Beige box (phreaking)
Encyclopedia
In phone phreaking, a beige box is a device that is technically equivalent to a telephone company lineman's handset
— a telephone fitted with alligator clips to attach it to a line.
" telephone
, a soldering iron
, and a pair of alligator clips. Sometimes a switch is added in order to turn the microphone off (mute), so as not to introduce ambient noise into the line through the telephone's microphone. Green and red wire are the only wires that need connection in order to both talk and listen. Usually this method is done by stripping a portion of the line and attaching alligator clips linked to a corded phone. Instructions for constructing a beige box can be found in many places on the internet
, as well as instructions on how to make other phreaking
boxes.
Alternative beige boxes can also be built by connecting alligator clips to an RJ11 jack. This method does not require modification of a telephone—any kind of telephone that connects to the jack can be used.
The alligator clips on a typical Lineman's handset usually include a part known as a "bed of nails" connector, allowing the clips to be attached to wires without removing their insulation.
's prohibition on connecting non-AT&T provided equipment to their network.
Lineman's handset
A lineman's handset is a special type of telephone used by technicians for installing and testing local loop telephone lines. It is also called a test set, butt set, or buttinski.-Components:...
— a telephone fitted with alligator clips to attach it to a line.
Construction
Beige boxes can be usually constructed with easily available materials, such as a simple "POTSPlain old telephone service
Plain old telephone service is the voice-grade telephone service that remains the basic form of residential and small business service connection to the telephone network in many parts of the world....
" telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
, a soldering iron
Soldering iron
A soldering iron is a hand tool most commonly used in soldering. It supplies heat to melt the solder so that it can flow into the joint between two workpieces.A soldering iron is composed of a heated metal tip and an insulated handle...
, and a pair of alligator clips. Sometimes a switch is added in order to turn the microphone off (mute), so as not to introduce ambient noise into the line through the telephone's microphone. Green and red wire are the only wires that need connection in order to both talk and listen. Usually this method is done by stripping a portion of the line and attaching alligator clips linked to a corded phone. Instructions for constructing a beige box can be found in many places on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, as well as instructions on how to make other phreaking
Phreaking
Phreaking is a slang term coined to describe the activity of a culture of people who study, experiment with, or explore telecommunication systems, such as equipment and systems connected to public telephone networks. As telephone networks have become computerized, phreaking has become closely...
boxes.
Alternative beige boxes can also be built by connecting alligator clips to an RJ11 jack. This method does not require modification of a telephone—any kind of telephone that connects to the jack can be used.
The alligator clips on a typical Lineman's handset usually include a part known as a "bed of nails" connector, allowing the clips to be attached to wires without removing their insulation.
History
Although wiretaps go back to the very beginning of telephony, the term "Beige Boxing" has become the generic term for illegally connecting to a phone line.Legal issues
Although it is not illegal to possess or construct a beige box, it is illegal to use it to make unauthorized use of a phone line with any device, because this violates wiretapping and theft of service laws. Prior to the 1968 Carterphone decision, a beige box user additionally risked violating AT&TAT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
's prohibition on connecting non-AT&T provided equipment to their network.