Cover image for Internet phone services simplified : an illustrated guide to understanding, selecting, and implementing VolP-based Internet phone services for your home
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Internet phone services simplified : an illustrated guide to understanding, selecting, and implementing VolP-based Internet phone services for your home
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Publication Information:
Indianapolis, IN : Cisco Press, 2006
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9781587201622
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30000010104992 TK5105.8865 D63 2006 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

"Internet Phone Services Simplified" gives you the most basic need-to-know information and then teaches you how to get the most out of your VoIP phone services: Understand how broadband VoIP, Internet VoIP, and VoIP Chat services work Learn about and compare different services, their advantages, and their limitations Subscribe to a service, install equipment, and troubleshoot issues that might arise Integrate services into your home, including reusing your existing house telephone wiring and phone handsets Extend VoIP throughout your home by using multiline, extendable cordless phone systems Take advantage of VoIP features, including virtual phone numbers and listening to voicemail using your computer while traveling Internet phone services offer great advantages over existing telephone systems, allowing you to save money and make and receive calls using high-speed and broadband services. To help you take advantage of all that the Internet has to offer, "Internet Phone Services Simplified" provides you with an illustrated guide to understanding, selecting, and setting up voice over IP (VoIP) phone services. "Internet Phone Services Simplified "isn't overly technical--you'll get just what you need so that VoIP doesn't seem like a mystery and so that you can make good choices about Internet phone services. Provides a full-color illustrated and simple approach to learning about VoIP Follow step-by-step instructions for selecting and installing VoIP at home Explore new Internet telephony features and services Approved for Technical Accuracy by The Geek Squad This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press(R), the only authorized publisher for Cisco Systems(R).


Author Notes

Jim Doherty is the director of marketing and programs with Symbol Technologies' industry solutions group. Prior to joining Symbol, Jim worked at Cisco Systems®, where he led various marketing campaigns for IP telephony and routing and switching solutions. Jim has 17 years of engineering and marketing experience across a broad range of networking and communications technologies. Jim is the coauthor of Cisco Networking Simplified and Home Networking Simplified and the author of the "Study Notes" section of Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Flash Card Practice Kit. Jim is a former Marine Corps sergeant; he holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from N.C. State University and an M.B.A. from Duke University.

Neil Anderson is a senior manager in enterprise systems engineering at Cisco Systems and is currently responsible for enterprise wide-area networking, branch-office networking, and teleworking systems architectures. Neil has more than 20 years of diverse telecom experience, including public telephone systems, mobile telephone systems, IP networks, wireless networking, and home networks. Neil has held roles in research and development, systems engineering, and technical marketing. Neil is the co-author of Home Networking Simplified. At Cisco Systems, Neil leads the development of network systems architectures, including voice over IP (VoIP), wireless LAN (WLAN), and security technologies, for enterprise and small-business customers. Neil holds a bachelor's degree in computer science.


