Is VoIP For You?
If you don’t know about a new technology called VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, you’re no fun! And wait… Have you been living under a rock? VoIP is just a technology that acts a replacement for your normal telephone. Rather than using your normal phone line, it makes use of your high-speed internet connection (DSL or cable).
Suffice it to say, you must an informed decision before taking any action. Here are the features and benefits of VoIP, and other things you should take into consideration.
First is money. VoIP costs less than regular telephone subscription rates. For the most part, VoIP services provide you with some or unlimited free international and long distance calls. However, know that if you don’t use the phone that much and mostly make local calls, it could actually be cheaper to stay with your regular phone service!
Special features are another thing to consider. Most of the time, VoIP offers neat features that normal phone services simply don’t have. Some of them have \conference calling, free caller-ID, on-hold background music, and free voicemail, among many others.
Does it work with PC and Mac? If you’re using your computer wanting to make a phone call, fret not. You can now make calls from the computer using special software that permits you to share documents, messages, and videos (video chatting) with those who have VoIP, as well.
Watch for additional bonuses, perks, and services. Don’t forget that each VoIP company and each VoIP plan differs from the others. Some companies give proprietary services and even some bonuses.
So, what do you think? Will VoIP work for you? If you think so and know that you can save you money, then go ahead and sign up. Usually, companies will provide a money-back guarantee. If you don’t dig it, you can cancel and ask for your money back.
Categories: VOIP Articles Tags: computer, money, normal, others, Voicde-over Internet Protocol, VOIP
Is it possible to build a wireless voip modem/router?
Question by crbon: Is it possible to build a wireless voip modem/router?
I was wondering instead of buying a wireless router/modem that supports voip can i build my own from eg. a mini itx board or something simmilar? If it is possible, will it be really expensive? Thanks in advance.
Best answer:
Answer by moe fough
First, have you considered 3rd party software for your hardware router? check out dd-wrt or tomato (from Polar Cloud) if you haven’t. I know DD-WRT supports some type of VoIP and there might even be a VoIP distro.
If you have already looked at this option and want to turn a PC into a solution:
Modem- No. (very unlikely). Typically ISPs have to communicate with their own equipment to allow access. You might be able to mac address clone and get away with this but I really wouldn’t do that because you could get in trouble/banned from an ISP.
Router/WIFI/VoIP/Firewall/Server/Proxy/DNS/etc. – Absolutely.
Check out Trixbox (trixbox dot org), which is an Astrisk based PBX VoIP, router, firewall, etc solution. You can configure it to distribute local WiFi with a card you have installed in your PC; however, driver support is sketchy when it comes to anything that isn’t Linksys/D-Link/Netgear (namebrand) so if you have a very generic card, make sure it’s compatible first.
Also, check out M0n0Wall or really- just google Linux or BSD router solutions and you’ll get a lot of results an options.
In any case, you don’t need to be a pro to get these to work, but you should at least be a little familiar with Linux/BSD command line stuff.
What do you think? Answer below!
Categories: VOIP Questions Tags: build, modem/router, possible, VOIP, wireless
Business VoIP – Is It For You?
Like everything new in this world, Voice-over Internet Protocol has been getting a lot of attention lately. It is considered to be the future’s wave. It spares you a sizeable amount of money while simplifying your business operations. However, VoIP may not be for everyone.
First off, let us define what VoIP is. It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It makes use of the Internet as a replacement for a voice phone line and more. You may be wondering why it is so raved about. Actually, there are lots of reasons for that. If you ever ask a particular business why they use such service, you will hear about features packages, low costs, as well as reliability.
The ease of installation is one thing. Almost every business has an Internet connection and computers, so the set up of VoIP is by no means difficult. One of the things you must take into account when you switch to VoIP is that your telecom personnel must be IT proficient and/or your IT personnel must be familiar with the complexities of telecom.
One thing that telecom providers publicize about their service is the customization that was not available before. Regardless how small or big your business is, VoIP providers are likely to work on an individual basis.
You have to know why your company needs VoIP. Switching can be costly. Not only do you have to buy or upgrade equipment, but you also have to re-educate your employees about it.
To benefit from VoIP as well as the multimedia applications that it has, the workforce must be distributed with branch offices or satellite offices, telecommuters and personnel out in the field.
