VOIP Clueless! ... And I mean Clueless!

My gratitude to everyone who responded to my first thread. Now I know that I am really, really clueless. .... Would any of the members be kind enough to recommend a simple device and a good VOIP service provider for me to use, bearing in mind that my need is strictly for device-to-device communication between five family members on three different continents; UK, US and Aus! .... Greatly appreciated. Ryan.

You already have your PAP2's organised, as for a provider, you found it ... use Voipuser for device to device at least for test and experiment until you work out what you are doing and what kind of commercial provider you need.

What you need to do is get one working. You say you have cable internet, what is already connected to it (network), such as router or perhaps a computer or phone? If you have a computer, have you tried a soft phone?

mazilo :

You already have your PAP2's organised, as for a provider, you found it ... use Voipuser for device to device at least for test and experiment until you work out what you are doing and what kind of commercial provider you need.

I have one Linksys PAP2 and 4 Linksys SPA-3000 ... Will the PAP2 Communicate with the 4 SPA-3000? And is one type better than the other?

dibsmft :

What you need to do is get one working. You say you have cable internet, what is already connected to it (network), such as router or perhaps a computer or phone? If you have a computer, have you tried a soft phone?

Yes I have a cable modem with my laptop connected to it. I do not have a router. Do I need one? or can I use an ethernet double connector? .... I have tried the soft phone but I needed something more practical, hence I got the ATA

Did you get the softphone to work OK? You cannot just use an ethernet double connector as your modem would get very confused. I guess your best bet is a router and they can be had fairly cheaply. The good thing about the PAP2 is that it does not need the computer to be running to work (you have already worked that out I am sure).

dibsmft :

Did you get the softphone to work OK? You cannot just use an ethernet double connector as your modem would get very confused. I guess your best bet is a router and they can be had fairly cheaply. The good thing about the PAP2 is that it does not need the computer to be running to work (you have already worked that out I am sure).

Could I run the PAP2 on SKYPE or MSMsngr? Or must I have a service such as VOIPuser?

Good to know that I need a Router; had no idea. Thanks.

There were PAP2T's with buit-in routers. Should've gotten them.

And finally, Yes, reading the brief description on the device literature, I knew it would work stand alone without the comp running.....

My biggest problem is that I had not read a word about VOIP. The technical jargons, the setting up, and the service required to subscribe to; all this information was totally ambiguous and, to me, completely arcane!

swayzeR :

Could I run the PAP2 on SKYPE or MSMsngr?

Skype uses its proprietary protocol that is a close source and not compatible with an open-source SIP used on a Linksys PAP2 device. As with MS Messenger, MS Windows Messenger 5.1 is the only messenger released by MS that has a support for SIP, AFAIK. People who use an MS Windows Messenger 5.1 on their computer can communicate with you through your PAP2 device if they configure their messenger softphone to register to the same VoSP as your PAP2 device does or through a peering, iNum, e164, and/or eNum.

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Or must I have a service such as VOIPuser?

VoIPUser (VU) is a 100% SIP compliant VoSP that supports iNum. If you and your friends/family members configure your PAP2 devices with a VU account, then you can communicate with them by dialing their VU number for free. Other friends who uses and configure the MS Windows Messenger 5.1 with a VU account can also communicate with you for free, too.

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Good to know that I need a Router.

A router is good to have to share the Internet, let alone as some means of intrusion protections.

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My biggest problem is that I had not read a word about VOIP. The technical jargons, the setting up, and the service required to subscribe to; all this information was totally ambiguous and, to me, completely arcane!

You can read VoIP Info to learn more about VoIP. You can also download and read this free e-book, Asterisk: The Future of Telephony, 2nd Edition, to learn more about VoIP + Asterisk PBX system. I have my Asterisk PBX system hosted on a FON2100 WiFi NAT/Firewall router flashed with a self-built OpenWRT firmware. WIth an Asterisk PBX system, one can run virtually unlimited numbers of VoSP accounts to use with two extensions hosted on an ATA device, i.e. a Linksys PAP2.

My 3102 has a built in router but only 1 spare ethernet port so I don't normally use it a router.

Meanwhile, you can try plugging one of the PAP2 into the electricity supply and then plugging in a normal telephone. Pick the phone up and see it you get a dialtone and if you do, dial **** . If it asks for you menu choice type 140# note the reply. Then try 150# .

Report results here.

[quote]Or must I have a service such as VOIPuser?[/quote.

OK, thanks for all the info. Tremendous help. One more question: What applications do I need to download from VOIPuser to operate my ATA's PAP2 and SPA-3000? .... There is a bunch of them, and I am not so sure which ones I need! And because I have not opened the boxes yet, I am still confused as to how I should start! ... Plug the device in to the router,and to the power outlet, switch it on, then what?
How do I get it to operate on VOIPuser? .... I know this sounds so dumb, but I am an old timer, retired government-run hospital paediatrician and modern technology passed me by! The only technological tools I have used are otoscopes and stethoscopes, and those were plenty advanced for me!

You don't need to download anything. You have an SP3000?
All that you have to do is configure the ATA. If you have a 3000 then that is the one to go for. It is very similar to the 3102 that I have and does have a built in router. Get it out of the box, get connecting cable and we can roll!

Sorry! I was mistaken. The SPA3000 does not have a builtin router. That was introduced with the 3102.