Table of Contents

Forewordp. xiv
Introductionp. xv
Part I Internet Telephony Fundamentalsp. 2
Chapter 1 Traditional Phone Systemsp. 3
In the Beginningp. 3
Rise of the Machinesp. 5
Ma Bellp. 8
Breaking Up the Happy Familyp. 9
Mobile Telephone Systemp. 11
Internetp. 13
Consolidate, Merge, and Acquirep. 13
Important Things to Know About the PSTNp. 14
Chapter 2 Voice over IP (VoIP)p. 15
Circuit Switching and Packet Switchingp. 15
How VoIP Worksp. 17
VoIP Signalingp. 17
How VoIP Carries a Conversationp. 20
VoIP Featuresp. 22
Power in VoIP Networksp. 22
Putting It All Togetherp. 23
Chapter 3 Advantages of Broadband Phone Servicesp. 25
Lowering Your Monthly Phone Billp. 25
Infrastructure Costsp. 25
Transport Costsp. 26
Regulatory Compliancep. 26
Taxes and Feesp. 26
Phone Number Flexibilityp. 27
Keeping Your Same Phone Numberp. 27
Virtual Phone Numbersp. 29
Online Call Managementp. 31
Voice Mailp. 31
Call Forwardingp. 32
Call Logsp. 32
Click to Dialp. 32
Summary of Advantagesp. 32
Chapter 4 Knowing Your Limitsp. 33
Reliabilityp. 33
It's Electricp. 33
Reliance on Broadband and the Internetp. 34
Voice Qualityp. 35
911 and E911p. 37
How 911 and E911 Worksp. 37
The Challenge for VoIPp. 39
Solutionsp. 40
Summary of Limitationsp. 43
Chapter 5 From the Geek Squad Filesp. 45
Part II Choosing an Internet Phone Servicep. 48
Chapter 6 Inventory of Broadband Phone Servicesp. 49
Internet VoIP Phone Servicesp. 49
Cable VoIP Digital Phone Servicesp. 50
VoIP Chat Servicesp. 52
Summary of Broadband Phone Servicesp. 53
Chapter 7 Selecting an Internet Phone Servicep. 55
What Will I Use It For?p. 55
What Is My Backup Plan?p. 56
Powerp. 56
Backup Linep. 57
Keeping a Minimal PSTN Linep. 57
Which Service Should I Choose?p. 57
Looking at Total Costsp. 57
Is It Reliable Enough?p. 61
Does It Have the Features You Need?p. 61
Are Specialized Devices Supported?p. 61
Revisiting Safety and 911p. 62
Comparing Plansp. 62
Summaryp. 66
Chapter 8 Selecting VoIP Equipmentp. 67
Cable VoIP Service Equipmentp. 67
Internet VoIP Service Equipmentp. 68
Choosing a Terminal Adapterp. 68
What Do the Internet VoIP Providers Offer?p. 71
VoIP Chat Service Equipmentp. 72
Summaryp. 72
Chapter 9 From the Geek Squad Filesp. 73
Part III Going VoIP at Homep. 76
Chapter 10 Connecting the VoIP Equipmentp. 77
Starting Pointp. 77
Connecting Cable VoIP Servicep. 77
Connecting Internet VoIP Servicep. 79
Signing Up for Servicep. 79
Installing a Stand-alone Terminal Adapterp. 80
Installing an Integrated Router/Terminal Adapterp. 81
Connecting VoIP Chat Servicep. 83
Making a Test Callp. 83
911 or E911 Registrationp. 84
Summaryp. 85
Addendum: Manually Configuring Terminal Adapters for Home Networks Using Static IP Addressesp. 85
Chapter 11 Making VoIP Accessible Throughout Your Homep. 87
Using Cordless Phones with VoIPp. 87
Separate PSTN and VoIP Linesp. 88
Two-Line Cordless Phonesp. 89
Using Your Home Telephone Wiring with VoIPp. 90
Introduction to Home Telephone Wiringp. 90
Getting Access to Two Linesp. 92
Home Wiring with Cable VoIP Servicep. 93
Home Wiring with Internet VoIP Servicep. 95
Issues with Multiple Handsetsp. 96
Overloading Your Terminal Adapter's Ringer Equivalence Numberp. 96
Simultaneous Handsets Off Hookp. 97
Multiline VoIP Servicesp. 98
Specialized Phone Devicesp. 100
Faxp. 101
TiVo and Satellite Receiver Boxesp. 101
Home Security/Alarm Systemsp. 101
Summaryp. 102
Chapter 12 Using Wireless Networks to Extend VoIPp. 103
Wireless Bridgesp. 103
Wireless Phone Jacksp. 104
Summaryp. 106
Chapter 13 Troubleshooting: Can You Hear Me Now?p. 107
Classify the Troublep. 107
Service Connection Problemsp. 107
Voice Quality Issuesp. 110
Broadband Speedp. 110
Broadband Network Qualityp. 112
Other Issuesp. 115
Dialing-Related Issuesp. 115
Getting Additional Help from Your VoIP Providerp. 115
Summaryp. 116
Chapter 14 From the Geek Squad Filesp. 117
Part IV VoIP Chat Servicesp. 120
Chapter 15 VoIP Chat Servicesp. 121
Instant Messagingp. 121
Client-Serverp. 122
Peer-to-Peerp. 122
Internet Messaging with Voicep. 125
Summaryp. 128
Chapter 16 Using Skype and Google Talkp. 129
Installing and Using Skypep. 129
Improving Your Audio Qualityp. 131
Calling People Who Have "Real" Phones (and Phone Numbers)p. 133
Getting Calls from People Who Use "Real" Phonesp. 134
Installing and Using Google Talkp. 135
Adding Contacts in Google Talkp. 137
Using Google Talkp. 138
Summaryp. 138
Chapter 17 The Future of Telephonyp. 139
A Review of What We Have Nowp. 139
The Cost Battle: Consumers Versus Companies and Governmentsp. 139
System Convergencep. 140
Future Use Scenariop. 140
Mitigating Factor No. 1: Intrasystem Cooperationp. 143
Mitigating Factor No. 2: Battery Life and Sizep. 144
Conclusionp. 144
Chapter 18 From the Geek Squad Filesp. 145
Glossaryp. 147
Indexp. 153