What cordless phones work with wireless routers?

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 15

Hi peeps,

I have Vonage with a Linksys RT31P2 Router, a Linksys WAP54G wireless access point, and a Motorola MD671 5.7Ghz cordless phone.

I got a 5.7Ghz phone because I have read that the 2.6Ghz range will conflict with my 802.11b signal (I am running mixed mode 802.11b and 802.11g). Here's my problem: when I'm talking, sometimes the ability to talk cuts out. I can hear the other person just fine and it never drops. But my ability to talk to them cuts in and out, or they can only hear me faintly. I thought it might be Vonage at first but it's not really a dropped call -- it's more like the phone is the problem.

It turns out that the Motorola MD671 is 5.7Ghz from base to receiver, but it's 2.6Ghz going from receiver back to base (hence, my ability to talk gets chopped). This is the technical spec from Motorola Mad

. So I'm kinda screwed - obviously I'm getting a 2.6Ghz frequency problem. I think it's the phone, so I gotta get a new one.

Should I go back to 900Mhz? Doesn't 900Mhz kinda suck in an apartment complex? Are there any true 5.7Ghz phones out there? Which phones sound the best? What make/model phones are working best for you folks with wireless? Should I just get some coconuts and some string?

Thanks very much, looking forward to fixing this with your suggestions.

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 15

Oh, yeah - and if I'm completely wrong about the phone being the issue, and it turns out I'm possibly getting packet loss or I have a network config problem, PLEASE let me know. All comments welcome.

Posts: 33 · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:14 am Post subject:

For dropping, see if the calls drop while the router is OFF, if the problem persists then it is not interferece with the router.

As for handsets, look at the Uniden TRU series. Many folks are satisfied with them, myself included and I have the 2 line model

Posts: 281 · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 4:21 pm Post subject:

If you are truely concerned about it.. get a wireless phone in a different range then your access point....

ie: 900mhz...2.4ghz....5.6 ghz

Posts: 73 · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:38 am Post subject:

I used to have similar problems where I'd be talking to someone, and then at some point during the call I could still hear them perfectly fine, but they couldn't hear me at all. It turned out it was a problem with my internet connection, and not with Vonage or any of my equipment. Usually when that problem would occur, my internet connection was getting ready to drop out. After I fussed about it enough (and started threatening calling places like the BBB, etc.), Time Warner came out and did a thorough check of my whole neighborhood. They found some pretty badly damaged lines/equipment at the main trunk coming into my neighborhood. As soon as they fixed that I had no more problems.

Posts: 73 · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:41 am Post subject:

Forgot to mention that I too use a cordless phone that's 5.8 from base to receiver and 2.4 from receiver to base (Vtech), and use wireless networking (Motorola WR850G - 802.11g). I never have any problems with the phone interefering with the networking, and the base is only about 3 feet from the networking equipment.

Posts: 281 · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:45 am Post subject:

The only time it would interfear with your networking is if you had a wireless access point.

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:12 pm Post subject:

heh, thanks for that clarification

anyway, my 2.4 cordless is less than 3 feet from my 2.4 network, and I never had problems until I formatted my laptop. Then when the phone was in use, the network would flat out die instantly. I finally figured out the problem was the router was set to short preamble, and the wless pcmcia card's settings in device manager had short preamble turned off. once I turned it on, the problem was solved.

Posts: 4 · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:41 pm Post subject:

Frequency interference between cordless phones and wireless routers IN MOST CASES would not cause dropped calls, but would add noise to the line. What you are experiencing is the result of one of the following....
1) A firmware upgrade needs to be applied to the voice adapter as required by the proxy it is on.
or
2) Your upload bandwidth is insufficent to hold the call.

Posts: 22 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 29, 2004 Posts: 22

L202 wrote:

I have Vonage with a Linksys RT31P2 Router, a Linksys WAP54G wireless access point, and a Motorola MD671 5.7Ghz cordless phone.

First off, your setup should be like so:
Internet --> RT31P2 --> WAP54G
This setup would guarantee that the Vonage VoIP would always get enough bandwidth (using built-in QOS in the RT31).

To setup the WAP in your network do the following:
Jack into the WAP54G wirelessly, and assign it a fixed IP of 192.168.0.2 (If Linky default range memory serves), and then turn off DHCP on the WAP. Then plug the WAP into one of the switch ports of the RT31.

Secondly, your problem shouldn't have anything to do with Vonage. Confirm this by using a land line plugged directly into the RT31, and see if the problem persists.

L202 wrote:

when I'm talking, sometimes the ability to talk cuts out....But my ability to talk to them cuts in and out, or they can only hear me faintly. I thought it might be Vonage at first but it's not really a dropped call -- it's more like the phone is the problem.

It turns out that the Motorola MD671 is 5.7Ghz from base to receiver, but it's 2.6Ghz going from receiver back to base (hence, my ability to talk gets chopped). This is the technical spec from Motorola Mad

. So I'm kinda screwed - obviously I'm getting a 2.6Ghz frequency problem. I think it's the phone, so I gotta get a new one.

Should I go back to 900Mhz? Doesn't 900Mhz kinda suck in an apartment complex? Are there any true 5.7Ghz phones out there? Which phones sound the best? What make/model phones are working best for you folks with wireless?

If your corded phone is OK, then you have a wireless problem. See if your 802.11g traffic has issues when your phone does. Try using Netstumbler and see if there are any other 802.11b/g devices nearby (neighbors). Either way try changing the channel on your phone and/or WAP and see if that reduces the interference.

The problem with the open spectrum area, that is 2.4GHz/802.11b/802.11g, is that, by FCC law, all devices have to play nice with each other. In real terms that means they have to be able to deal (read as cut back or retry) when any other devices are operating in the band.

2.5GHz, 5.8GHz, and even the old 900MHz cordless phones suffer from marketing. In efforts to compete, the manufacturers take 1/2 approaches like Moto has done with your phone. Even in some cases the "digital" for cordless phones meant that the channel and/or identification of the handset was digital, but the conversation was analog. Do some research, and Google is your friend.

Personally, I've used Unidens for the past 10 years. They are technically quite good, although they are usually behind on ergonomics and/or features (such as Panasonic's new talking Caller-ID). I do miss Uniden's spare battery charger in the base on my current cordless, which had the added benefit of utility even in a power outage. Uniden also make scanners, of which I have a couple. So if you want to be sure that I am not listening to your cordless conversations, get a real DSS cordless. Very Happy

As far as 900MHz vs. 2.5GHz or 5.8GHz for apartment buildings, it depends. Power being equal, RFwise a 900MHz signal should travel farther than 5.8GHz, but a 5.8 should be better able to penetrate walls. The placement of your cordless phone base station has the most influence. Put it in the center of your apartment building away from anything it would have difficulty penetrating (refridgerator, microwave, TV, etc). Higher the better, since most of our stuff is on the ground. Personally, I have my 5.8 cordless base in the exact center of the house, and my 802.11g WAP in the attic: I get signal for both throughout my house and at my neighbor's.