SIP phones vs VoIP phones: What’s the difference?

July 11, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

Our tech support team at VoIP Supply offers great pre- and post-sales support plus provisioning, consultations, configuration, and installation help. We get a lot of VoIP hardware and software questions and would like to share the solutions with everyone.

In previous Mom’s calling Q&A series, we have discussed: How to eliminate static on my Plantronics Savi W740. Today, we have more new real questions and answers from VoIP users just like you.

What’s the Difference Between SIP phones and VoIP phones?

Q: I am not very familiar with SIP phones vs VOIP phones. Is VoIP phone designed to work independently, or as a handset for a softphone? Could a VoIP phone work autonomously without the need for direct connection to a computer?

Unfortunately, the issue we are experiencing with our currentPolycom phones is that they are basically too intelligent! Our staff daily even sometimes hours switch stations. and currently, they are having to re-verify credentials when they log into a new station so they can pair with the associated phone

A: SIP and VoIP are synonymous to a degree. All SIP is VoIP but not all VoIP is SIP. SIP is a particular protocol. There are more protocols that are VoIP. Skype for Business is a prime example. Skype is not SIP, that is why we specify a device for Skype for Business.

Yes, for sure! A workstation computer does not control the call, the PBX does.

STAY TUNED

Come back for more VoIP questions and answers next time! If you have VoIP questions to ask us, please submit a technical support ticket or contact our VoIP experts today at (866) 582-8591

More from: Q & A Ying-Hui Chen voip phones

[Podcast] VoIP Fulfillment and Provisioning with VoIP Supply

July 9, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

We are featured in the Telecom Reseller Podcast again! This month, our Channel Manager, Don Stefanie, talks about how VoIP Supply offers provisioning services that saves VARs, service providers and customers time and money. Listen to the podcast and learn more about the VoIP Supply’s provisioning service now!

VoIP Supply’s provisioning service includes PBX provisioning, system configuration, PCI card configuration, wireless access point configuration and installation, and much more! Here are just some of the benefits you can enjoy from provisioning with the VoIP Supply team:

Prevent out of the box failure and major customer disappointments with comprehensive tests
Offer better and more successful installations to be competitive – just like other bigger players
Save your valuable time and money to focus on growing your core business

Learn more about VoIP provisioning service here.

Plantronics Completed the 2 Billion Polycom Acquisition

July 3, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

Back in late March this year, Plantronics announced the acquisition of Polycom, a multinational VoIP provider for video, voice, and content communication collaboration. Today, Plantronics finally completed this 2 billion acquisition deal, with approximately $1.6 billion in cash and 6.35 million Plantronics shares.

The combined company offers integrated solutions including headsets, software, desk phones, video and audio conferencing solutions and more.

We are thrilled to hear this news and looking forward to seeing how this partnership will benefit more VoIP users! Learn more about Polycom and Plantronics here.

How to Avoid Bad VoIP Shopping Experiences (4 Tips included!)

by Ying-Hui Chen

We all love shopping online! According to BigCommerce, 95% of Americans shop online at least yearly. Where else can you shop at midnight, without waiting in a line or even in your pajamas?

However, as the number of online stores continues to grow, so does the number of bad shopping experiences, especially for tech products like VoIP hardware! Therefore, today, we are going to share some useful tips that will help you avoid bad VoIP shopping experiences:

VoIP Hardware Shopping Checklist

#1 Brand New vs Refurbished

Are you looking to purchase a brand new VoIP phone or a refurbished one? The prices can be very different! If you decided to go with the refurbished equipment, there are a few things you would want to consider, including the device condition, default settings, and more. Read our blog to learn more: Refurbished Phone Checklist: 5 Factors to Consider

#2 Warranty

Check with the seller to see if they provide warranty for the equipment you are interested in buying. The warranty can really come in handy and save you a lot of trouble and money when your hardware doesn’t work the way you expected!

“We receive many questions about troubleshooting VoIP hardware that was purchased from some random website. One piece of advice that I would give is, don’t just make a purchase because it’s the cheapest price, this could be a costly mistake for your business. If that equipment isn’t provisioned properly and you don’t have support, you could be looking at thousands of dollars lost as well has hundreds spent on support.” – Mary Cheney, Marketing Supervisor at VoIP Supply

#3 Provisioning & Tech Support

If you are not a technician and don’t know much about VoIP, make sure your provider or the website you purchase from offers tech support! There are many VoIP providers and website out there that only sell you the devices solely but don’t install, provision, or assist you when you encounter any technical issues.

#4 Hidden Cost

Are you looking at the total price? Is there something you have to pay separately in order to make your equipment function correctly? Some providers and websites sell the pieces or service separately so they can attract you with a lower price but then after you may be asked to pay extra fees to make it work.

