Cordless phones that work well w/ Vonage

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 03, 2005 Posts: 6

I have 2 phone connected serially to my Vonage box. The 1st one in line is a Panasonic, the 2nd a VTech. Both are 5.8 ghz units.

The Panasonic works nearly flawlessly, no jitter, sound quality rivals hardwire. The VTech jitters to the point of unusability. Neither phone is used when the other is - only 1 at a time.

We like the VTech because it is a 2-handset unit, but obviously 2 inoperative handsets are worthless.

Has anyone else experienced varying quality depending upon handset? Any recommendations for phones that work well w/ Vonage?

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:49 am Post subject:

In general, VTech (and now AT&T which is made by VTech) phones are one step above no-name brands. Junk 'em. I prefer the Uniden TRU-series phones. I have both Tru8xxx and Tru9xxx phones in just about everywhere I am. Both homes, all of my offices, and many friends and family have them now. No trouble with call quality, a nice feature set, good battery life, and surprisingly good range. At my one office, I get about 200-300' of range indoors. People now call me on my VoIP extension at work rather than my cell b/c of well they've worked in there. They've also taken quite a few drops to the concrete & porcelain tile floors without any obvious damage.

Posts: 4736 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4736

And, in general, Vonage doesn't care about the phone. If the phone works well with a POTS line, it should work well with Vonage. Exception: Avoid 2.4 GHz cordless phones if you use wireless networking.

Posts: 226 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Oct 15, 2006 Posts: 226

agreed

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 16, 2006 Posts: 8

Actually, I have the panasonic multitalk 2.4ghz (KX-TG 2770) on a wireless network that works flawlessly - guess I'm just lucky, or it's a really good phone.

Posts: 4736 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4736

Yes, people frequently mix 2.4 GHz cordless phones and wireless without problems. Problems are probably less frequent than non-problems, but there's no need to ask for trouble if it can be avoided.

Posts: 92 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Aug 01, 2006 Posts: 92

I have a Uniden 5.8Ghz that works great with my wireless router and Vonage. The manufacturer and model seems to be a bit of a gamble but there is no good reason to buy a 2.4Ghz phone.

- Kukk

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 16, 2006 Posts: 8

Of course you're right, if this system were to die I wouldn't buy 2.4ghz again and would go for the 5.8 on any new purchase. Just nice when you're existing phones work. I live in an old colonial house with a tin roof and some of the original wiring - so any wireless product is a gamble, and some electrical products as well Cool

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 03, 2007 Posts: 1

warpwiz wrote:

I have 2 phone connected serially to my Vonage box. The 1st one in line is a Panasonic, the 2nd a VTech. Both are 5.8 ghz units.

The Panasonic works nearly flawlessly, no jitter, sound quality rivals hardwire. The VTech jitters to the point of unusability. Neither phone is used when the other is - only 1 at a time.

We like the VTech because it is a 2-handset unit, but obviously 2 inoperative handsets are worthless.

Has anyone else experienced varying quality depending upon handset? Any recommendations for phones that work well w/ Vonage?

I agree that VTech phones are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to quality. But my 4 handset system was a gift, so I am using it any way. I also live in a house with a tin roof, and find the occasional problem with wireless stuff.

I used to be into amateur radio not too long ago. I found that the VTech phones are rather "noisy". That is, they cause radio interference in some devices. I was having a big problem with choppy audio when I used mine too. What I am convinced is happening is that the transmission from the phone, and/or base unit is causing internal interference in the modems themselves. Wireless adapters could also be causing this as well. I have the feeling that the modems for the most part are very poorly shielded from RF. Even though I am new to the forum, everything I have read so far that involves choppy audio, it seems that a cordless phone, or wireless network is involved.

Here is a quick fix that I did, and it seems to have solved the problem. Make a Grounded Faraday Cage for your modems.

I know, what is a Faraday Cage. It is a wire mesh box connected to a good ground that will protect your vonage, and cable modems from any RF interference. Without getting to deep into the physics lesson, it will take electromagnetic energy (radio signals, and interfernce from other electrical devices, IE: electric motors) and dissipate it across the cage to ground, before it can enter the cage, where the modem is, to cause the choppy audio problem.

Here is how you build one. Get some aluminum window screen from the hardware store, (It has to be aluminum, not fiberglass) any cardboard box that is big enough for the modems to sit in and still allow enough air to circulate for cooling, and some wire 14 gauge will work fine. cut some holes in the box for ventilation, then wrap the box with the window screen, 2 layers thick all the way around NO OPENINGS, just a flap to get to the modems. A stapler will be handy for this. connect the wire to the back of the box so the stripped wire is touching the window screen. (again stapler) Then take the other end of the wire an connect it to a ground, the metal back of your computer case will do fine as long as it is plugged into a known grounded plug. Then all you have to do is cut a small hole in the back of the box thru the screen to route your wires thru, hook up your modems, and you are done.

Now, unless I am right next to the cage with the handset, I seem to have no sound quality problems at all.

Here is my setup.
Charter cable, RCA cable modem, Motorola VT2442, no wireless.

Sometimes there is a simple solution to a complicated problem.

Dave

Posts: 1319 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1319

I am using the V-Tech IA5849 5.8 ghz 3 handset phone and I am having no trouble at all with the phones.

I guess you can try and buy different phones and if you don't like the quality take them back to the retailer for an exchange or refund.

I like the multi handset phones since my phone jacks in the house no longer work. With this V-Tech phone if I am on the phone the other phones can't be picked up and listened on. If I answer the main phone, I can transfer the call to one of the other 2 handsets.

I haven't tried to see how far I can go away from the base to check out the range of the phone, but I have no problems inside the house.