Sipura SPA 2002 / Linksys PAP2 Review
Although these are tecnically two different models, they are very similar in programming features, and even bugs. Both Linksys and Sipura are owned by parent company Cisco. Even before that happend however, Linksys licensed the tecnology for the PAP 2 from Sipura. The main difference is that the PAP2 has better indicators, whereas the SPA 2002 has 2 lame idiot lights.
Features
This unit features 2 phone ports for connecting standard telephones. This unit is superior to the Cisco ATA 186 in that the two ports are independently programmable for different SIP Proxies. A user may have one service on line 1 and another service on line 2.
Setting up
Programming the unit is fairly straightforward like any other similar device that uses a web interface. There are many advanced options typically found in the Sipuras. The biggest single difficulty is getting around the bugs in the web interface especially when using the advanced admin interface. I will also add that this unit like other Sipuras suffer from a bug in the web interface that prevents you froom accessing it over the web. There appears to be no real solution for this, and I suspect that is why Sipura has a configuration utility on their web site. That utility however requires that the device and the computer are behind the same firewall. What this means is that the web interface is completely unusable over the internet.
In use
The sound quality on all Sipuras I believe to be excellent. In fact I have found that at times, I can use g729 and not tell too much difference from g711. The units are fairly durable unlike some I have seen that reek of cheap Chinese plastic (Grandstream).
One other downfall that I have seen is that the units can not support two calls at codecs other than g711 at the same time. In other words, if there are two calls, one on each port, at least one MUST use g711. It would seem that this would be a fundamental feature on a two port device, where bandwidth comsumption becomes even more important.
Conclusion
These units like the other Sipuras, have advanced dial plan options that allow the use of third party peering services such as sipbroker.com to be easily integrated. In fact, I think anyone thinking of P2P telephony and not using a sipura with sipbroker.com is missing half the world.
Unfortunately as well, both Sipura and Linksys are moving to the Cisco model of technical support. This model leaves many consumers out in the cold.
Please note, If you Buy the Linksys PAP2 it Should have a designation after PAP2-NA or other listed below. BEWARE some are unlocked units that have been hacked. If those units get set back to factory default they will be locked again! Depending on the firmware version it may not be unlockable again, in the case it was unlocked then firmware upgraded. The standard PAP2 designations for (those originally sold as) unlocked PAP2s are just like the sipuras PAP2-NA, North America, -EU Europe???, -AU Australia and -UK United Kingdom. If it does not have one of these letter designations, DONT BUY IT, as it is probably a hacked model and you can never set it to factory default without it locking itself again, and perhaps permanently. From time to time I have programmed one of these units and it did not work. When they are set to factory defaults, and programmed exactly as before, they will mysteriously work! Also you always power cycle these units after saving any configuration changes.
BTW, nothing should EVER have 5 stars, as there is always room for improvement!
Added: Sunday, November 06, 2005
Reviewer: Mark de Leon
Score:
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Language: eng
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