[BEG]

DracoFelis,

I copied your directions from the mpp discussion so I can use them later. I'm going to sleep on it but I'm pretty positive I'm going to get the linxsys SPA3102 from voxilla and set it up with teliax. I really think phonegnome is onto something and will reccomend it to my in-laws/relatives if they get broadband as I don't want to support them, they have more money than I do and I can still talk to them for free with my 3102. It's only $7 cheaper but I don't have to get a hub, as I am hubless now, so it will save me another $30-$40. I really like the PG option to send messages to email but the other stuff I think I'll be able to do with the 3102 like telemarketer screening and follow me/find me if I so desire.

I visited the Sipura forum here and wondered will the programs/code written for the 3000 work for the 3102? I assume it will but just wondered for sure.

And, in a nutshell what is Asterisk? I've seen it mentioned and as far as I can tell it's some type of routing site that determines if you go PSTN, VOIP or direct but am not sure and your reccomendation of sipbroker seems to do the same thing?

Thank you so much for your help.

[BEG]

I figured out what asterisk is. If I eve do consulting again that'll be something I get into.

[tphank]

Several months ago, I started out with the same questions as you. I downloaded the SPA3000 user and admin manuals, and read the forums here, and realized that setting up the unit was not that difficult. BUT, because of the WAF (wife acceptance factor) I ordered a Phonegnome for primary use and an SPA3000 for a second line/experimental use. Yea, 2x the cost, I know... In my case, long distance was not the issue as I have a LD provider with 0.04/min with no extra charges for as little or as much as I use. Now the local and regional calls, that is where I was hit. Regional at 0.07 /min!

Keeping the PSTN for "security/reliability" reasons was most important.
Keeping our existing phone number was also important.
Selecting the provider would be pay as you go due to our low volume, where unlimited would never pay for us.

PhoneGnome: Simple setup; used with our PSTN line. I have setup several voip providers to test and you can set these up in your PG portal, then just select which one you want to use. This is nice, if one provider is down, you simply select another one.... A new feature request that I have for the PG is to have a Provider Order, if one is down, move to the next... I have recommenced the PhoneGnome to my non technical friends, a good way of getting the benefits of Voip, for those not ready to disconnect from the PTSN.

SPA3000: Initially, I spent alot of time playing with the configs, and setting up gateway features. Once it was set, I did not touch any of the configurations until I changed my main VOIP gateway. (Setup a stanaphone number on Line 1 but all calls were routed thru sipdiscount on the first gateway.)

Well, then I started reading up on Asterisk, and started playing with Asterisk at Home..... after all, the PhoneGnome servers are really big asterisk servers with some extras..... so now I have AAH running, and my spa3000 has the same and more custom features than my PG, but that is extra time and effort and dedicated box which PhoneGnome does for you.

Now there are other great parts to the puzzle: SipBroker.com and VoxAlot.com I'm still considering using this for use with the PhoneGnome - to prioritize my VOIP providers for greater dial plan capability for use with the PhoneGnome, as PG only allows 1 selection for LongDistance, 1 for International, and 1 for forwarding calls.

I just recommended another PG, and will probably set up the user with VoxAlot to select the best call routing.

Providers: as far as pay as you go with low per minute costs, I tried: NuFone (0.02 and will carry over your callerid thru the PhoneGnone- was my primary provider until recently); Voxee 0.011 Now my primary PhoneGnome provider- can pass your callerid. Gizmoproject (SipPhone) minutes: 0.01 per min (outbound callerid is not a real phone number=broken-callerid); InPhonex: 0.025/min too high now+ broken-callerid; Stanaphone: 0.016/min Still use; MutualPhone: 0.011/min still use+broken-callerid; SipDiscount Free USA calling, low international rates broken-callerid - my international provider. (WAF is low here since sometimes it would take a little longer to connect USA calls, which is why it is used only for international call on primary line, but is used on the second line most of the time!....)


I will still recommend PhoneGnomes to non technical friends, and will probably configure them with multiple providers with VoxAlot.(until phonegnome offers provider priority and/or more complex outgoing routing.)

If I didn't want to play with AAH and see what I could do with it (which is alot!), I would use sipbroker and voxalot with an SPA3000, and possibly i-p-tels free online limited asterisk system (https://pbx.i-p-tel.com/config.php?m=login) for some extra features....

its early, havent had my coffee yet, but I hope I got my point across.
HTH
tphank

[BEG]

tphank, thanks for the info.

I ordered the 3102 from voxilla yesterday afternoon. I got it primarily over PG because it has a router and it's brand spanking new so it should be supported for awhile. I was up till midnight downloading stuff and reading the Linxsys/Sipura forum. I got a little nervous last night reading the technical stuff and thought maybe I should have ordered the support from voxilla or got a phonegnome. I'm a little better this morning and think I'll be ok. I used to do computer consulting for around 10 years or so and setup Novell servers and did basic stuff. Used to work a little with AT codes and modems and did some programming so I'm hoping I can pick it up.

I'm pretty sure my first VOIP will be with Teliax. It was reccomended here and they say they have setup information for various boxes including the SPA3000. I emailed them last night so if I hear from them and they can help me I'll go with them. It looks like you've done a lot of work on it though and I appreciate the information.

