Help!! Voip Thickie Requires Advice Please

lic

Hi,
I'm new to the concept of VOIP. I have just signed up to VOIPSTUNT, and have accessed there service using a cheap headset. This seem to work okay.
I am now interested in connecting a wireless router to my system. It will be delivered this week.
I would like to know if it is possible to access VOIP services using a normal phone connected to a 'ethernet port'. Is this possible?
All the VOIP phone handsets that I have seen adertised are linked to a service provider. e.g. Teso, Skype. All these phone locked to a network provider? If I bought a Skype phone could I use that to access Voipstunt?
Any advice would be greatly apprciated.
Thanks in anticipation.
Lic

lic

Firstly let me apologise for the poor spelling in the above.
I took the plunge and bought a Tesco VOIP phone (cost £19.97). This phone works perfectly with VOIPSTUNT. You just plug it to a USB port and configure you VOIPSTUNT setting to accept it.
As for my other questions, who knows?

mrwibble

Depends on the handset but most seem to be essentially a sound card so can be used with any provider. Just do a google and see

There are plenty of non-branded voip handsets - just google / ebay

Regarding connecting a standard phone to an Ethernet port - I think you are either thinking about Asterisk servers (ie connecting phones via a card to your PC for onwards transmission via VoIP) or about a VoIP phone which is really a computer disguised as a phone - these will plug into an Ethernet port on your router and can be easily programmed to use whatever VoIP providers you desire.

Have a look at phones like the Grandstream range for examples - again google / ebay

codetown

If you are just looking at using a normal telephone with VOIP SIP providers (such as voipstunt, sipgate and some others; NOT skype) then you need a SIP compliant appliance, which is called a ATA. This will plug into the router and give you a port in for your normal RJ11 phone. But this needs then to be configured with your softphone (i.e. to connect to the network your service provider uses, such as the voipstunt network via Xten).

If you have a PC mostly on you can also buy the much simpler RJ11->USB converters. These simply plug into your USB port and allow you to connect a phone (normal or DECT wireless). These are compatible with any software you use (skype, SIP, even messagging) and pretty easy (nothing to do).

This is one example:
http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=17518

With this connector, you don't need any special phone (and can send back the tesco one!) as you just plug in your NORMAL phone and select if using PSTN (normal line) or Internet by pressing ** at the start of your call on the handset (or some connectors have also a manual switch).