Find out everything you need to know about VOIP
HOME articles Advantages of VoIP A Comparison of Different VOIP Companies Internet phone call hardware Skype – Making Calls from your PC, for free! Internet phone calls – what may go wrong? Can spies eavesdrop on your phone calls over the Internet? Internet phone calls – brings people together What are Internet phone calls? Chatting with strangers – over the Internet Further Articles Wireless Articles: 10 Steps to Install a PCI Wireless Card 5 Reasons Why You Need a Wireless Network 5 Things You Must Do Before You Buy Any Wireless Equipment Ad-hoc or Access Point. Network Structures Explained Bluetooth - Personal Wireless Confused Yet - Wireless Jargon Connecting to a Wired Network - Wireless Access Points Could You Already Have Wireless and Not Realise It Create Always-On Networks with a Wireless Router Dealing with Security Threats - Wireless Encryption Fighting with Windows - Getting Wireless Set Up How Do Wireless Networks Work Ports and Cards - How to Tell What You Need RFID - Wireless Shopping Sharing an Internet Connection over a Wireless Network Sharing Your Files and Folders Wirelessly Taking it Long-Distance - Wireless Extension Points The Future of Wireless Wardriving and the Wireless Pirates What Else Can You Do Over a Wireless Network What is Wireless Networking What to Look For - Range, Speed and Standards Wireless Alphabet Soup - What's the Difference Anyway Wireless Everywhere - Talking Your Laptop for a Walk Wireless Troubleshooting - 5 Things to Try	Internet phone call hardware Collaboration between telcos and phone manufacturers With Internet phone calls becoming more of the norm, telecommunications companies are fast collaborating with phone manufacturers to develop VoIP-enabled phones. These phones utilize VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), a technology that enables phone calls to be made over the Internet. Cisco ATA 186 The broadband phone company Vonage offers their customers a free Cisco ATA 186 Broadband Internet Phone adaptor when they sign up for their Broadband Internet Service. This device is a handset-to-Ethernet adaptor that links regular analog telephones to IP-based telephone networks. When installed at the subscriber’s location, this device can support up to two voice ports, with two independent phone numbers. Through this, customers can connect their regular phones to their router which is in turn connected to a broadband internet connection. Phone calls are then able to be conducted via the Internet. SPA Sipura-2000 Another device that connects analog phones to broadband internet modems is the SPA Sipura-2000, which features two phone ports for connections to analog phones or fax machines. This phone utilizes an Ethernet interface to connect to a Broadband Modem or a router. With this, the SPA converts voice traffic into data packets for transmission over an IP network or the Internet. PAP 2 The Linksys Phone Adaptor PAP 2 boasts of high-quality telephone service via cable or DSL Internet Connection. The mode of operation for this device is basically similar to other brands of Internet Phone Adaptors, where the adaptor is connected to the router or modem and the analog phones. USB Internet Phones If Internet phone calls are made from PCs, another form of Internet phone is used. These are known as USB Internet phones and can be connected to the PC through a USB port. For example, users of Skype can talk over the Skype network via the use of an Internet phone connected through the USB port to the PC or notebook. Skype recommends the Cyberphone K and the Olympia Cordless DUALphone. The Cyberphone K features plug-and-play functionality and operates without the need of a soundcard inside the PC. This phone has also been manufactured with acoustically isolated speakers and microphones in order to eliminate echo. Nortel i2004 Finally, there is the Nortel i2004 Internet Telephone, a phone which is sleek in design with a digital interface. Connected directly to the office LAN (Local Area Network), this allows a simplified wiring architecture to be used within the office network environment. As a result, features available to users can be customized accordingly by network administrators and thus balance user functionality with cost requirements and cost management.