The bottom line is – don’t just buy VoIP hardware from any website! Chances are they won’t work. Buy from an accredited VoIP company like VoIP Supply to ensure the best VoIP shopping experience! How’s your VoIP shopping experience? Share with us!

What are FXS and FXO ports? What are they used for?

June 29, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted in October 2015 and has been fully updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in June 2018.

If you are researching into deploying a VoIP Telephony System on your own for the first time, you are probably seeing FXS and FXO acronyms all over the place. When you’re new to VoIP learning it can be very difficult. Hopefully, we can help to make a little sense of FXS/FXO for you.

What is an FXS port?

FXS stands for foreign exchange subscriber. An FXS port is an interface that connects station devices such as your phones or PBX to a VoIP adapter.

FXS is an RJ11 port that connects internally to an analog office phone or fax machine. Think of the S as meaning a station or a cubicle. Any FXS port is going to connect to an analog DEVICE and the cable from the port to the device will never leave the building.

Now, on to the FXO ports…

What is an FXO port?

FXO stands for foreign exchange office. An FXO port is an interface that connects your Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) line to a VoIP adapter.

It designates a telephone signaling interface that receives POTS (plain old telephone service). Um… ok. Let’s put it this way, FXO is a port that will connect a device to an outside telephone line. Think “O” for “Outside”. Picture an RJ11 wall jack that connects to a box in your basement which is connected to the line from your house to the nearest telephone pole on your street. Any RJ11 port on a device that is headed towards that wall jack is an FXO port. It connects your device to the “outside” world or your local area telephone “office”.

What is an FXO/FXS port used for?

These ports are used to allow you to connect your analog phones to a VoIP system. An FXS port helps you connect your analog fax machine to your VoIP phone system; an FXO port enables you to use analog telephone lines with your VoIP phone system.

An FXO/FXS VoIP Adapter and Gateway

FXS and FXO ports are important when dealing with VoIP adapters and VoIP Gateways. The number of telephones, PBX systems or PSTN lines you are looking to connect to a VoIP adapter or gateway determines how many of each port you will need.

An FXS gateway is used to connect your traditional telephones and fax machines to a VoIP Phone system; an FXO gateway is used to connect your VoIP phone system to your PSTN lines.

VoIP Failover

In the event of failure, the most critical phone systems should have a failover feature so phone calls or faxes may continue during the downtime. You can still make telephone calls via the POTS line. Also, you can use the FXO port to make free local calls on your PSTN line.

VoIP Basics for Beginners

June 28, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

WHAT ARE VOIP PHONES?

SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol. It is a communications protocol for integrating multimedia communication sessions. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones, also known as SIP phones, are IP (Internet Protocol) telephones that enable your internet service provider to integrate basic phone capabilities with web, email, online chat and more through IP network.

In our VoIP Phone Guide, we discuss in details about how to choose the type of VoIP phones that will fit your needs in terms of the features, functions, etc.

Note that not all headsets are compatible with your VoIP phones, so be sure to check out the compatibility guide and VoIP headset guide before you purchase!

CAN I USE A REGULAR PHONE WITH VOIP?

Absolutely! A VoIP adapter, or ATA, is a device that converts analog voice signals into digital IP packets for transport over an IP network. It can also convert digital the IP packets in analog voice streams.

Standard VoIP adapters connect to analog telephones via an FXS port. The VoIP adapter then connects to your Local Area Network (LAN) via an Ethernet cable and an RJ45 port. Some VoIP ATAs also feature an FXO port so you can connect to the PSTN. See how a VoIP adapter works in our free guide!

TYPES OF VOIP SERVICE

On-Premise vs Hosted VoIP Service

Once you’ve decided to switch to a VoIP system. The first thing you’ll need to consider is which deployment is best for your organization. There are three typical options:

A Hosted VoIP Service – Have a VoIP service provider host your VoIP phone system off-site
An On-Premise Phone System – Host and maintain your own VoIP system
A Hybrid Phone System – Combine both hosted and on-site solutions

Learn more about the types of VoIP systems here!

Finding your ideal service provider doesn’t have to be a hassle, follow our guide here to avoid risky providers and find the right level of service you need.

VOIP NETWORK EQUIPMENT

VoIP Gateway

A VoIP gateway is a piece of hardware that bridges an IP network and the PSTN. Depending on where the voice traffic originates, it will convert the voice traffic into the proper form for receipt by the destination network.

There are two main types of gateways: Analog and Digital. Follow our VoIP gateway guide, you will be able to find the right solution for your application!

Do I Need a Session Border Controller?

