| We are creatures of habit, and once we get used to | | | | sure you have the cables with RJ45 plugs on each |
| doing things a certain way, it really is difficult to | | | | end - one of these goes from the hub to your |
| change. For some people, this also applies to | | | | modem and another one goes from your VOIP ATA |
| implementing home VOIP service in their home. Unlike | | | | box to the hub. |
| traditional phones, where your home may already be | | | | Now with your VOIP ATA box connected to the hub |
| wired with a phone jack in the wall in each and every | | | | or directly into your high-speed Internet modem if |
| room, your home is probably not wired in the same | | | | you had a spare jack on it, you just connect your |
| way for VOIP. But you can still implement VOIP | | | | standard traditional phone into the RJ-11 jack on the |
| throughout your home, and there are multiple ways | | | | ATA box and you are good to go. |
| to accomplish this. | | | | But what about using your VOIP phone throughout |
| Let's look at the component parts of your VOIP | | | | the house so that you are not tethered to the room |
| system. Once you decide which VOIP provider to | | | | that has the ATA box and the high-speed Internet |
| use, you will get a VOIP adapter box, also known as | | | | modem? You have multiple options here. You can use |
| an ATA box. This box is about the size of a deck of | | | | a cordless phone where you would plug the base unit |
| cards and is the "smarts" behind the VOIP. One cable | | | | into the VOIP ATA box, and then you are good to |
| from this ATA box plugs into a spare jack on your | | | | go. I would recommend a cordless phone that is in |
| high-speed Internet router, and your standard RJ-11 | | | | the 5.8 Ghz range to provide your best coverage. |
| jack from your regular phone plugs into the other | | | | If you want to have multiple phone handsets around |
| end of the ATA box. | | | | the house, I would recommend getting one of those |
| Ok, some of you are saying you have a problem | | | | multi-unit cordless phone setups. Some of those can |
| already, since your high-speed Internet connection | | | | accommodate up to 8 cordless phones with the |
| modem only has ONE jack on it, and that is where | | | | same base unit. |
| you plug your computer in so you can get online. | | | | There are places online that will explain how to wire |
| Yes, this is a problem but not a huge one. You are | | | | your VOIP ATA box into the outside wiring of your |
| going to need to go to Best Buy or Radio Shack or | | | | home phone system so that the RJ-11 jacks you |
| some similar place and get a HUB. The easiest way | | | | already have in every room can still be used. While |
| to think of this is like being an extension cord for | | | | this is possible, it is not recommended. There are |
| your high-speed Internet modem. You plug the hub | | | | multiple stories of people who have blown out their |
| into an electrical outlet, and then you run a cable | | | | ATA box and/or the entire phone wiring of their |
| from the hub to the jack on your high-speed | | | | home because they were not familiar enough with |
| Internet modem. Now you plug your computer into | | | | the electrical load requirements of implementing a |
| one of the jacks on the hub (you will probably have | | | | system like that. Unless you are an electrician or |
| about 3 or 4 of them), and also plug the cable from | | | | telephone company repair person, this approach is |
| your VOIP ATA box into another jack on the hub. | | | | likely to cause more problems than it solves. |
| Before you leave Best Buy or Radio Shack, make | | | | |