Wireless Connection

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: May 25, 2008 Posts: 1

I am in a condo complex that provides wirless internet connection. How do I connect a Vonage system.

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

The easiest thing would be to get a wireless ethernet access point. That would connect to your wireless service and provide you with an ethernet port. Use that with any of the Vonage adapter/routers to get both phone and computer service.

Posts: 25 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Mar 31, 2008 Posts: 25

Hi Steve48,

how would you connect your own AP to the existing wireless network without having access to the other router?

To my understanding - you have to use bridged mode, which needs modification on your router (tomato, dd-wrt etc.) because your standard router (with standard firmware) can't be used as a bridge.
Plus - if you can't also modify the AP that handles the traffic for the condo complex, you won't go anywhere.

On top of that are you sharing your bandwidth with all other neighbors and you can't assure that your Voip will not be affected.

Please comment!

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

jmasterman et all,

I always am concerned when people try to use Vonage via a wireless connection. I would test your system first with a Voip test b/4 considering it. You might be sorely disappointed with your Vonage service since it is so heavily dependent on a consistently good connection.

Posts: 76 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 76

Mundy5 makes a great point. In this case it sounds like the wireless in the complex is shared by everyone. The problem you might run into is when users in the complex are using the connection to download data, checking email, surfing the web, etc. All of this may severly impact the quality of service. If you don't have good QoS, you will be disappointed with your Vonage service.

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

dante wrote:

Hi Steve48,

how would you connect your own AP to the existing wireless network without having access to the other router?

To my understanding - you have to use bridged mode, which needs modification on your router (tomato, dd-wrt etc.) because your standard router (with standard firmware) can't be used as a bridge.
Plus - if you can't also modify the AP that handles the traffic for the condo complex, you won't go anywhere.

On top of that are you sharing your bandwidth with all other neighbors and you can't assure that your Voip will not be affected.

Please comment!

My understanding is that if you want to use a typical wireless router as your access point, then you may need to modify it. However, if you get an access point that is designed for that, then it should connect to the condo's network and provide an ethernet port for a typical Vonage adapter.

Of course you're right that you'll be sharing the bandwidth. It's not the best setup in the world, but if it's the only broadband service you've got.....

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

Steve,

you're correct in that it is not the best setup. however, i really doubt it is the only available one. it probably comes free with the association fee hence jmasterman wants to use it.

again, i encourage you to test it first b/4 deciding on keeping Vonage.

Posts: 830 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Jun 08, 2007 Posts: 830

mundy5 wrote:

Steve,

you're correct in that it is not the best setup. however, i really doubt it is the only available one. it probably comes free with the association fee hence jmasterman wants to use it.

again, i encourage you to test it first b/4 deciding on keeping Vonage.

I would test at various times of the day, especially in the evening and at night when neighbor usage would be highest.

Depending on the network and how many folks on are each wirelless access point will have a lot to do with the success. Remember, each access point at best will be 10 mbps divided by the number of wireless connections (PC's) to that point. Then who knows what the internet speed is, divided by the number of access points connect to it, divided by the total number of folks on all access points.

Posts: 25 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Mar 31, 2008 Posts: 25

Steve48: you're right - I misunderstood the general concept. I was thinking that you have to set the routers to "root mode" and "non-root mode", but that does not apply in this case.

cid92: good point here! Since you don not have access to the condo-router, you have no influence on any QoS settings. It took me a little bit of tinkering and yelling from the living room...("Darling, are you downloading something again...?) to get the settings right.

additional, regards to CSMA/CD - your data stream might block out other users and they might not appreciate that at all.

I'd like to know if it worked though!

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 09, 2008 Posts: 2

I thought this might be a good place to add my related question. I'm considering changing my isp to a wireless service. I currently have Vonage over cable, with two phone lines and one fax line. The fax I can change to an internet fax service, for about the same cost as I'm paying to go through Vonage; my question regards the phone lines.

I understand there is some concern about wifi voice quality. I use these lines primarily to receive calls, and get the voicemails in my email accounts -- I don't really use them that much to make calls, though I might occasionally. What I need to know is if my existing equipment would work, and/or if I'd need to add anything new. I could probably subtract a thing or two.

I have now: cable line into Toshiba PCX2600 Cable Modem, Ethernet to/ Lynksys WRTP546 Wireless G Router (one phone line out), and four Ethernet lines to: / (1) Motorola VT2442 Router (fax & phone lines out) / (2) Mac G3 computer / (3) MacPro computer, and / (4) an Airport Express wireless unit.

Yes, it was crazy setting this all up, but I needed 2 phone lines + fax; I networked in my old G3 computer, and wirelessly networked a pc laptop into the computers and a printer. Had to do some fancy adjustments on the router admin website to make it all work. Not looking forward to reconfiguring it all, but am looking to change nevertheless.

My wireless internet modem would be for my own single use. Could I Ethernet from that right into my existing router set-up, in place of the cable modem? Would I have to re-configure anything? If you think this could work, I'll give it a try try & test it out for speeds, etc.

Big thanks,
Jenrou