taking a charge. If the battery is more than a year old (including time spent in storage), replace the batteries for both handsets.
2) The base may not have power or an incoming telephone line signal. Check that the power adapter is warm (power to the base). Use another phone cord (and a second phone (preferably corded) to check for a dial tone). If a second phone has no dial tone, see below for diagnosing a phone line.
3) The phone base has lost the registration information for the handsets. A way to reset the phone is to unplug the power cord (from both the wall outlet and the phone base) and the phone data line and unplug the batteries from all handsets. Wait several minutes then plug in the base power and data cords and then reconnect the phone batteries. You may want to re-register the handsets. This is done by putting the handset in the main charging base for 20 seconds when the handset is fully charged. (See your phone manual) The phone was made by Thomson Electronics for GE; the manual is available here: http://www.home-electronics.net/USER-GUIDES/25952_DOM_EN_CL_IB.pdf .
4) The phone base or handsets are not transmitting or receiving the signals properly. This means that the phone needs repair or replacement. If it is under warranty, contact the manufacturer. Otherwise decide if the phone is worth the repair costs.

If you have no dial tone at the jack where the base is connected, check another phone jack on that line. If you still have no dial tone, find where the phone service comes in. Then open the service box and if the service is fairly new, plug in the RJ-11 test phone and listen for a dial tone. If you can't plug in the phone cord or there is no dial tone, contact your service provider. They will test and fix any outside problem.

If the problem is inside, inspect the visible wires. If you have a DSL filter as part of the inside wiring, check/replace it. If only one jack has a problem, open the faceplate and fix any loose wires. There are two faceplate designs - screw terminals or keystone jacks. For the screw-type, the conductors must be stripped and secured under the screws. For the keystones, the conductors are not stripped but pressed into the terminals with a punch-down tool. This tool is available at many home improvement stores in the wiring aisle. See http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for a diagram of the wiring.

If the problem is not in a visible part of your wiring, you may want a professional to find and fix the problem. Your telephone provider will be willing to do the work for a fee.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

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

Most cordless phones will say connecting when the handset is out of range, the base has no power or the base does not have a dial tone.

I start my tests at the base and make sure that another phone (preferably an old corded phone) gets a dial tone at that jack. Try a new phone cord to check if the cable is bad. Check if the power brick for the base is warm and that the outlet has power. For some phones, you can reset them by unplugging the base and removing the battery from the handset. Then reconnect the battery and plug in the base. Check if the handset and base can communicate (try the Find Handset option). If needed re-register the handset.

If the test phone doesn't get a dial tone, then you need to find where you have a wiring problem. Try the test phone at another phone jack. If there is still no dial tone, find the telephone service box (where the phone line comes in). If you have a fairly new service, you will find an RJ-11 jack in the box. Plug in your test phone and check for a dial tone. If you have no dial tone, contact your phone company. They will come and fix the line for free. (If you can't use an RJ-11 cord at the service box, your phone company will test this outside connection.)

If there is a dial tone at the service box or at one jack and not another, it's an inside wiring problem. Look at any open wires (perhaps in the basement) for obvious damage. Open the jack and check for loose wires. (There are two types of jacks - one wraps the wire around a screw, the other requires a punch down tool to secure the conductors in the keystone. The conductors should be connected to the terminals in the correct order. To see a picture of the terminal connections that are used, see http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx . The punchdown tool is available at many home improvement stores in the wiring aisle.)

If your test phone had dial tone at the original jack and resetting the phone by disconnecting the power did not help, then the phone needs service. If it is under warranty, contact V-tech. Otherwise, you may be better off replacing the unit. These phones are not meant to be user serviced.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(if you add a comment with the model, then I will check if I can provide more details in my solution.)

Hello.

Reset the phone:

Unplug the battery in the handset, unplug the phone line from the base and unplug the electricity from the base. Leave everything unplugged for an hour or two instead of a couple to five minutes. That way you can get more of an idea of whether your phone will work. After an hour or two plug in everything. If resetting the phone doesn't work then try the next step.

Check the surge protector:

Is the phone line plugged into a surge protector? The surge protector may have stopped working or blown a surge, a sudden burst of electricity, which may have caused the dial tone in your cordless phone to go. Unplug the phone line from the surge protector then plug it back in and see if you get a dial tone. It could be that the phone line plugged into the surge was loose or not plugged in securely.

Try a different phone plug, outlet.

Check the base:

Is the base dusty and have possible dirt in the prongs where the phone sits? Lift the base and blow off dust.

Check the handset for dirt.


Rub metal connections on handset and base:

Use a pen cap or coin and rub the metal connections on the bottom of the handset. Rub the prongs, metal connections on base.

Hope these suggestions help.

Hello.

Here are some tips, found online:

Reset the phone:

Unplug the battery in the handset, unplug the phone line from the base and unplug the electricity from the base. Leave everything unplugged for an hour or two instead of a couple to five minutes that way you can get more of an idea of whether your phone will work. After an hour or two plug in everything. If resetting the phone doesn't work then try the next step.

Check the surge protector:

Is the phone line plugged into a surge protector? The surge protector may have stopped working or blown a surge, a sudden burst of electricity, which may have caused the dial tone in your cordless phone to go. Unplug the phone line from the surge protector then plug it back in and see if you get a dial tone. It could be that the phone line plugged into the surge was loose or not plugged in securely.

Try a different phone plug, outlet.

Check the base:

Is the base dusty and have possible dirt in the prongs where the phone sits? Lift the base and blow off dust.

Check the handset for dirt.


Rub metal connections on handset and base:

Use a pen cap or coin and rub the metal connections on the bottom of the handset. Rub the prongs, metal connections on base.

Hope these suggestions help.

When there is no dial tone the problem could be dead batteries in your handsets, or an unplugged base, or a problem with the phone lines outdoors [which only the phone company can fix]. Check your phone first, then make sure the base is plugged in. If all is ok with your phone then call the phone company and tell them you have no dial tone. Regards, Joe
PS please rate my answer. Thank you.

Just a suggestion (without knowing what troubleshooting steps from your manual you may have taken): Remove the batteries from the back of the handset and then put them back in after a few moments. My Panasonic KX-TGA8231B (DECT6.0) phones were acting up just like your Uniden is. All functions returned after this power interrupt "reset" with the batteries was done. Hope that helps. Good luck. - - -Gerry

I had the same problem and my hubby managed to reset the phone by simply unplugging it from the electical network. Just wait for few minutes (the date goes back to 1 Jan 2005), then plug it again and try to dial a number. It should work.

All you have to do is put the phone that does not get a dial tone on the MAIN CHARGING BASE for 20 seconds! it will then sync up!

Good luck!

I was having the same problem with the same model phone, and fixed the problem by rebooting the phone – unplugging the AC and phone cord from the base station and plugging both back it, then removing and replacing the handset to regenerate the security code.