VoIP - complete newbie

I'm a complete newbie regarding VoIP and looking for details of how to set up/use VoIP. Currently I have a sub 1Mbps "broadband" service (long line to cabinet) but expect to have at least 10Mbps within 3 months. At that point I want to get rid of my BT line completely (the new service would be wireless) hence the idea of VoIP. However, I have a couple of questions I'd like answered if possible so I know what's possible before the new broadband service arrives. Also, being a newbie, apart from VoIP and SIP, most of the acronyms relating to VoIP are unfamiliar to me so please add translation when you use them (so that I can learn!).

First, a little bit about my setup - basically it's a farm with outlying farm buildings most of which are LAN connected via non-managed switches - the LAN is primarily used for some 30 IP cameras. Also, I'd have no problem leaving a PC on 24/7 if necessary to provide for any VoIP server I might need. In the farmhouse I have 4 DECT phones connecting to a single base station and numerous standard spare POTS phones.

The questions:
1. Looking at (for example) Voipfone they offer the Linksys 3012 VoIP adapter which I assume would do for connecting the DECT base station. However, this is American hardware so would I need additional cabling to connect the base station to it?
2. I'd like to be able to have a VoIP phone (using one of the old POTS phones + adapter) in one of the farm buildings and to be able to call from the farmhouse to the phone in the farm building and vice-versa. What would I need to be able to do this? I'd also like to be able to expand that 'local' calling to other farm buildings. I imagine that some sort of server (Asterisk?) would be needed but how would that interface to the e.g. Voipfone service and could I get the 'around the farm' system up and running before getting the WAN VoIP service in place.

Any help would be much appreciated!

I use Voipfone as a supplier. They are very helpful and VOIP does take some effort to get working.

I have a Cisco SPA112 which has two phone FXS ports for separate services.

I only use one port. I have a cable with an RJ11 plug inserted into this port. The other end of the cable connects to my normal house phone wiring.

This has a normal phone attached to it and a DECT base station. The DECT base station is a Gigaset N300IP and I use its FXO port for this connection.

Both the SPA112 and the N300IP are connected to my ethernet network (broadband) and are registered to VOIP providers.

Calls made from the normal phone have to go out via the SPA112

Calls made from the DECT phones can be routed to the SPA112 or to any of the VOIP providers which the N300IP is registered to.

One way of establising the best way to phone your outlying farm buyildings would be to discuss the issue with Voipfone.

hi,

If you use voipfone then they will supply you the hardware pre-configured, just plug it into your ethernet and phone and away you go.

Things to look out for are the "SIP helper" as often mentioned on some routers under advanced , also called SIP ALG . this is a wise thing to disable if the option is there.

We would recommend for most cases not to use the linksys adaptor, instead use the Siemens gigaset DECT solution.

The latter allows a lot more flexibility, up to 6 lines and 6 handsets as well as multiple simultaneous calls per line/number (up to 4 at once) .

Voip specific features work much better with a proper Voip setup such as this, instead of using a standard phone via a line "emulator" adaptor too.

We have an ever increasing amount of VoIP customers on our wireless networks, the cost savings and benefits are considerable over the fixed line.

Ask your wireless provider if they have QoS set up and also packet mark / prioritise Voip call data. This will help a lot.

cheers

This may not be what you are after but it works perfectly for me. I think the only negative may be that new ip phones may need to be bought.

I've got coup phones throughout my house and every room has its own extension number. Although as the others have said the voip provider may be able to advise of another solution.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1fn6oC5ndU-a3...

I spent ages researching how to set up freepbx and this for me was the easiest solution.
My raspberry pi has been working perfectly for months now. The call quality works perfectly over the lan but sometimes the calls go a bit darleky / underwater when making external calls, but I can live with it.

Good luck with your set up.

Hi Colin,

I have done a similar thing.

Where we live in North Yorkshire the village has a very poor broadband setup (the cabinet is ~2 miles away in Helmsley) so we managed to get a wireless solution and now enjoy a 12mbit connection.

We have a Gigaset N300A base station and four Gigaset handsets paired to it, there is also a DECT repeater in the house as we don't get full coverage around the house (thick walls).

We have two SIPGate basic accounts and have set two handsets to one number and two handsets to the other (though you can mix and match as you like with the N300A).

The service works REALLY well and we can make multiple calls in and out simultaneously, call eachothers handsets etc..Its a total shift away from the 'normal' way of using a landline phone, people can still get through to the other handsets when you are on a call, you can setup times the phones go straight to voicemail etc...

For outbuildings we could always get another N300A to cover that if we wanted, no need at the moment. For an office you could use a corded ethernet based phone which just contacts the SIP servers in the same way as an N300A would (I think they should coexist on the same account without issue!?)

Who you choose as your provider is up to you but I've used SIPGate for years on and off without issue.

Whatever you use I would try and see if you can get away with not needing a server on-site, Voipfone and SIPGate have some decent deals for a small business im sure? Its just one less thing to be troubleshooting.

Good luck, good choice ditching BT aswell

I used an Obi VoIP adaptor (single line) for my home phone for a couple of years then switched to a Cisco SPA (very similar to the Linksys SPA adaptors) because I wanted two lines and all I can say is they are very easy to set up as far as putting the setting in for your provider, well in Sipgate case they are.

I use a couple of free numbers from Sipgate Basic and if you have a look on their web site you can set up a free account and number to start using straight away (download a software phone to use from your PC to get going) or once you have decided on an VoIP phone or adaptor you can go to the Sipgate help page where you can select the adaptor you have chosen and if your logged into your account it will show all the setting for you to print off including all the stuff personal to you and your account.

No need to leave your PC on as the adaptors plug straight into your router via LAN cable and once done nobody will know that you�re actually on a sip phone when you ring out or get calls in. Sipgate uses a few kb of data per hour while idol and about 1 Mb per minute when in use and with such a low data stream it works over poor GSM networks too via apps on your smartphone.

A sample of the set up for the Linksys SPA adaptors here http://basichelp.sipgate.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/204... and if you select this page while your signed in to your account your user ID and other stuff will show here too.

Edited by deleted (Wed 04-Nov-15 14:27:35)

the main issue i see with Sipgate, Like Vonage is their servers appear to be outside the UK.

The former in Germany, the Latter in the US. Doesn't help latency / delay compared to a UK provider such as Voipfone.