Any advice on gateways/adapters?

[brunnenguk]

Hi all, can anyone advise which would be a good gateway to use in the UK?

I'm currently using 3CX in a home environemnt to provide a private incoming line for myself (sipgate) and combine it with my Skype account. So far this is working really well, I'm sending and receiving Skype calls through a Grandstream IP phone and can receive calls from the SIPGate number. So far I'm really liking 3CX

As I have family abroad (in the US and Australia) I'm looking at using IP telephony for making calls abroad. We've used this approach before (Skype) but stopped after a while because my Dad didn't like using a headset and being stuck at the computer. For this reason I'm considering getting a gateway device (Possibly Linksys) to provide an FXO and FXS port. This would enable the placing of calls through a SIPgate account (calling Australia would be 1.8p per minute, cheaper than the current international call provider we're using)

I'm looking at FXS and FXO so that the cordless phone we currently have can connect to 3CX and have 3CX handle PSTN calls too. It shouldn't be too difficult to set up some rules so that UK calls get sent out on PSTN and international calls get sent out through SIPgate.

I'd appreciate any advice anyone can offer.

Dan

 

[davidbenwell]

LinkSys SPA-3102 will do the job

I understand that your using Sipgate, did you know that for £4.99 you can get minutes to UK landlines and other countries?

 

[brunnenguk]

Is that the 1000 minutes in a month offer? I'd have to see what the normal usage pattern is and whether that would work out. I think we normally make a few long calls so currently a monthly plan would probably not work out as well. Of course it could be worth considering depending on the number of calls made both internationally and to the UK (I guess I'll have to check the phone bill)

Many thanks

 

[davidbenwell]

Yes 1000 Minutes, VoIPTalk.org do an unlimited version, which i think is a better service then Sipgate. for £9.99 per month.

 

[leejor]

As I have family abroad (in the US and Australia) I'm looking at using IP telephony for making calls abroad. We've used this approach before (Skype) but stopped after a while because my Dad didn't like using a headset and being stuck at the computer. For this reason I'm considering getting a gateway device (Possibly Linksys) to provide an FXO and FXS port. This would enable the placing of calls through a SIPgate account (calling Australia would be 1.8p per minute, cheaper than the current international call provider we're using)

You would only need an FXO device it you required a connection to a PSTN at your end. Since it sounds like, at least your Dad, has a high speed connection, why not buy a cheap ATA and configure it as a 3CX extension. Send it to him and you can talk as long as you like on regular telephones. The only limit is his data limit and the four simultaneous call limit in the free edition.

If you still require a combo FXO and FXS, I recommend the SPA3102. They can be a bit tricky (for some) to configure, but I've never had a problem with them.

I've used http://vitelity.com/?p=intl for LD for a few years (US based), rates to some of the major Australian cities are about 1.3 US cents per minute. Smaller cities are about 5 cents US

 

[Fatboy40]

Just as a heads up we had a power spike at work this week, which blew two SPA3102's, are they a little fragile ?.

Their replacements are now on surge protection extension leads.

 

[davidbenwell]

We have our network switches, Routers, Phone Gateways connected to a UPS for even better protection. This allows our network and phone system to stay up for 45 minutes on power outages. if total power goes, all incoming calls are then rerouted to a mobile phone so no calls are ever missed

 

[leejor]

Just as a heads up we had a power spike at work this week, which blew two SPA3102's, are they a little fragile ?.

I would not think that they are any more "fragile" than other electronic equipment. Did it actually blow the 3102's or just the power supplies? A spike of several hundred or even thousand volts, the sort of thing you can get with lightning,or even a vehicle taking out a power pole down the street, is going to make a mess of most electronics.

I have all electronic equipment either behind a UPS (computers/VoIP equipment) or on a surge protector (TV's, DVR, microwave, etc.), always best to be safe.

 

[davidbenwell]

I don't recall saying that lol

Just as a heads up we had a power spike at work this week, which blew two SPA3102's, are they a little fragile ?.

I would not think that they are any more "fragile" than other electronic equipment. Did it actually blow the 3102's or just the power supplies? A spike of several hundred or even thousand volts, the sort of thing you can get with lightning,or even a vehicle taking out a power pole down the street, is going to make a mess of most electronics.

I have all electronic equipment either behind a UPS (computers/VoIP equipment) or on a surge protector (TV's, DVR, microwave, etc.), always best to be safe.

 

[Fatboy40]

Just as a heads up we had a power spike at work this week, which blew two SPA3102's, are they a little fragile ?.

I would not think that they are any more "fragile" than other electronic equipment. Did it actually blow the 3102's or just the power supplies? A spike of several hundred or even thousand volts, the sort of thing you can get with lightning,or even a vehicle taking out a power pole down the street, is going to make a mess of most electronics.

I have all electronic equipment either behind a UPS (computers/VoIP equipment) or on a surge protector (TV's, DVR, microwave, etc.), always best to be safe.

Yep the SPA3102's were taken out I'm afraid, these two are not in the computer room but out on the shop floor/attached to a fax.

 

[brunnenguk]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I have thought about using a cheap ATA on a separate phone but I'm leaning towards an FXO/FXS gateway as it means that I will be able to handle PSTN calls on my VOIP setup.

re leejor: As I'm currently living with my folks I figured I might as well link them in to the 3cx system I've been working on. And with an FXO/FXS gateway I can leave that device with them when I move out so they will continue to be able to make use of cheap international calls.

A point was made about the 4 call limit in the free edition, I'm not too worried about that as I don't think I'll hit that limit. (Even if I forward skype/sipgate calls to my mobile while someone else is making an international call that will only be counted as 3 calls?)

 

[davidbenwell]

Check with your VoIP provider to see how many calls you can make at any one time.

Example
Sipgate (1) (Upgrade allow more calls available)
VoIPTalk (2) (Upgrade allow more calls available)

 

[brunnenguk]

Check with your VoIP provider to see how many calls you can make at any one time.

Example
Sipgate (1) (Upgrade allow more calls available)
VoIPTalk (2) (Upgrade allow more calls available)

I'm using Sipgate as a VoIP provider so as you stated, there will be a 1 call limit. Would there be a problem with using a second sipgate acount? Reason being I'd like my existing account to be used as a private line for my own use and have the second account be used for international calling