Which Phone Adapter is best (for me)?

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 16, 2006 Posts: 2

I'm looking to get Vonage, however, can't seem to find a consensus on what is the best Phone Adapter, rather the best one for me.

Here is what I currently have:
Adelphia cable (4MB download/384k upload)
WPT54G v5 Wireless Router

I will not be faxing or adding a second line, just the 1 line home networked using the existing phone lines. I see the PAP2 comes basically free after rebates, which I'm leaning towards since I don't need ethernet ports on the phone adapter (all my computers are wireless), however will look into a different router such as the RTP300 if it doesn't mean spending more than $50-$60. I will ultimately have 5 phones and 4-5 computers on the router/adapter setup, however, hopefully not all of them going at the same time.

We do not do a lot of what you would call bandwidth intensive work, mainly medium to moderate websurfing, however, I'm wanting to maximize the quality of the phone without sacrificing too much. I upgraded to a 4MB ISP from our current 1.5Mbps DSL to compensate for Voip. We didn't really need the extra bandwidth, so if I lose a little for voice quality, that is ok.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:23 am Post subject:

If you order Vonage service from Vonage themselves (or even better, through the link on this website in the upper left, which helps pay to keep this site alive), you can see what all of your options are. I believe you can get the RTP300 free from them as well.

Basically, for what you need, I'd recommend:
1) RTP300 (using it only as a phone adapter)
2) WRTP54G (using it only as a phone adapter)
3) PAP2
4) not sure where I'd go from here...

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

VonageTPA wrote:

If you order Vonage service from Vonage themselves (or even better, through the link on this website in the upper left, which helps pay to keep this site alive), you can see what all of your options are. I believe you can get the RTP300 free from them as well.

They're not listing it anymore under "products" on the web site. They have the RT31P2 instead.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:54 am Post subject:

Steve48 wrote:

VonageTPA wrote:

If you order Vonage service from Vonage themselves (or even better, through the link on this website in the upper left, which helps pay to keep this site alive), you can see what all of your options are. I believe you can get the RTP300 free from them as well.

They're not listing it anymore under "products" on the web site. They have the RT31P2 instead.

Ouch.... that's the router which dies after 18 months... unless they've changed something about them to improve reliability. NOT a good direction for Vonage to be heading.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

Probably not. The subject has come up in other threads. For whatever reason, Vonage seems to be moving away from the RTP300.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 16, 2006 Posts: 2

I saw that too! Vonage is no longer using the RTP300 and Linksys doesn't list it as a current device either. The WRTP54G is a wireless version of the RTP300 and you can still pick that up from Vonage, however, I've seen a number of threads with RTP300 issues and figured I'd stay away from both. Linksys does have the R41P2, but it doesn't appear that Vonage is using it yet. I went ahead and picked up the PAP2 phone adapter yesterday and will be hooking it up today.

Posts: 1123 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1123

For what it's worth, my RT31P2 has been solid for about a year now. I have it behind a WRT-54G, and it does nothing but phone ops. Well-ventilated, and nothing stacked near/on it. Doesn't get very warm at all.

Posts: 323 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 323

I'm with you Dave.

I've had my RT31P2 for almost 18 months and it has worked fine. I don't use it as a router either, but has worked fine as a phone adapter for me as well...

Unless the 18 months is really the end time....

VonageTPA wrote:

Ouch.... that's the router which dies after 18 months... unless they've changed something about them to improve reliability. NOT a good direction for Vonage to be heading.

In which case, I'll be buying a new device very soon.... Cry

-John

Posts: 1123 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1123

Oh well, if it dies, it dies. I'll just get a new one. Maybe they're like disposable lighters. Very Happy