which Wireless Bridge?

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 21, 2005 Posts: 16

Can someone provide which Wireless Bridge works best with Vonage?

I will be attempting to use Vonage with Wi-Fi.

Thanks

Posts: 23 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 12, 2005 Posts: 23

I have the Linksys 802.11b wireless set up, my computer and PS2 hooked up...then I added the Linksys Vonage adapter (wired), put it before the router, attached the phone line...worked really well for me. Zero problems. Maybe it was just the fact I was using two Linksys products..but it was easy.

Posts: 6 · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 2:14 pm Post subject:

That is easy enough to wire in the adapter to a wireless router, but I think the question is like mine where he wants to have a adapter remote, with no access to a hardwire connection, hence a wireless bridge to provide a hardwire connection into the wireless network. Its easy to hook a computer via a PCI or USB connection to the WIFE, but not so easy for us non WIFI savy people to figure out how to get a adapter onto a WIFI network, like in a hotel room with nothing but the WIFI in the air. My question was answered with a link about an ata, and using a computer as the bridge thru internet sharing (which I couldn't get to work last night, I need to find a known cross-over cable to ensure I have the right equipment, Anyone want to post directions step by step how to setup that bridge from WIFI to the ethernet port, maybe I did that wrong) But what if you have no computer that can bridge that? What piece of equipment makes that happen? And if you have done it, how? If I get it working with a computer or with a bridge I will surely share my experiences because this is a big thing for travelers.

All help in this matter is appreciated.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 30, 2004 Posts: 11

I successfully did that. I have computer with a wireless card and normal ethernet card. I connect to internet using the wireless card and use Windows ICS to share that internet connection. Then I connected my computer network card to RT31P2 as a client to that machine (not using a crossover cable, not as a internet server to RT31P2). I set RT31P2 to have 192.168.0.254 ip address and 192.168.0.1 as gateway and dns server (192.168.0.1 would be the ip address of my wired network card when I use windows ICS). Then I connect my computer to RT31P2 as a internet server and since internet connection is shared on the computer, RT31P2 will start getting the internet connection through my computer.

Posts: 6 · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject:

Today I got it to work for me, here's how:

I used a Toshiba P35 laptop, it has WIFI and ethernet built in and is running XP, so I use my laptop as the bridge, so have both your WIFI and wired cards installed.

I then used a crossover cable to connect the wired card to the PAP2 adapter and the ethernet light came on finally on the PAP2, so I knew the laptop and adapter were talking. I then hung the phone off the adapter, note the phone line light does not come on yet.

I then connected to the WIFI network

Next I went to Start, My Network Places, View Network connections. Here you select the wired adapter then while holding the control key select the wireless adapter, then right click over one of the 2 adapters and select Bridge Connections.

After this completes, wait a few seconds (maybe 30) and you should see the adapters phone light come up, Your ready to make calls. Make sure to turn off sleep mode or whatever, my laptop did it 3 times while I was on the phone, dropping the calls, I was a little upset to say the least.

I will grab a linksys bridge this weekend and post my results for all.

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 21, 2005 Posts: 16

ok just to confirm...

My situation is the Desktop PC is in college dorm room, which Wi-Fi access provided to campus students. The PC will (desired to be..) be connected to Vonage so that calls can be made.

The AP is not physically in the room, the Wi-Fi card inside the desktop picks up the signal and we are online.

1) A wireless bridge IS/IS NOT required for this (ICS sharing instead?)

2) What make/model wireless bridge is "most" compatible for this

3) Etc

thanks!

Smile

Posts: 6 · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:20 pm Post subject:

Ok I think in my mind your setup is this:
Desktop PC with a ethernet card / port AND a wifi card in the same computer. So in theory the Wifi can talk to the ethernet card if they are software bridged. Next you need to be running Windows XP or mac OS 10.2, both these operating systems support software bridging. If you are running XP follow along with how I did it above.

Setup your PAP2 (vonage phone adapter), plug in power, plug in your phone to line 1.

Plug a crossover ethernet cable from the computers ethernet to the Vonage adapter. If your unsure BUY a new cable that is know to be a crossover cable or a computer to computer cable, this is VERY IMPORTANT, a normal ethernet cable doesn't work. The ethernet light on the Vonage adapter should now come on, if not make sure your ethernet card is active, if you take a cable that you used to connect to the internet out from the wall and plug it into the Vonage I GUARANTEE it will NEVER WORK, because that cable is not a crossover cable!!!

Establish communications via the WIFI network, check with the browser to ensure its working (look at a web page or something)

Now goto Start, My Network Places, then in the left column press View Network Connections. In the window that appears are your network ports one is going to be your WIFI connection, one will be your ethernet connection, select the WIFI connection, then while holding in the control key select the Ethernet connection. Now right click and select Bridge Connections.

At this point you should have after a few seconds the power light, the ethernet light, and the phone 1 light, if not unplug the Vonage power, wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in.

Vonage is now ready to make calls, you can surf on the desktop while the bridge is in place so feel free to leave it active all the time.

Hope that helps, I'm still going to get a bridge to make it work that way incase others don't have a computer with both wired and wireless or they run an older operating system.

Good Luck

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 30, 2004 Posts: 11

My last post was from UK, from a hotel with wi-fi connection. I am in Paris now. This hotel doesn't have wi-fi internet connection. I use dial-up. Set my Vonage to use 30 kbps and it works perfectly.

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 31, 2005 Posts: 12

After many trials and tribulation I found the solution. Buy a wireless ethernet bridge. Configure it while connected to the wireless network.
Then connect the ethernet to the phone adapter as if the wireless bridge was the modem. You can then reconnect your computer to the phone adapter and sign on to the wireless network as you normally would.

Linksys and dlink make them. the linksys part no in WET11

Owen