Home telephone wiring

If you have a dial tone at the closest jack and it doesnot go on through the house check to see if the red or green wire has been pulled loose or is broken at that jack or the next one. What happens when some one calls you? if they get a busy then there is a short where the red and green are touching each other. This sometimes happens only when a phone is plugged into the jack, in that case you can replace the jack. If the phone sounds like it is ringing to the caller and you do not hear the ring signal then you have a wire loose or broken( usually in a jack.) check each one and sometimes you need to pull on the wires the outer coating might hide the broken wire, Sometimes it might be just a loose screw in the jack.

Most home wiring is run in series. This means that the green or red wire is ran from the SNI (subscriber network interface) to the first (closest jack for a phone), then right back up the wall to the next (second) closest jack for a phone. Then, back up the wall and to the next and to the next and so on. This is called series wiring.
There are many variations of this.
The other home wiring is called home run. This is where most every jack wiring cable goes from the jack all the way back to the closest point to the SNI.
Hope this helps

Most home wiring is run in series. This means that the green or red wire is ran from the SNI (subscriber network interface) to the first (closest jack for a phone), then right back up the wall to the next (second) closest jack for a phone. Then, back up the wall and to the next and to the next and so on. This is called series wiring.
There are many variations of this.
The other home wiring is called home run. This is where most every jack wiring cable goes from the jack all the way back to the closest point to the SNI.
Hope this helps

Your wiring could be a mess of splicing, jumpers, additions over the years. It's impossible to know (or to really be able to help you) without being there in person.

Typically, you just have to worry about the red and green wires. The black and yellow are for a second line. This is of course only if you have standard 2 pair wiring.

If any work has been done recently I would concentrate on that area. If just one jack is removed or a wire cut by mistake that could easily take out your entire house. Also, if the red and green wires are touching anywhere that would also cause a problem.