[chicha]

I'm looking for recommendations for a Broadband Phone Adapter with Router. Preferably lowest price, highest quality - price being the operative word. One provider I'm looking at offers these three for sale: Linksys RT31P2 ($95.), Sipura SPA-2100 ($85.), and the Grandstream HandyTone 486 ($87.). Big learning curve involved with VOIP - for a non-engineer and non-technically-inclined people!

[mberlant]

I would recommend either the Linksys or Sipura because they both have Sipura SIP engines, including the ability to manipulate many more user interface features than Grandstream offers. Tops on my list of decision factors is that the Linksys/Sipura products offer fully configurable Dial Plans, while Grandstream products do not.

[kieranmullen2]

How about the Telco Systems Access211 ? It has 2 lines, a lifeline and a router. Can be obtained at $60 USA or cheaper? This is the one that sunrocket.com is suggesting I buy.

[datarax]

Where can that be obtained for $60? Now that sounds priced right.

[kieranmullen2]

Arg you had to ask :-)

http://drlinky.com/?L=B62E3

Sometimes things on ebay are more expensiev than retail. If you find it cheaper searchign through froogle. Let us know. But I would like to know if the 2 line system with a router and a lifeline can support more than 2 accounts or just more. It woudl neat if you could call in on the lifeline and go out on the internet through the system

KM

[mberlant]

Typically, a lifeline port is not a true FXO port. Often it only serves to allow the FXS user to route 911 calls to the PSTN smoothly. Frequently it will not even present ringing PSTN calls to the FXS telephone.

By the way, I can't get the link to drlinky to go through.

[kieranmullen2]

I checked the link and it works ok. I also doubt the ability of the lifeline feature, it would be nice to be able to d that though. KM

[datarax]

The link works for me. Typically, lifelines work to always give you a dial tone to dial. Should your internet go down then just picking up the phone to dial would automatically route the call thru the pstn. If these units were hooked up to analog pbx's then an internet failure would not be detected by the user since their call would go thru the pstn instead of voip automatically. It's a great feature. Putting a y splitter on the pstn going to another phone would give you the receive call function you are looking for. Thanks for the link to ebay.

[chicha]

Originally Posted by mberlant

I would recommend either the Linksys or Sipura because they both have Sipura SIP engines, including the ability to manipulate many more user interface features than Grandstream offers. Tops on my list of decision factors is that the Linksys/Sipura products offer fully configurable Dial Plans, while Grandstream products do not.

What's the policy here on follow-ups four month after the fact? No problem?
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I'm still on the fence as to which ATA to buy. I was going to go with the Sipura 2100 (and may still), but for the fact it doesn't have a PSTN port. Other than buying a new, conventional 2-line phone, what would you suggest? Can a Y-splitter be used on the regular phone (which connects to the adapter) to receive PSTN calls that way? One line from the Y-splitter would go to the ATA, the other to the land-line "outlet" in the home. The ATA itself would connect to the internet. Thanks.

[jbkalla]

Oooh! Stay away from the RT31P2! I have that router and it continuously disconnects from the cable modem. I'm on Vonage, though, so maybe it's they're fault, but I've seen many, many complaints about that router and, besides, it's sortof out of date. I think the Sipura 2100 is a much better unit, though it really should have more ports. I'm going to switch to ViaTalk and get a 2100 in addition to a proper router for my computers. I'll let you know how that goes!

If you need the regular phone line, get the Sipura 3000 and a good router. If you're looking to have as few boxes as possible, good luck! It seems nobody has figured out yet that the consumer would like to combine all their routers/teladapters/modems/wireless into one unit. Maybe I'm just asking too much?

But wouldn't it be cool if you didn't have to buy a gigabit router, wireless, VOIP router and cable modem? I would certainly pay like $300 for a unit with all that functionality! Heck, you could even knock off the wireless and I'd be happy!