Can two routers use one Tel line?

Might seem a daft question but it is something that I have wondered about for some time!
If one has a wired router connected to a BT phone line which is working as it should via Broadband with a stable connection to an ISP (for example AOL) what would happen if one tried to connect up a second wired router to another phone socket using the same ISP with the same account details.

Would the whole lot crash and mess the connection at the exchange or would it work but split the connection between the 2 routers but work normally, my instinct would be that something would go 'haywire'!

(My Netgear DG834GT is connected full time via AOL BB and I wondered what the result would be if I plugged another router into the same phone-line for testing without unplugging the 834DG.)

Edited by deleted (Sat 02-Oct-10 10:48:12)

The ADSL would simply not work...

why do you not try it & see what happens. let us all know how you get on

No problem if only one is switched on at any time.

In reply to a post by iand:

why do you not try it & see what happens. let us all know how you get on

Lol I was hoping someone here would try it, I am too scared! Lol

if it would work then most of us would be doing that

I'd guess it would at worst cause a low sync event which would screw up your profile if you're on a resold BT product.

Surely a small price for you to pay to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of empirical science!

Tried years ago and go no sync on either bit of kit

Thanks to all for the comments.

And no I am too cowardly to try it my connection is rubbish enough as it is being on an non LLU exchange and several miles of really ancient copper wire between my router and the exchange!

In reply to a post by micksharpe:

No problem if only one is switched on at any time.

Possibly ... but there would probably be an extra 3dB of attenuation along with a 3dB drop in noise margin and thus a lower sync speed.