New user to be

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 13, 2004 Posts: 1

Just moved to US from UK. Most telephone calls are to UK, few US long distance and few local. Moving to new home Aug. and will have broadband installed, through Comcast.

Q1. If using a wireless network what equipment will be needed?
Q2. Can phone lines in home be used for extra phones or will we be best with wireless phones, with main one plugged into voice adapter?
Q3. Have I missed anything?

Many thanks

deebee

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 13, 2004 Posts: 5

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Q1. If using a wireless network what equipment will be needed?

Depends on the wireless standard. I'm guessing 802.11x so you'd need a router like a Linksys BEFW11S4 (what I use) or something similar (Netgear makes some nice stuff). Just plug your Vonage MTA into the router, open some ports and enjoy.

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Q2. Can phone lines in home be used for extra phones or will we be best with wireless phones, with main one plugged into voice adapter?

Both would be fine. Just put your cable modem, router and MTA right near where your POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) line comes into the house and hook up. Of course plugging the MTA right into a cordless phone (or multiple phone cordless phone system) is the easiest and most flexable way.

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Q3. Have I missed anything?

A few things to think about:
- Vonage rates to the UK are dirt cheap (like $0.02 per minute). I have yet to hear of a better deal.
- IFAIK sometime soon you'll be able to get a virtual number in the UK so your friends can call you for free. They could also use a free VOIP only service like FWD (freeworlddialup) and call you for free from their computer. AFAIK there's a Vonage to FWD gateway being test right now and the FWD to Vonage gateway works well (from FWD just dial "**243 1 800 555 1212" if your Vonage number was 800 555-1212).
- Don't get a POTS line in the new place and then decide to transfer the number to Vonage. If you get your number from Vonage you'll have service in less time (like a few days) than it takes the local telco to setup a POTS line.
- Make sure that the new place can get Internet access.
- If you have a problem or other questions post them to this group for an answer.

Vonage isn't perfect but IMO it's so much better than POTS service it's not even funny. IMO POTS will be gone within the next ten years and everyone will use VOIP.

Bonne Chance,
bb47

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 14, 2004 Posts: 14

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Just moved to US from UK. Most telephone calls are to UK, few US long distance and few local.

Lucky, you will save major bucks.

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Q1. If using a wireless network what equipment will be needed?

Any router will do, go with 802.11g, it's faster. I use Belkin, it's cheap and works very nicely.

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Q2. Can phone lines in home be used for extra phones or will we be best with wireless phones, with main one plugged into voice adapter?

If you use cordless phones, understand that 2.4 GHz cordless phones interfere with WLAN access points. You will need to keep separate frequency bands for phones and WLAN router. I recommend cordless phones other than 2.4 GHz plugged into the Vonage adapter. GET A SECOND NUMBER FOR YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER (else you will be watching rather than talking Very Happy

). Set up a conventional landline and you will be swamped with telemarketing calls (hint, hint ... www.donotcall.gov).

DEEBEE060 wrote:

Q3. Have I missed anything?

Looks like you are good to go.

Happy vonaging,
Max.

Posts: 110 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 110

A few more thoughts...

If you don't get a generic POTS line, you will not be listed in your local town directory (just FYI... not saying that's good or bad).

You do NOT need to put your router and Vonage ATA (that's the box they send you) near the point where your phone line enters the house. You can very easily disconnect the outside wiring from the phone co. into your house, then simply plug the Vonage ATA into one of your phone jacks, and viola! instant VOIP dial tone throughout the house. There is more information on this available in this forum if you seach for 'wiring'. It's pretty easy.

And so, you may not need a wireless home router at all, at least not because of the Vonage service. Just keep your Vonage ATA, router, and cable modem in the same place (near any phone jack) and you'll only need wireless router if you have add'l computers you intend to connect. The wireless router doesn't have anything to do with the Vonage service if you connect it like I describe.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 13, 2004 Posts: 5

MaxPepper wrote:

If you use cordless phones, understand that 2.4 GHz cordless phones interfere with WLAN access points. You will need to keep separate frequency bands for phones and WLAN router. ,
Max.

This is a very good point. A 2.4GHz parked near a 802.11b/g router could cause interference on the computer end with lower thoughput or shorter ranges. The phone most likely would be fine with maybe a decreased range. You should keep the two far a part or go to 802.11a, which is ~5GHz. Of course it would be cheaper to just go with a 5GHz phone since 802.11a stuff is pricey.

Thanks for bring it up Max.

bb47

Posts: 110 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 110

Yes, yes, yes... enought about the wireless networking.

Have we even established that he NEEDS a wireless router?????