wireless voip extensions

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aarond

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#22925 12-Jun-2008 10:46

Anyone doing wireless hopping from a phone to an Asterisk box?

I would really like to put some extensions up in the bedrooms, while my Asterisk box is down in the basement (currently running in a vmware image, but soon to be moved onto a dedicated PC). What is the best way to do this? Either,

1. A wireless VoIP phone? Have done a little googling on this, but didn't really get very far. A few wireless phones out their, but expensive and probably difficult to source in NZ.

2. A normal ATA device (SPA2102?) plugged directly into a wireless box acting as a bridge.

Anyone have experience with either? Any advice or thoughts? Any particular models I should be looking at? In particular, I see option 2 as probably being more acheivable, even though option 1 is probably more desirable, but I've never had any experience with these Ethernet-to-wifi bridges. Can anyone recommend a particular device?

Regards
Aaron

sbiddle

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#137571 12-Jun-2008 11:14

Do you require these on their own extensions?

The range of most DECT handsets is faily good and you can pick up 2 or 3 packs now for ~$100. One of these will require a PSTN connection which could be left in the basement and the other two are simply cradles w/charger and a handset that communicate back to the base unit which you can connect to Asterisk with an ATA.

WiFi or DECT VoIP handsets aren't cheap. There is a Linksys WiFi WIP300 which you should be able to pick up for around $200-$250 but for many of the newer DECT VoIP handsets you are looking at around the $500 mark minimum but you get what you pay for - these are very good handsets.

Linksys sell wireless adapters for all their VoIP adapters that are aroune $60 or so. I haven't played with one but they work reasonably well, you do just need to be aware that with a cheap router you will probably have no QoS over the WiFi connection.

aarond

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#137578 12-Jun-2008 11:41

sbiddle: Do you require these on their own extensions?

Maybe not "require", more "really would like" :)

The range of most DECT handsets is faily good and you can pick up 2 or 3 packs now for ~$100. One of these will require a PSTN connection which could be left in the basement and the other two are simply cradles w/charger and a handset that communicate back to the base unit which you can connect to Asterisk with an ATA.

Hmm... yeah I can see how this would work. I hadn't really thought about this option. Only thing is, would I then have to buy a DECT handset with extra handset? Then the base station and one handset would live in the basement plugged into the ATA. Seems kinda wasteful (although if they're cheap, then who cares). Is it possible to get the base station, phone and just the cradle for charging without an extra handset? That would be ideal...

Linksys sell wireless adapters for all their VoIP adapters that are aroune $60 or so. I haven't played with one but they work reasonably well, you do just need to be aware that with a cheap router you will probably have no QoS over the WiFi connection.

I have a seperate wireless access point from my router (or at least will soon), so if my wifi is plugged into the LAN connection on my router, and my router offers QoS, then wouldn't voice over wifi get QoS? That is, the router sees it as ethernet, not wifi. Am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks
Aaron

sbiddle

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#137589 12-Jun-2008 12:12

aarond:
Hmm... yeah I can see how this would work. I hadn't really thought about this option. Only thing is, would I then have to buy a DECT handset with extra handset? Then the base station and one handset would live in the basement plugged into the ATA. Seems kinda wasteful (although if they're cheap, then who cares). Is it possible to get the base station, phone and just the cradle for charging without an extra handset? That would be ideal...

I haven't seen any DECT handsets with standalone base units for some time now. Panasonic used to do nice ones but seem to have dumped them and moved back to everything being integrated into the charger/base.

I have a seperate wireless access point from my router (or at least will soon), so if my wifi is plugged into the LAN connection on my router, and my router offers QoS, then wouldn't voice over wifi get QoS? That is, the router sees it as ethernet, not wifi. Am I understanding this correctly?

Qos on your router for your internet connection and QoS over WiFi or LAN connection are two different things. Your router's QoS is typically only on traffic on the WAN port, not the LAN port. QoS over WiFi is different - quite a few new routers and AP's support WME which will give you QoS over WiFi but your devices need to support this. It is really only an issue if your WiFi connection is being used by numerous devices or a lot of high bandwidth traffic such as file copying between PC's using WiFi which can easily max out all of your WiFi bandwidth.

aarond

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#137591 12-Jun-2008 12:21

OK, makes sense. Good to be aware of.

To me, just another supporting factor for getting all separate gear. I could always "upgrade" my wireless AP if this became an issue, while still leaving my other gear untouched. Even though I then have more potential for integration issues.

Many thanks
Aaron

tonyhughes

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#137610 12-Jun-2008 13:04

I have had all the combinations of devices - SIP phones running through wireless bridges, ATAs behind wireless with cordless phones plugged in, asterisk in front of and behind wifi at variousl times, and have never had any issues with the wireless.

Latency was not an issue.

Just make sure you use decent equipment, don't double-NAT (don't double any core networking functions if you can help it unless you are intentionally designing redundancy).

No problem to have Asterisk box in the garage, and a WiFi Ethernet Bridge on your fridge with an ATA and a couple of cordless phone bases. Very convenient.