Setting Up A VoIP Network
Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is a method of delivering phone service that boasts cost savings and extra features over traditional telephone service operations. A VOIP service can probably be added to your existing network with minor software upgrades that shouldn’t mean too much out of pocket expense.
First of all, make sure you have enough speed to run the network. If your round trip time is never greater than 200ms, your network should be fast enough to handle VoIP and data traffic at the same time. Test by pinging devices both on your local LAN and your WAN.
Secondly, look at all the components of the VOIP network. You have:
- PCs, PDAs, and file servers sharing the network with a telephony server.
- Fax machine, VoIP soft phones and hard phones connected to the network with an analog telephone adapter.
- Your PCs, PDAs and laptop all able to call through any VoIP phone on the network
- Your PCs, PDAs and laptop can also place calls to regular telephones through either the telephony server or the long distance provider’s telephone switch.
Here are a couple of added notes with other details about VOIP networking. First, check with your equipment manuals for QOS and COS compatibility and replace any devices that do not support either one. Also, you need to secure your network as you do other similar areas, so check with your own systems to see which options work best for securing your network.
Once you install your VoIP network, you will be able to offer additional services to clients, friends, family and others who’d like to save bucks and get even more for their hard-earned money.