The Challenge: To keep a phone by the bed or in the basement or garage when there's no jack in reach — without the expense of installation by a phone technician.

To the Rescue: A wireless phone-jack system (such as the RCA #RC920, $80 at www.rca.com). "Wireless technology now provides very good reception on reputable brands," says Cliff Sugrue, a New York City residential contractor. And buying a wireless phone-jack system is cheaper and less time-consuming than having the phone company install a new jack, which would run between $45 and $200, plus hours of waiting for the technician to show up.

A base unit connects with both an electrical outlet and an existing phone jack in your home, the extension plugs into an outlet in the room you want your phone in, and the phone plugs into that extension.