network connectivity querie

[rans6andrew]

Just a thought, if my computer is connected to a wireless internet connection by it's built in 802.11 can a "wired" device be connected to it by it's ehternet port to gain connection to the internet?

Just wondered if my Vonage phone could be plugged into the ethernet port on my PC rather than into the wireless router in the other room.

The logical conclusion of this, if it would work, would be that I can take my UK phone (Vonage VOIP) and plug it into my netbook when I am abroad and then I can get my normal call rates to UK landlines.

Rans6......

[hellsbrink]

Hmm

I looked on their forum and I can see someone has asked something similar (using internet sharing on his PC to connect the Vonage box to his Mac) but he didn't get a reply.


BUT, further searching has found it can be done.

Example (https://forums.vonage.com/showthread.php?t=2715)

Another example (https://forums.vonage.com/showthread.php?t=3404)

Have fun trying, here's the google search results for ya: sharing internet connection vonage adaptoe - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?sugexp=chrome,mod=15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=sharing+internet+connection+vonage+adaptoe#hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&ei=FpUNUKroGcOxhAfq8_XzCQ&ved=0CFUQvwUoAQ&q=sharing+internet+connection+vonage+adapter&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=620f4183c90141be&biw=2133&bih=1072)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Yes if whatever you're running on the computer (you don't specify) has a routing capability or a DHCP proxy capability (or no doubt some weirder options as well).

[rans6andrew]

wow! I thought I was being a bit hopeful but it would appear not.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Rans6......

[Saab Dastard]

While it may well work in the UK, there could be problems abroad with IP addressing issues (geolocation), and also latency - assuming no QoS!

SD

[mixture]

The logical conclusion of this, if it would work, would be that I can take my UK phone (Vonage VOIP) and plug it into my netbook when I am abroad and then I can get my normal call rates to UK landlines.

Seems to be an illogical conclusion to me.

Let me get this straight. The whole reason why you want mess around with your laptop is in order to enable you to plug your phone into it so that you can make phone calls with your phone over VoIP.

What on earth is wrong with just installing VoIP software on your laptop and buying yourself a decent headset ? Or plugging a hardware VoIP phone into the local switch/router ?

I simply don't see what extra benefits you are buying yourself by messing around with the mobile phone tethering element ? Something which others have already pointed out is only likely to yield questionable performance and call quality.

[herman the crab]

I think he means the VOIP phone - as in the handset he uses for VOIP calls rather than a cellphone/mobile type.

HTC

[rans6andrew]

the situation will be a crowd of us camping at the World Microlight Championships in Spain. The organisers have laid on wireless broadband and mains power. No doubt there will be members of the UK team who will want to call folks back home. My Vonage hardware connects over the internet to a landline connection somewhere in the UK and from there it gives me 24/7 free calls to UK landlines. If I take it to Spain it should still work just the same as it does when in my office in Berkshire, free calls to UK landlines.

If I install Skype (or similar) I have to pay for calls to non-skype destinations.

Rans6....

[Milo Minderbinder]

This may be the way to go
BR121E - DYNAMODE - ROUTER, WIRELESS N + 3G, PORTABLE | CPC (http://cpc.farnell.com/dynamode/br121e/router-wireless-n-3g-portable/dp/CS22518?Ntt=dynamode+br121e)

You should be able to plug the vonage phone into the ethernet port and then use this as a bridge to the wireless network. It will run on either mains or battery power
You can also use it as a G3 wireless/ethernet modem router, just plugging in a USB dongle. However be warned - the instructions are useless.

[mixture]

rans6andrew,

Get a SoftPhone when you order Vonage UK (http://www.vonage.co.uk/add-ons/vonage-softphone/)

[Milo Minderbinder]

Mixture

I think the problem with that is there appears to be an extra monthly fee.

[Mike-Bracknell]

Frankly, I would seriously doubt whether you're going to get a connection at a campsite shared with many tens of others, that would provide you with a decent enough connection to run VoIP over it. I have enough trouble as it is when my wife streams video whilst i'm on a VoIP call here (despite all my QoS settings to be optimal)

[mixture]

I think the problem with that is there appears to be an extra monthly fee.


Yeah, I suspected that might be the problem :E

He should consider changing provider. Any half decent voip provider will let you use the softphone of your choice.

[Milo Minderbinder]

I've been using this PAYG system for years with a USB handset plugged into my laptops:
VoIPCheap | Free Calls from the UK (http://www.voipcheap.co.uk) (They also trade under at least four other brandnames with similar services)
Works quite well, though up until now it wasn't SIP compatible - you had to use their bespoke software
However I just noticed that they do now have Android client software, and they are now SIP compatible. So it should be possible to use it on a smartphone connected to a wireless internet connection. Far easier than messing around with Vonage. From what I can see the only part of Vonage which works with SIP is the Softphone Mixture pointed our earlier.
Considering how big Vonage are in this business, they really should do better