Linking Vonage to a Landline

[ashmeade]

I wondering if anyone has successfully done this setup before.

Vonage unlimited account.

Regular CW/LIME Land line

ADSL Internet


Link the Vonage Box to the Land line using an FXS-FXO Converter.

So lets say you in the US and you call the vonage number, it rings once, the converter answers and connects the land line to the call, you get dialtone so now you dial any 876 number and the caller is connected to local line with a local number and the same thing happens if you call a the local Limeland line it connects to vonage give u dialtone and you make a us call...

would this be a legal setup?

Anyone?

[Chris]

I personally know that this has been done and works as good as the FXS-FXO converter. What I mean is that there are some good ones and some flaky ones that will work on and off. In one case I know of the converter would hang causing the lines to be tied up (busy) until someone unplugged it.

Regarding the legality of this setup I couldn't offer legal advice on that ... leave that to the legal luminaries. What I would strongly suspect though is that as long as the setup is used for private/personal use and isn't used for commercial gain (selling calls or the service) then it should be ok.

Oh and btw - use a converter that allows you to configure a passcode when implementing the system

[barrettrs]

Setting Up the Router & Vonage Account.

These steps are based on the assumption you have a valid Vonage account and your fees are paid up and your in good standing with the company.

Step1

Ensure your home or office wiring is in place. Hire a professional if you have trouble as the work requires some expertise. You can use multiple phones with Vonage VoIP, but before you can do this you need to modify your existing wiring.

Step2

Isolate your existing phone line. Any voltage fluctuation across the line could damage your equipment and cause a fire.

Step3

Make sure your phone line is disconnected. Pick up the phone and ensure it is dead. If the ring tone persists, call a professional at the telephone company, or a qualified electrician.

Step4

Check all contents of the adapter/router package. This should include the main router and some cables.

Step5

Connect your Vonage VoIP phone adapter/router. Switch off all equipment. Connect the Ethernet cable coming out of your internet modem to the Internet port on the router.

Step6

Take the Ethernet cable provided along with your Vonage compatible router and connect one end to any of the numbered ports on the back of the router. The other end should be connected to the Ethernet port on your computer (or switch).

Step7

Connect the router’s power cord. Connect the phone line to any of the router’s phone port. More phone lines can be connected depending on the number of ports available.

Step8

Switch on the internet modem, Vonage router and your PC
Configuring the Router

Step1

Configure the router to complete the set up process. To do so, you can either use the set up CD that may be provided along with your Vonage connection. If you don’t have the CD, you can use Vonage’s Web utility for configuration.

Step2

To access the Web utility, enter 192.168.15.1 in your Web browser. The login screen for your router’s administration section will pop up. Enter "admin" as your username and password and log in. You can change the password later on.

Step3

The "Basic Setup" screen is displayed. Choose the type of internet connection. You have three options–Obtain an IP automatically (default), Static IP and PPPoE. If your Internet modem is enabled to DHCP, you should choose obtain an IP automatically. If you are not sure about the type, ask your ISP. The “Obtain an IP automatically” is recommended, as you do not have to manually enter the IP address of your Internet connection in your router settings.

Step4

If you choose Static IP (your Internet router is not DHCP), enter the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, DNS and WNS. If you do not have these, ask your ISP.

Step5

If you choose PPPoE, you would need to enter the user name and password provided by your ISP.

Step6

Click on "Save" settings. Your basic setup is complete. This process should be enough to set up your Vonage connection. See if you get the dial tone. If not, you may have to enter additional settings depending on your Internet connection and router. Check the user manual to troubleshoot in such cases.

As usual post your results or any additional steps that you took to configure your settings.....so we can all learn on the forums.

Have Fun!