Analog Telephony Adaptors for VoIP (ideally both SIP & Skype)

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ClubMan

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Anybody got any first hand experience and/or recommendations on non PC/laptop dependent ATAs (if that's not a tautology?) to use with SIP and/or Skype (ideally supporting both) VoIP services? Basically an ATA that plugs into the router and the normal analog/DECT phone/basestation plugs into it without the need for any PC/laptop running at the same time.
 
I've been using the Sipura 2100 without any problems (with Blueface). It has provision for 2 phone lines so you can sign up each line with 2 different providers. For the most part, it just sits in a corner. The only fancy thing I've done with it is block calls to 08x :)
 
Thanks. Did you buy it from Blueface or eleswhere (online?)? What broadband provider are you with?
 
Yes. I got it when I signed up with Blueface. It was €99 1.5 years ago. If shopping around, keep in mind that some ATA's are locked into a specific provider. Blueface don't do this but most of the US VOIP providers do. Just in case you see something on eBay.

For broadband I'm with NTL. During the summer I did have a strange problem (when UPC took over). The ATA would appear to kill the NTL modem when a machine on my LAN was downloading at full or near full speed. The solution was to move my broadband router between the ATA and the cable modem. Everything's been fine since but I did have to get a QoS enabled router (Linksys WRT54G) to manage the bandwidth.
 
Thanks. I see a few SPA-2000s on eBay and some of them are explicitly described as being unlocked from any particular provider. It seems to be the earlier model to the SPA-2100 but I haven't yet identified the specific differences. I had seen mention of the QoS issues on the boards and/or Blueface forums but again I haven't researched enough to figure out the issues and when it's necessary to have a QoS enabled router...

I guess dual SIP and Skype ATAs are either not that common or else come at a premium or something?

P.S. I didn't know that ntl: had been taken over already!
 
I've used a Sipura 1001 for around one year now (and get VOIP service from blueface)... it's the most basic ATA adaptor that you can get - 3 ports on the back of it - power in, LAN in & phone out.

Never had a problem with it - works perfectly, configuration is pretty simple ..

The only real issues I've had with VOIP were ISP related ... used to use it on Irish Broadband which meant call quality frequently varied from perfect to useless with complete unpredictability. I currently use the same piece of equipment on Telewest in the UK and it's never anything other than perfect call quality.

I bought the Sipura 1001 from Marx Computers in Fairview - looking at [broken link removed] it looks like they're charging more or less the same price as I paid a year ago .. so there are probably better deals out there now.
 
I've used ATAs from Zyxel, Linksys and Siemens, no problems with any of them. The Siemens one is interesting in that it is also a DECT base station and can take your normal POTS line too. I believe Linksys have just released a Skype & SIP capable ATA, I have no experience of it though.
 
I've bought two ATA's from Blueface.

The first one was an all in one job : Linksys WRT54GP2. Basically a router, wireless access point and ATA rolled into one box. It's a very compact and easy box to setup and use. From a VOIP point of view I've never had a moments difficulty with it. One feature that it has that is useful is it automatically prioritises VOIP traffic above all other ports.

The second ATA I bought was a Netgear TA612V ATA. Again it seems pretty bullet proof. Buying the equipment from Blueface meant that all the settings were already preconfigured to suit the quirks of the individual ISPs. Definitely worth considering as for seemingly simple little boxes, ATAs have an awful lot of settings.

If you are looking for support for both SIP and Skype expect to pay a lot of money. I believe Skype standalone handsets are pricely enough and require a lot of software overhead.
 
Any more infor from the posters here

I was looking at SPA3102 from linksys as it can link between voip and standard telephone lines

Stuart
 
I have a linksys that I bought from Smart telecom(remember them) when I signed up to their Smart 076 voip service.Never had a problem with it.I'm now with blueface who e-mailed me their configuration settings.It works a treat.I have Eircom's 2 meg bb which has been without fault since I signed up oct 05
 
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