There is an array of reasons for you to make the switch to VoIP, at the same time, there are also reasons not to. We always want to cut corners, so it comes as no surprise that we would want to switch to VoIP. VoIP is a spectacular help, but it may not work for your company.
Categories: VOIP Articles Tags: Business Voip, IT, offices, thing, VOIP, want
Is there an equipment through which I could make a conference call, combining a VOIP line and a land line?
Question by Mary Ann: Is there an equipment through which I could make a conference call, combining a VOIP line and a land line?
I want to make a three way call using a VOIP service and a land line at the same time. Let’s say, I have a Vonage account and a line land; I want to use the VOIP signal to commute the land line with another land line, Thanks in advance for your answers.
Best answer:
Answer by Randy
Try connecting the phone lines with 2 .01 microfarad capacitors . 1 in each wire to provide audio isolation & prevent dc shorts.
What do you think? Answer below!
Understanding VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP refers to the transmission of voice information over IP-based networks or the Internet. It is the delivery of voice information which is in digital form, like fax, SMS, and/or voice-messaging applications, in separate packets rather than the traditional circuit-committed protocols of the public switched telephone network. You can now make and receive voice calls if you have broadband Internet connection. The main upside to VoIP is the fact that you get to save a sizeable amount of money, considering you are ridding yourself of high fees charged by ordinary telephone service.
The Internet Protocol or IP was originally meant for data networking. IP being a worldwide standard for data networking has made possible for its adaption to voice networking.
Other VoIP services will only let you call other people using the same service, but there are those that let you call everyone having a telephone number. VoIP will allow you to call straight from your computer, a special VoIP phone, or a regular phone connected to a special adapter. If the person on the other end has a standard analog phone, he or she is not required to have special tools to talk to you. Some VoIP services even let you speak to more than one person simultaneously.
You may come across other terms typically encountered and often used in the same way with VoIP, and those are IP telephony, Internet telephony, broadband telephony, voice over broadband (VoBB), and broadband phone.
You can make VoIP call with the help of the Internet. A lot of Internet connections are charged through flat monthly fee deals. Moreover, VoIP plans do not charge a per-minute fee for long distance calls and that is the reason why people are all raves about it.
To get the services of VoIP, you must least have a broadband (high speed Internet) connection. This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services like DSL or a local area network. A computer, adaptor, or specialized phone is called for
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Categories: VOIP Articles Tags: data, IP, telephone, voice, Voice-over Internet Protocol, VOIP
I have a VOIP phone on a cable modem and have been experiencing static on my phone. What could be the causes?
Question by videsee: I have a VOIP phone on a cable modem and have been experiencing static on my phone. What could be the causes?
At times, there is absolutely no static and the call is fine. Other times the static stays for about 2 secs and repeats often. Could it be the batteries draining out? Could it be an issue with the VOIP equipment? Could it be the wireless phone interfering with something? Or could it be another reason?
Best answer:
Answer by Roger Vadim
well, this is the problem most of us have with VoIP…but don’t get discouraged….call your VIP provider…and troubleshoot the problem…
here is an example what I had to do to get it done right…..
your voip adapter to your network to avoid issues:
1. Connect voip adapter to a vacant port on your existing network router/switch
2. Give your adapter a static IP address from your router/switch. i.e. for a Linksys wrt54gs router, assign the adapter a static IP address of 192.168.1.130, gateway will be 192.168.1.1 (That’s the linksys IP address), subnet is 255.255.255.0 and the dns is whatever your isp uses. If you don’t know it, you can use a dns from level 3. e.g. 4.2.2.1
3. Now, go into your router and look for the DMZ setting. Turn this on, and input the static IP address of the adapter you just made. e.g. 192.168.1.130
4. For those of you who are a bit more knowledgable of networking and MUST use ports instead of the DMZ, the ports for Packet8 are dynamic. They are ever changing. You will need to forward ports UDP 5060-65534 and TCP 8889
5. If after using VoIP ( Broadband), you realize that their is some echo or possibly 1 way conversation, or possibly that you are losing internet connection to your adapter, go back into the router and turn OFF any firewall or SPI settings. If this doesn’t fix the problem, you might have to go back to factory defaults on the BPG510 and place it BEFORE your network router/switch. Placing a 310/410 adapter before the router is NOT an option
That is it. Now, the ports are all open to allow your adapter to work without any issues, HOPEFULLY. LOL!!!
