An interactive system and method for communicating data over a network of twisted pair wiring that is in active use as a conductive path for ordinary telephone signals. Data is encoded redundantly in multiple channels to avoid interference by noise on the telephone network, such as interference from common radio signals. Data is also communicated in the reverse direction using a more general procedure. This reverse channel can be located above the telephone voice band and below the multiple data channels. Data communications are accomplished without interfering with voice communications. The transmitted data may include audio/video signals, and signals from infrared transmitters.