Can Vonage phone adapters run unattended?

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 14, 2005 Posts: 9

Hi! My wife's family lives in Europe and I was thinking of getting cable internet set up for them, signing up for Vonage, and bringing a phone and phone adapter over for them so they can make calls to us in the United States.

The only problem is that they are not computer savy at all and don't have a computer. We only visit them every year or two.

Can Vonage pretty much (turning the adapter on/off is ok) run unattended for long periods of time? Is there a particular adapter that would work better for this than others?

Alternatively, if occasional managemnt of the adapter is required can it be done remotely?

Thanks!

-farafella

Posts: 2252

farafella wrote:

Can Vonage pretty much (turning the adapter on/off is ok) run unattended for long periods of time?

Yes

farafella wrote:

Alternatively, if occasional managemnt of the adapter is required can it be done remotely?

No

I hope this helps.

Smile

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 14, 2005 Posts: 9

Thanks Dan for the quick response! Is there a particular adapter that is more stable than the others that would make sense for me to use or should the free one that Vonage sends out work fine?

-farafella

Posts: 605 · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:48 am Post subject:

I thought with the linksys RT31P2 you can do remote administration.

Maybe im wrong. I dont think they sell the RT31P2 anymore anyway.

Posts: 54 · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:40 am Post subject: Remote management

Sure, you can remotely manage the RT31P2, and surely the RTP300. You can remotely manage most consumer grade routers, actually. It does take some provisioning, and you have to be sure you set up security protocols properly (i.e., change the default admin password!).

I remotely manage my mother-in-law's RT31P2 all the time. And my own while I'm at work. There are other factors that may cause remote manage not to work, however, and those factors may be beyond your control. For example, my previous ISP didn't provide end-point users with a public IP. Big problem. Sad

As for running the routers unattended for long periods of time, absolutely. However, just like ANY router, it will eventually lock up from time to time, and require a power cycle to re-boot the thing. This is infrequent, but it is occasionally necessary. I tell my in-laws that if they have no internet and/or phone, just power cycle the Linksys. So far, that has fixed any problems they have ever run into.

One more note about remote manage - it, of course, relies on the internet connection working properly. You will not be able to remotely manage the router if it's locked up. If all is working as it should, however, remote manage should work just fine remotely.

Best of luck!

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 21, 2005 Posts: 7

hi there,

its a good idea to put a 24 hour / 48 timer into the powersocket. This will cycle the power every 24 or 48 hours that way it will reboot the device and the rotuer lock ups should not last long even if they do occur.

set the time to sometime in middle of the night local time and you should be all set.

also make sure you ship them a 220-110v converters because the linksys powerbricks dont take both voltages Smile

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 14, 2005 Posts: 9

Thanks to all of you! That's a great idea about the timer. I was looking at the PAP2 as a possibility because it seems small and simple -- do you think that makes sense as I could just plug it into whatever hardware the cable company provides over there?

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:10 pm Post subject:

it is small and simple, but if they ever get a computer they wouldn't be able to have them both on at the same time (actually they can but it has to be rigged). a phone adapter is a phone adapter. it doesn't sound like they'll ever be anywhere near it, so you may as well get one you can remotely manage (i.e. rtp300).
but now that I think of it, I don't know how you think you're going to be able to find the ip of the box to connect to it (remotely) in the first place. the only way I can think of is the relatives finding out for you by using the IVR menu which is only on the pap2.

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 14, 2005 Posts: 9

I'll be there for about a month so should be able to do whatever setup is neccessary and configurations with my laptop -- as long as I can get it into a stable mode when I leave -- because I won't be back for another year.

Do you think I should then just go with the device that Vonage is currently sending out for free? Is that my best bet? Just trying to make sure I pack all the right goodies in my suitcase Smile

Thanks so much for the help!

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: May 31, 2005 Posts: 7

Hi
I've been there...done that...on exactly what you're talking about. We have Vonage phone service in Riga, Latvia in Eastern Europe running on a very weak ISP with cable type broadband using an RTP31. It works. But I have several pieces of advice for you.
Expect that you will not be utilizing a modem in Europe. It may be different in your situation, but what I found was that the ISP owns a supermodem that is in their equipment. What they do is throw an ethernet cable in your apartment which has an RJ45 type connector on the end for you to plug into your Vonage adapter.
Do not attempt to convert 220V to 110V and then plug in your Vonage adapter to the 110. It doesn't work very well...at least it didn't for me..It seems that converting 220 to 110 to 12V DC is too much converting. But you can go to something like a Radio Shack and they will sell you a 220V to 12 V adapter with a multitude of ends that will fit in your Vonage box and then it will work just as well as if you were using 110V and the stock power supply.
I recommend setting the bandwidth on the lowest quality setting (Normal) in the Bandwidth Saver. Also talk to Vonage and tell them it will be in Europe and they can set the packet size to the smallest setting. This theoretically hurts your sound quality...i.e. it would in USA where you would have great sound most of the time. But it actually improves it for the long trip from Europe because the lost packets are less important when they are smaller.
Teach the in-laws to re-boot by unplugging and re-plugging the power cord anytime they don't have service.
Also, on routers...don't get the new Linksys with wireless built-in. If you read the postings on here, you can see that people who know a lot about this stuff and have California grade internet can't get it to work...you won't be able to in Europe either. Use the simplest Vonage box you can get. If you had an old Motorola on an account and could move it, that would be the best. But I suppose the new RTP300 is your best bet.
Also, there is a good chance that they will give you a static IP address in Europe, and you will need a laptop to put it in the Vonage box. If you don't have one, then the ISP may help you with that.
I'm not an expert but honestly offering my advice, and if anyone disagrees with me, then they may know more about it than me. But we talk Vonage to Vonage anytime we want between Latvia and USA, so we're doing it.
Best regards
Sam
Glennville, Georgia