Some notes: If using the BPG510 adapter, to make changes, connect a computer to it initially, and type in 192.168.88.1 then it will ask for a password. The password is “admin” without the quotes. Then change the WAN IP address to what it listed above as an example. You DON’T want to change the LAN IP address. Put in the static IP address in the range of your router like I suggested. When you connect it to the router and all is done, then a computer can be connected on a different port of the router, and still access the BPG510. Instead of the 192.168.88.1, it will be the new wan address you gave it. e.g. 192.168.1.130 . You still have the capability of connecting a computer directly to the lan port of the BPG510 and doing the 192.168.88.1 if you like.
If using the 310/410 adapters, there is no WAN settings. You would change the LAN settings for the IP address you want from your router.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Categories: VOIP Questions Tags: been, Cable, causes, could, experiencing, modem, PHONE, Static, VOIP
What You Need To Know About Cheap VoIP Services
Today, the go-to means of communication on the Internet is Voice over Internet Protocol, also called VoIP. It can be used either for business or personal needs. You can find many upsides in using this service, especially if you regularly use the Internet. It is easy to use, and very cheap. With the affordable services offered, calls can be received and made anytime, from all over the world, with no worries about the bill.
Among the best features of VoIP is conference calling. With it, internet entrepreneurs get to benefit most, considering they can be in business meetings wherever they are in the world. Business partners who happen to be assigned in different parts of the globe get to talk with conference calling, hence, traveling is mostly optional.
Services such as conference calling tend to be very expensive when you’re not using VoIP. However, when you have availed of such VoIP services, all you have to do is download the software from your service provided. Then, have it installed into your computer and you can go about your relentless low cost conference calls from that point.
Nevertheless, not every service provide would give everything free of charge. Everything comes with a price, of course. Luckily, there are those that give VoIP services for free permanently, albeit limited. The customers will only get to access every single feature when they upgrade to premium or full accounts.
You will find a lot of affordable VoIP services in the market, but you have to be very cautious because there are also a lot of scams out there. Extensive research and side by side comparisons will be very helpful, though. Patience is called for when on the hunt for the perfect VoIP service provider.
After all, when you finally get the perfect VoIP for you, you can make and receive calls and participate in conference calls for days on end without so much worrying about shocking bills.
Categories: VOIP Articles Tags: Cheap, cheap conference calls, Services, VOIP
Does anybody know the benefits of VoIP technology?
Question by Geek: Does anybody know the benefits of VoIP technology?
VoIP phones are being preferred over land line phones. Just want to know whether these VoIP phones help in saving money on making cheap international calls?
Best answer:
Answer by Dovi
The benefits of Voip Phones is that you can use them as home phones and you can carry the same number on your smartphone. This means if you travel overseas you can get all your home messages. It also means you pay a lot less for your talk time and if you have relatives overseas you can call them for the cost of the call in there local area
What do you think? Answer below!
Categories: VOIP Questions Tags: anybody, Benefits, Know, Technology, VOIP
ooma HD2 Handset VoIP Phone and Device Reviews
ooma HD2 Handset VoIP Phone and Device
- Two-Inch Color Screen and Picture Caller-ID
- Cutting-Edge HD Voice Clarity
- Superior Security and Range
Introducing the new Ooma HD2 Handset. Get the latest cordless phone technology and features of a smartphone never before found in a home phone. The Ooma HD2 Handset offers improved HD Voice call clarity and features made possible by the Ooma cloud-enabled platform. If you’re an Ooma Premier subscriber, the handset also allows you to take full advantage of advanced features like the Instant Second Line and Private Devices.
List Price: $ 59.99
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Fortinet FortiFone-350i Business VOIP SIP Phone LAN 10/100 PC 10/100 PoE with Power Adapter up to 6 lines FON-350i
Fortinet FON-350i – Fortinet FortiFone-350i Business VOIP SIP Phone LAN 10/100 PC 10/100 PoE with Power Adapter up to 6 lines
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