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Which IP Phone are you using and why?

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ip phone
29K views 40 replies 20 participants last post by  JamesK 
#1 ·
Now that I have been using VoIP.ms for sometime, I'm interested in getting an IP phone.

I'm interested in knowing what IP phones members are using with their VoIP provider and why.

Thanks in advance

P.S. Let's keep this discussion on residential use.
 
#31 ·
I just stepped into the world of VOIP with Voip.ms and am using a Cisco SPA509G. The thing is built like a tank. Awesome sound quality and seems to be highly configurable - but not the easiest to do. Overall - a solid unit though. I also have a Cisco SPA525G I'm waiting to get a power adapter for. Once I get it it should work using WiFi.
 
#35 ·
Does PoE mean the phone gets its power from the computer instead of using a wall wart (power adapter)?

My connection question wasn't clear. I meant to ask: for a basic network with one computer, one modem, one IP Phone, (no other devices) would the IP phone connect via ethernet cable only to the modem and to the computer? There wouldn't be any need for telephone cable between anything, would there?
 
#36 ·
No PoE is Power over Ethernet. You need to use a PoE switch. Netgear make some "economical" ones like the Netgear GS110TP. This will provide the power you need to power up IP phones.

If you have one modem (Cable or DSL?), you very likely have an "all-in-one" modem-router-WiFi which you'll likely have 4 LAN ports. This is not sufficient for PoE. Instead of using a "Wall-wart" because I'm guessing you only want one cable going to your phone, you could also consider a power-injection adapter. This still has a wall-wart, but it will also provide PoE to one device. This would be able to run one network cable up to your phone. Which IP phone do you have?
 
#38 ·
With Power over Ethernet (PoE), power is carried over the Ethernet cable, usually from a PoE switch, though injectors may also be used when a PoE switch is not available. An injector is typically used when there aren't enough PoE devices to warrant a PoE switch. On the other hand, when there are many PoE devices, such as VoIP phones, then a PoE switch is preferred. PoE can be used to power all sorts of devices, such as phones, WiFi access points, security cameras and more. Like any other switch, a PoE switch has to be connected to a power source, usually AC.
 
#39 ·
An IP phone connects like any other network device, it'll need an IP address, a Gateway, knowledge of what DNS servers to use, and find a time server (SNTP).

Extra things that an IP phone needs is to be able to find a provisioning server. This server could be an TFTP, FTP or HTTP(S) server, that provides configuration files, new images and log files for your IP phone to be able to boot up.

Once booted, the phone will also be looking for a registration server (wherever you have voice services configured). This could be a local "PBX" like an Asterisk server, or it could be a service like voip.ms

Certain models may vary depending on the manufacturer, but they basically all work the same way.
 
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