A Session Border Controller (SBC) is a powerful user agent device that sits at a point of demarcation for SMB and Enterprise businesses to provide services such as call control, security, interoperability and voice optimization. An SBC offers:

Unique Inspection capabilities and encryption to protect against attacks.
The ability to connect to multiple carriers and select which carrier to route a call through based on call cost ( cut down your phone bills!)
Sophisticated call processing algorithms to improve your call quality

Check out our SBCs guide to learn about the types of SBCs and important features.

MORE TO CONSIDER

WiFi Phones vs DECT Phones

Wireless VoIP phone frees you from the constraints of wires. These VoIP phones either have a built-in WiFi or DECT transceiver unit that connects to an access point or base station. If you need a wireless solution, you have to decide which type of wireless VoIP phone is right for you. WiFi VoIP Phones or DECT VoIP Phones? Download our free wireless VoIP guide to find out!

IP Paging and IP Cameras

Depends on your industry and organization, there might be some other VoIP equipment you would want to consider. For example, some educational institutions need an IP paging system to stay connected with their students, parents, and faculty; some nursing facilities require secure IP cameras to ensure patient safety.

Ready to learn more? Download our VoIP guides for specific topics and keep learning!

How to Eliminate Static On My Plantronics Savi W740

June 27, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

Time for our Mom’s calling Q&A again! Our tech support team at VoIP Supply offers great pre- and post-sales support plus provisioning, consultations, configuration, and installation help.

Last week, we talked about: How to Set Polycom VVX Series Volume to a Persistent Level, this week, we are going to tackle the static issue on the Savi W740 VoIP headset! Let’s get to it:

4 Areas to Check When You Experience Static on the Savi W740Headset

Q: I am using a Plantronics Savi W740 headset and I keep experiencing static on the headset. It is attached to a Polycom VVX media phone. What can I do?

A: There are some areas you can check to find the possible cause.

Test the VoIP headset on another same model phone just to make sure the issue is from the headset, not from the phone.
Check the settings on the base. It should be set to “A”. If there is still static occurring try another channel on the headset base.
On the Polycom VVX menu settings under Menu > Basic > Headset, ensure that both Plantronics EHS and Headset Memory is enabled. After you save the settings, please reboot the phone.
If the problem remains, run through this document for troubleshooting: https://bit.ly/2Kq3MPb

STAY TUNED

Come back for more VoIP questions and answers next time! If you have VoIP questions to ask us, please submit a technical support ticket or contact our VoIP experts today at (866) 582-8591

New VoIP Phones June 2018: IP Video Phones, WiFi Phones, and more!

June 26, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

It’s time to review what new VoIP Phones were released this June! This month we have a lot of exciting new devices from Grandstream and VTech. Let’s see what unique new features each of them has to offer!

VTech ET600 Series

The VTech ET600 Series includes 2 IP Phones and 1 expansion module.

The VTech ET685 is an Asterisk-based high-definition (HD)12-line SIP color desk set with Bluetooth connectivity for headsets. USB connectivity supports up to three expansion modules. A three-year warranty makes the ET685 stand out from the crowd! This unit is available for purchase now!

Support for 12 SIP lines/accounts
Bluetooth connectivity for headset pairing
6 self-labeling programmable feature keys with multi-color LEDs

The ET635 ErisTerminal also supports 12 SIP lines but with 8 self-labeling keys and it comes with a 2.8’’ color LCD display. The ET635 can be very handy for busy professionals as it supports up to three ET6 expansion modules!

We are currently accepting pre-orders. The ET635 is expected to begin shipping in mid-July.

2.8-inch 480 x 272 pixels (w x h) color LCD
8 self-labeling programmable feature keys with multi-color LEDs
4-way navigation pad

The ET6 Expansion Module is made to extend the number of programmable feature keys for your convenience. Simply plug the ET6 into a compatible ET600 series deskset with the supplied cable, you are able to enjoy up to 54 buttons (3 expansion modules) with programmable functions!

18 multi-color LED keys – Use 18 multi-color programmable feature keys to access multiple features, including BLF, park, pickup and speed dials
Large 4.3-inch graphic LCD – LCD display with a 160 x 384 resolution features easy-to-use self-labeling keys

Grandstream GXV3370 16-line IP Video Phone

Grandstream’s GXV3370 is a high-end video phone that makes it easy to seamlessly integrate video communication solutions. The GXV3370 has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, a touchscreen 7″ display, and features Gigabit speeds.

This unit is scheduled to begin shipping in early July but we are accepting pre-orders!

16 lines with up to 16 SIP accounts
Runs on AndroidTM 7.0 operating system with flexible SDK support for custom apps
Integrated WiFi & Bluetooth

Grandstream WP800 Portable WiFi VoIP Phone

Grandstream’s WiFi phone, the WP800, supports 2 SIP lines and features a built-in accelerometer, proximity sensor, panic button, and much more. Although it’s still in the beta testing, it has already drawn a lot of attention as we have very few WiFi phone options so far in the industry! If you love wireless communications, definitely check out this new unit! Watch our video to learn more!

