Voice over IP free phones: good experience shared

[John Rumm]

SPI? or do you mean SIP (i.e. Session Initiation Protocol)..

You can get a problem with routers that use NAT and are not SIP or H.323 aware. Sometimes these are issues relating to protocols that embed the PCs actual IP address inside packets, a NAT router will hence need to spot these and rewrite the addresses, if end to end comms are to work correctly.

Other times it can simply be that the router needs its packet filter configured to allow the packets types through, or possibly a NAT forwarding entry added to get the packets to the correct computer.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember jog saying something like:

David Atherton. He used to lurk in uk.comp.vendors but I don't know if he still does.

Certainly when he saw something in ucv he would sort it out promptly.

[Tony Hogarty]

Stateful Packet Inspection I suspect?

[Peter Scott]

Thank you. That's very useful. I will try that. I usually believe that attitudes towards customers come down from the top. Perhaps not in this case, in the light of the comments about him.

Peter Scott

[Peter Scott]

Brilliant! Just ordered one. I'll post when I've tried it.

Peter Scott

[Pete C]

Before long it should be possible to use a PC as a VOIP PABX.

cheers, Pete.

[Owain]

"Pete C" wrote | Before long it should be possible to use a PC as a VOIP PABX.

Yes, somebody will write something like, umm, Asterisk.

Owain

[Peter]

Do you know if there is a VOIP gadget that will fit between the telephone line a telephone and which will connect to the PC USB port and act a sound card and ringer.

i.e. It will allow a regular telephone to be used to do the VOIP via the PC and when a VOIP telephone call comes in will make the regular telephone ring.

[Pete C]

Hi,

Theres a few on Ebay:

I'm not sure whether they will also connect to the normal line though.

cheers, Pete.

[Peter]

Excellent, thanks, This item looks good from the hits your Google search found

TransAkt/IPmental USB to RJ11 Skype Box and more eBay item: 5168843335

[Steve Firth]

Draytek have an ADSL modem with a phone jack on hte back. Plug your standard phone into the ADSL modem to get VoIP. They also offer routing to PSTN at reasonable prices.

[John Rumm]

Solwise are just about to launch a VoIP gateway / ethernetethernet router that has POTS pass though, and can sit in front of an existing cable modem / adsl router. Cost will in the region of 40 quid IIUC.

[Rick]

VOIP is going to turn the telecoms market arround. You are still using the same wires, but the ISP connection model, is different from the normal telecoms charging model, so for many calls VOIP is much cheeper.

In countries with deregulated internet services, but regulated voice services, its going to make a mockery of the regulator.

Rick

[Peter]

Great, that and the new Solwise design seem ideal. Does these hardware VOIP designs conform to an open standard ?

- I am a bunny rabbit Sitting in me hutch I like to sit up this end I don?t care for that end much.

[Peter]

Sure. If and when Always connected wireless also takes off it's going to also change the mobile market a lot too. I hope it is the end of extortionate mobile bills!

[Andrew Chesters]

Fat Chance!

[John Rumm]

Looks like it:

[Chris]

However, I thought Skype wasn't standards compliant (though I'm open to be corrected on this):

[John Rumm]

answered that it would. To be honest I am not convinced as yet. I will reserve judgment until I have had a chance to play with one.

[Chris]

Sounds like a good plan. Personally I'm a bit reluctant (perhaps needlessly) to use Skype due to the issues with Kazaa and spyware.

Our phone bill is not significant enough to make a total shift to VoIP worthwhile so I'm not that fussed about interfacing to PSTN.

I've just registered with Free World Diallup

to have a play for now