Analog Telephone Adapter usage

[Tim]

Thufir:
>>> I connect to a SMC7004VWBR router/firewall wirelessly, but well enough for
>>> skype.  I would be using my computer as a gateway, of sorts, with this
>>> device?

Tim:
>> Not normally.  That router is the gateway to the internet for everything
>> on your LAN.  It's a standalone device, and you don't need any computers
>> running to use it.


Thufir:
> While it may be the best way to do VoIP, it's not an option for me, as I
> don't have physical access to the router :(

In which case, you'd need two network cards in your PC (one of which
could be your wireless).  And you'd share out to the second one, where
you connect the VOIP box.

Though, depending on the system, that still mightn't work.  Your router
mightn't pass through network connections in the manner required for
VOIP to work.

>> Another gotcha is how do you call someone on another VOIP network?

> Whatever it is that a softphone, such as Skype, is doing, I want to do
> with hardware. I don't need the functionality described.

Ah, but how would you call someone who wasn't using Skype?  That's where
this VOIP thing falls apart.  If you want to call someone who uses
Skype, you need it as well, and vice versa.  Then how many other systems
do you also have, for your friends who use something that's not Skype?
It's the same madness as ICQ vs MSN vs Yahoo vs Jabber...  They don't
talk to each other, and you'll never convince some people to use a
different system.  It's a bit shortsighted to think that you won't need
anything else than Skype.

> Is it possible to configure the computer and the ATA to make VoIP calls,
> such as I currently do with Skype?

If you're going to use the computer, you have a couple of options, at
least:

Buy the ATA which is a network device between *something* and an
ordinary telephone.  Configure your networking for it to work.

Use a softphone and your soundcard.

-- 
(Currently testing FC5, but still running FC4, if that's important.)

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