Unique Features:

Integrated dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support
2 SIP accounts and 2 lines, and a 2.4” color LCD with real-time video streaming
Built-in accelerometer, proximity sensor, panic button, and push-to-talk features
Integrated Bluetooth

Ribbon Communications Acquires Edgewater Networks For $110 Million

June 25, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

June 25th, 2018 – Ribbon Communications Inc. (Quintum Technologies), a global provider of secure and intelligent cloud communication solutions, today announced that they have signed an agreement to acquire Edgewater Networks, a leading IP-based voice, video and data service provider.

Ribbon agreed to pay Edgewater Networks an aggregate value of $110 million cash and common stock. This transaction is expected to finish in the third quarter of 2018.

The acquisition will allow Ribbon to better serve their global customers with a complete product portfolio, end-to-end service assurance and analytics solutions. The new combined portfolio will strengthen Ribbon’s security offering with voice and data intelligence and help Ribbon become the market share leader for enterprise Session Border Controllers (SBCs) and Network Edge Orchestration.

“With Edgewater Networks strong, sustained growth in recent years and their complementary solutions set, this acquisition makes sense on a number of fronts for Ribbon, allowing them to strengthen their position in enterprise SBCs,” said Diane Myers, senior research director for IHS Markit. “This is a high synergy, low overlap combination that gives Ribbon a broad product line that serves customers of all sizes and can be offered and distributed through multiple channels.”

Learn more about Ribbon Communications and Edgewater Networks here!

How to Secure Your VoIP Phone Calls with the GXP Phones and UCM6200

June 21, 2018 by Ying-Hui Chen

Grandstream UCM IP PBX and GXP VoIP Phones are some of the hottest products VoIP Supply carries. In our latest webinar with Grandstream, we had over 100 participants join us to learn about how to secure VoIP phone calls with Grandstream’s GXP phones and UCM6200.

To make sure you get the most out of this webinar, we’d like to share the presentation slides and the Q&A session with all of you who are interested in learning more!

Click here to download the presentation deck

How to Secure Your VoIP Phone Calls Webinar Q&A Session

Question 1: Why is the TLS Do Not Verify is checked under SIP Settings> TCP/TLS tab? I thought TLS requires TCP?

Answer: TLS runs on TCP for sure. This option is for people who want to run SIP on TCP without TLS. When you enable TLS, it automatically runs on TCP. So even when you have “TLS Enable” checked and leave “TCP Enable” unchecked, it doesn’t mean that TCP is not being used, it IS being used. It’s just another option to enable TCP without TLS.

Question 2: How can we download the certificates from the UCM in order to import them to the GXP phones?

Answer: Those are built into UCM. If you have any issues, contact us and we will send you those certificates. You can then upload them to your UCM IP PBX or GXP phones.

Question 3: How about the SIP URI Scheme when using TLS? Should it be active or not when using TLS?

Answer: Yes, It’s enabled by default.

Question 4: If someone is trying to register an extension on the UCM from the outside, can they be blocked?

Answer: When you enable TLS, even if you have devices that don’t support TLS, they can still register to the UCM. If the devices are using plain text SIP protocol to register to the UCM, they will still be able to register even if TLS is enabled.

Question 5: Is the TLS.key field for the Private Certificate?

Exactly. That’s correct. That is the private key. If you have the name private key, you have to the TLS.key

Have more questions? Don’t hesitate to contact our VoIP consultant, Jon Garbin, at [email protected] or 716-531-4271!

More from: Q & A Ying-Hui Chen voip phones

What’s the Difference Between SIP phones and VoIP phones?

STAY TUNED

VoIP Hardware Shopping Checklist

#1 Brand New vs Refurbished

#2 Warranty

#3 Provisioning & Tech Support

#4 Hidden Cost

What is an FXS port?

What is an FXO port?

What is an FXO/FXS port used for?

An FXO/FXS VoIP Adapter and Gateway

VoIP Failover

WHAT ARE VOIP PHONES?

CAN I USE A REGULAR PHONE WITH VOIP?

TYPES OF VOIP SERVICE

VOIP NETWORK EQUIPMENT

VoIP Gateway

Do I Need a Session Border Controller?

MORE TO CONSIDER

WiFi Phones vs DECT Phones

IP Paging and IP Cameras

4 Areas to Check When You Experience Static on the Savi W740Headset

STAY TUNED

VTech ET600 Series

Grandstream GXV3370 16-line IP Video Phone

Grandstream WP800 Portable WiFi VoIP Phone

How to Secure Your VoIP Phone Calls Webinar Q&A Session

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