Newbie to VoIP

I notice there are ports on my router for a VoIP phone and it's something I haven't ever looked into to be honest. I wonder if there is any point since it would be for my home and I would only have the one handset?

Will any DECT phone do? For example:

BT Cordless phone on Amazon.

Forgive me but I've had a look at the stickies and there's an awful deluge of information there. I checked blueface's and goldfish's websites but they seem to be business only!

Any help would be much appreciated.

Johnboy1951

Deleted User wrote: »

I notice there are ports on my router for a VoIP phone and it's something I haven't ever looked into to be honest. I wonder if there is any point since it would be for my home and I would only have the one handset?

Will any DECT phone do? For example:

BT Cordless phone on Amazon.

Forgive me but I've had a look at the stickies and there's an awful deluge of information there. I checked blueface's and goldfish's websites but they seem to be business only!

Any help would be much appreciated.

First things first ........ what router?
What is your broadband connection like?
Is it consistent?
Who provides the broadband?

Usually the sockets you refer to take an 'ordinary' phone ..... desktop or DECT base station, but your broadband provider might have limited their use to only their own service.

Post back with further information

Test your connection for VOIP

http://www.voipqualitytest.com/

I have Eircom 50mb VDSL but I got the router they gave me debranded so it's like any regular ZyXEL now:

http://www.adverts.ie/operating-systems/unbrand-your-eircom-f1000-fiber-broadband/6209459

My broadband connection is great...hardly ever down. However I did that test you linked to and got a red mark for "Consistency of Service" which was rated at 45% so it seems that's that!! ...bugger! Everything else in the results summary got a green sign though.

Johnboy1951

Deleted User wrote: »

I have Eircom 50mb VDSL but I got the router they gave me debranded so it's like any regular ZyXEL now:

http://www.adverts.ie/operating-systems/unbrand-your-eircom-f1000-fiber-broadband/6209459

My broadband connection is great...hardly ever down. However I did that test you linked to and got a red mark for "Consistency of Service" which was rated at 45% so it seems that's that!! ...bugger! Everything else in the results summary got a green sign though.

My own consistency reading is not good at present ..... am wondering if I am on too high a profile which is causing it.

Nevertheless I can use VOIP with little if any breakup.

If possible I suggest you try VOIP from your PC, using a client application such as Ekiga or Linphone (there are others too).
Set up a free account with either and test the connection in some of the test calls available.

www.linphone.org
www.ekiga.net

sip:301@ideasip.com is a full echo test
sip:echo@iptel.org is a quick echo test
sip:music@iptel.org is a receive only music test
sip:501@ekiga.net conference test

I am sure there are lots of other test calls that can be made.

Both the apps should provide an indication of how good your connection is - in real time.

Hope that helps with a decision.

Mr. G

Deleted User wrote: »

I notice there are ports on my router for a VoIP phone and it's something I haven't ever looked into to be honest. I wonder if there is any point since it would be for my home and I would only have the one handset?

Will any DECT phone do? For example:

BT Cordless phone on Amazon.

Forgive me but I've had a look at the stickies and there's an awful deluge of information there. I checked blueface's and goldfish's websites but they seem to be business only!

Any help would be much appreciated.

Yes - Just a regular landline phone with a RJ11 port should work with that.

Both Blueface and Goldfish are geared towards businesses but residential customers can use them. There are plenty of providers out there, you should find one to suit you.

Deleted User wrote: »

I have Eircom 50mb VDSL but I got the router they gave me debranded so it's like any regular ZyXEL now:

http://www.adverts.ie/operating-systems/unbrand-your-eircom-f1000-fiber-broadband/6209459

My broadband connection is great...hardly ever down. However I did that test you linked to and got a red mark for "Consistency of Service" which was rated at 45% so it seems that's that!! ...bugger! Everything else in the results summary got a green sign though.

Once you get 100kbps down and 100kbps and less than 100ms ping up you're fine.
Just because you only get 45% of the advertised 50Mbps doesn't mean VoIP will not work. It will work on 1Mbps without a problem. Post a speedtest.net result just to be sure, of course testing is always a good idea too.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

My own consistency reading is not good at present ..... am wondering if I am on too high a profile which is causing it.

Nevertheless I can use VOIP with little if any breakup.

If possible I suggest you try VOIP from your PC, using a client application such as Ekiga or Linphone (there are others too).
Set up a free account with either and test the connection in some of the test calls available.

www.linphone.org
www.ekiga.net

sip:301@ideasip.com is a full echo test
sip:echo@iptel.org is a quick echo test
sip:music@iptel.org is a receive only music test
sip:501@ekiga.net conference test

I am sure there are lots of other test calls that can be made.

Both the apps should provide an indication of how good your connection is - in real time.

Hope that helps with a decision.

Obviously using a WiFi connection rather than a wired connection will give unexpected and possibly poorer results etc, different environments from home to home etc.