VoIP Hardware
What VoIP hardware do you really need to use VOIP? You will find a brief overview of various VoIP hardware options for your VoIP service. Even if the VOIP phone providers have free equipment included in the plan, you should still understand what you're getting for free. Knowing terms like "SIP phone", "analog telephone adaptor", or "wireless USB handset" will help you choose or even upgrade to a better model of phone, adaptor or headset so you may get more benefit from your VoIP service.
IP Phone or VoIP Phone
Also known as: SIP phone. A IP phone has an Ethernet port (RJ-45) instead of a regular phone jack (RJ-11), and connects directly to a broadband Internet (either via an Ethernet connection or WiFi) instead of to the phone line socket in wall. They look like standard desk-phones. You can make and receive calls just like normal, meaning that you do not have to have your computer on. A SIP phone is a type of VOIP phone that uses the SIP standard for setting up calls.
A wide range of IP phones are available from the ultra-basic phones, to advanced phones with multi-line support, high quality speaker-phone, power over Ethernet, and more!
Reasons to choose an IP phone:
- VOIP broadband telephone provider does not include an adaptor or phone in the package so you can Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).
- Significantly reduce the clutter on your desk. You'll have less devices on your desk taking up space and fewer cables.
For examples of popular VOIP phones, please visit our VoIP hardware Shopping Guide.
Analogue Telephone Adapters
Also known as: broadband phone adaptor, VOIP adaptor. These adapters (ATAs) allow you to use any standard analogue telephone as an IP phone. Simply plug your telephone (cordless phone if you like) into the RJ-11 port on the ATA, connect your ATA to the Internet by plugging it into a spare Ethernet socket on your router, and your old telephone is transformed into an Internet telephone. With ATA, you also do not have to have your computer on to make and receive calls.
Your VoIP service provider or broadband phone company usually will provide you with one of these. Otherwise, online stores such as Amazon.com carry popular brand names such as Grandstream and LinkSys/Sipura.
The obvious advantage of using an ATA is that you can use the phone you already have, either wired or cordless. Some ATA's are small enough to be easily portable, meaning you can take them with you when you travel. Some ATAs also have built-in broadband routers.
For examples of popular ATAs, please visit our VoIP hardware Shopping Guide.
Routers with VoIP
Some products are 'all-in-one' devices that combine a router and a voice over IP adapter in one. By using a single device for your router and VoIP hardware, not only do you have one less piece of hardware to deal with (and one less powerpoint that is occupied), you are guaranteed that you will not have any NAT or firewall issues as the router inherently 'knows' about the VoIP traffic. Additionally, these units automatically prioritise traffic to ensure call quality is never compromised by other Internet activity.
For example of Routers, please visit our VoIP hardware Shopping Guide.
PC Headsets
If you plan on using your computer as a phone, then you need a computer with soundcard, a headset with a microphone, and some VoIP software. These headsets can be used with any voice over IP application on your computer. Headsets can be mono (only one speaker or earpiece), or stereo (two earpieces). Headset earpieces come in two types: cushy pads that cover the whole ear or ear buds that you insert inside the ear.
USB Phone
Also known as: Internet phone, computer phone, PC phone. For those who dislike headsets, these products are 'Telephone-like' handsets connect to your computer via the sound card or a USB port and work together with a softphone like Skype to provide you with a complete VoIP experience. All of these devices either work without any special software or come with free software. Many work on MacOS and Linux systems as well as Windows.
Cordless/Wireless VoIP Phone
Linksys has just released a new cordless handset for use with
Skype
. The CIT200 uses a PC running Skype as its base station and uses DECT wireless, to eliminate interference with 2.4GHz cordless phones and other networking devices.
For examples of Wireless VoIP Phone, please visit our VoIP hardware Shopping Guide.
Asterisk Hardware
Asterisk is an open source IP PABX that runs on the Linux operating system. It is an extremely powerful product capable of the most advanced PABX functions including voice-mail, conference calls, trunking, hunt groups, and much more. Being IP based, users connecting to Asterisk can be geographically distributed, yet still connected to the same business grade PABX. In order to connect telephones directly to an Asterisk box, or to connect Asterisk to the PSTN, interconnect cards are required.
Business Grade Media Gateways
Media gateways are suitable for businesses requiring a number of voice over IP lines - either as an independent option or hooked up to an existing PABX. These gateways do the job of multiple ATAs in the one unit as well as additional routing functions.
Many of these units are available in H.323 and MGCP configurations on request.
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