Analog Telephone Adapter usage

[Tim]

Thufir:
>> <http://www.grandstream.com/user_manuals/HandyTone.pdf>

Tim:
>> That device looks like it sits between your phone and a network
>> connection to the internet.

Addendum:  It *is* one of those devices.

>> If you have a modem/router you don't even need a computer.  It's a
>> stand-alone device, a network device in itself.
>> 
>> If you don't have a modem/router, then you'd need to use a computer to
>> share the internet connection between itself and the ATA, much the same
>> way as you share the internet between more than one PC.

> 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?

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.

That is much the best way to do VOIP.  You don't need a power-wasting PC
running all the time.

> The device wouldn't work with Gizmo, then?  I'd need a VoIP provider,
> along the lines of vonage?

As the other person said:  You need a VOIP provider, just pick one that
you're happy with.  Start off by looking for one that publishes set up
instructions where you can find them before having to sign up.  There
are some that are set up to work with some pre-configured devices, and
don't provide information for using other devices.

Another gotcha is how do you call someone on another VOIP network?  How
do you call johndoe at sip.example.com from an ordinary telephone plugged
into a VOIP box?  Or even some softphones?  Likewise for numerical user
IDs, the same number can be used on different providers.

-- 
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