In order to enable VoIP, how should I set up gateways and gatekeeper on my small wireless network?

In order to enable VoIP, how should I set up gateways and gatekeeper on my small wireless network?

I have a small wireless network that includes one router and access points. In order to enable VoIP, how should I set up gateways and gatekeeper?

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Voice and data can both be transported over a wireless Ethernet connection in the same way they are transmitted over a wired connection. One thing to consider when using the wireless medium is that it is harder to ensure good voice quality. If you're going to go forward with implementing voice over the wireless network, look into getting a firmware upgrade for your devices that will support the IEEE 802.11e standard in the future.

You enable VoIP on your wireless network the same way you would do it in a wired network. If you have a small number of extensions for a business, you can use an IP PBX. You may need some media converters to connect to the IP PBX and any non IEEE 802.11 phones you have. An adapter such as the following could be used:

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/product-detail.php?productid=44&categoryid=7

If you're going to invest in a VoIP phone system, you should choose one that is based on open standards so you can use devices from multiple manufacturers. One such phone system is the MX from Zultys Technologies.

The system is based on the highly interoperable SIP protocol which is now the industry standard protocol for VoIP. It gives you the option of connecting to the standard telephone network or to a SIP service provider. This system is also very easy to set up and manage. You can select from a number of SIP based IEEE 802.11 compatible phones and soft phones on any PCs with wireless cards in them.

This was first published in August 2004