Asterisk looks very cool and I'm not sure but I think it only runs on Linux. I haven't done any linux yet but did quite a bit of OS/2 in the day so maybe I'll give it a shot. Plus I'm not an MS fan and think even though XP is probably their only good OS to date it's still not as stable or fast as OS/2 was.

I digress. Anyway, when I first found PhoneGnome on the internet I thought no way. But I couldn't find a providor that would just give me a good deal on long distance and not putz with my landline, (teliax probably would do that). I have to have it anyway for DSL so I might as well use it for incoming, 911, 800 etc. calls. Anyway, researching PG and finding out about stuff a little I decided to take the dive. I am sure though I will reccomend PG to my relatives as long as I can talk to them for free via my 3102 and it looks like with sipbroker I'll be able to do that.

I am a little nervous but am excited about the possibilities the 3102 will provide.

[tphank]

For asterisk, minimal to no linux is necessary. Check out nerdvittles.com they step you thru in baby steps to going as well as some pretty great applications!. Just download the asterisk iso, and let it take install itself!

As far as long distance provider, I use/used pngcom.com (PowerNetGlobal). (IIRC 0.039/min). I had verizon DSL, (now FIOS) and only used Verizon for basic service. Long distance and regional were done by PNG. Nice thing is that they have no fees, so now with the PhoneGnome, they are still my providers as backup in case the PhoneGnome or internet go down.

Nothing to be nervous about!
HTH!

[BEG]

Nerdvittles has a lot of good info, thanks.

The 3102 is on it's way, at least I got an email from voxilla yesterday.

Thank you for all your help and see you on the linksys/sipura forum soon!

[alexdds]

Originally Posted by BEG

I have a DSL line that requires a phone line. Where I live it costs at least 5 cents a minute to call even just a few miles away so almost all my calls I consider long distance which we have shut off on the land line. I've used Dialpad but their sold and not offering the dpphone service any more. All I want is inexpensive reliable long distance. I don't care if I get caller ID or all the frills, (though forwarding messages to email or forwarding calls to other phones is very nice). Phonegnome seems to be able to do what I want and more but I'm not afraid to dive into the Sipura 3000 either after reading much discussions on it in this post. Anyway, I don't necessarily want to spend $100 and have them go out of business in a year, (like dialpad), and be stuck with a $100 piece of hardware I can't use. (Dialpads wasn't $100 but pretty close after setup fees, etc.) So, if Phonegnome goes defunct with the product work like a SIP3000?

We use about 475 min. a month via dialpad which would be every call except 800 calls and the very few local calls we make. With dialpad it works out to be around 2 to 3 cents per minute with the $12 unlimited plan. It seems most VOIP plans take the 800 calls and charge them to your minutes but the phonegnome/sipura doesn't?

Which VOIP do you reccomend just do get outgoing calls?

Do you have to dial a long distance number to enable phonegnome to go VOIP? Our local calls, outside of a very few numbers, are charged the 5 cent rate as mentioned.

I am sorry I am sure this sounds a little batty. I've been doing research on this stuff and the VOIP providers just drive me nuts. Most of their websites don't tell you what you get billed for or don't answer questions until you sign up, if then. A lot won't offer service in my area and they offer all these features that I don't need. Then you figure you've found one and then you find 100's of people that hate them or have had terrible luck. Plus, most review sites seem to be vendor/advertisment driven so you can't trust the reviews. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent and for the help.

DIALPAD is now Yahoo Messenger through AT&T.
it's about 1-2 cents a minute.

[BEG]

alexdds,

Yeah, but they don't offer dial-up from your phone anymore through the DPPhone. It's only PC to PC or PC to PSTN via VOIP.

[fidencioga]

tphank, I'm also a pg user and regularly post on the pg forum.
PG implemented some of my ideas already such as the delay for the click to dial destination.

One question, I also have vox-a-lot but I don't see the point or the advantages of having it working with pg. PG does most of the things that vox-a-lot does. On what type of scenario would this be better than pg?

How would you set it up with PG? tru url routing?

Also I'm having a bit of trouble getting a cell phone to work with mobilegnome, I've posted over @ pg (as commstar) forum but no one responded yet.
Have you personally tried to connect an outside call tru pg (mobilegnome) via cellphone?

When I try, pg does not recognize the DTMF tones of the digits dialed after IT ACCEPTS the 4 digit password!

Thanks...
Fidencio

[tphank]

Fidencio:
PG allows for one VOIP provider for Long Distance and one VOIP provider for ALL International Calls. WIth Voxalot, you can custom tailor dial plans to further select the providers based on area or country code (for lowest cost dialing) cell vs landline, etc. Another advantage of Voxalot is the Provider priority. If your main provider is down, Voxalot will try to place the call with the next one in line, etc. With the PG setup, you are stuck with one for LD and one for Int'l, and if they are down, you are out of luck.
If you have a voxalot account, you have a 6 digit account number and password. Setup up this information in the PG portal...

I have not tried mobilegnome as I don't have callerid on my PSTN line and do not use the PG voicemail (alternate method).

For all other special features ,I am running my own Asterisk @ Home box to which I connect my line 2, which I have customized to fit my own needs...
HTH