What Do You Need To Make VoIP Calls?
I am sure you know that the best and cheapest way to make calls is to use VoIP - the technology that charges you cents instead of dollars a minute even for international calls and you can make free calls even with it if you want.
So VoIP (Voice over Internet Technology) is the way to make calls.
But how do you take advantage of VoIP?
What equipment or gadgets do you need?
Here you will find answers to these questions and pointers to what you may want to know about VoIP.
So here goes:
So VoIP (Voice over Internet Technology) is the way to make calls.
But how do you take advantage of VoIP?
What equipment or gadgets do you need?
Here you will find answers to these questions and pointers to what you may want to know about VoIP.
So here goes:
Basic VoIP Equipment To Make Free Calls
You have it already
You don't need any fancy equipment or gadgets to use VoIP in its most basic form - making free pc to pc calls.
All that is involved are two pcs - one at your end and the other with the person you are callihg.
Because you are reading this, you already have almost all the equipment you need to make your first VoIP call.
Here is all that is needed to make a free VoIP call:
- A PC with a sound card
- Internet Connection - preferably broadband or adsl but a dial-up connection would do as well if you don't mind a lesser sound quality.
- Mike and speakers - standard equipment which comes with most modern pcs.
With these you are ready to make free calls - the most basic and popular way to use VoIP.
However if you want more ease of use of VoIP or added features you need other VoIP equipment.
ATA - Turn your regular phone into VoIP Phone
ATA ( analog telephone adapter) is the device to use if you want to use your traditional phone for VoIP. ATA connects your regular phone to voip internet connection and turns it into a VoIP phone. Now you can make voip calls without going for special VoIP phones known as IP Phones.
In this way with an ATA you retain the use of your regular phone while enjoying the VoIP advantage whenever you want. This arrangement has the advantage of being always in touch with the outside world when either of the internet or regular phone line is down.
Related Resources:
ATA Reviews
Smart ATA Deals
Headsets - For Hands-free VoIP
Improvement over your mike and speakers
Using mike and speakers for making VoIP calls has the disadvantage that your hands are not free while you are talking. To get around this problem you need a headset.Now a headset needs no introductions to most of us pc users who like to listen to our favorite music without disturbing others.
We can use it for VoIP calls because a headset is a headphone combined with a microphone and is an improvement over the plain mike and speakers. You can listen and talk with a headset while keeping your hands free.
Related Resources:
Headset Reviews
Smart Headset Deals
Internet Phone - IP Phone
The Ultimate VoIP phone
IP Phone is the ultimate Internet phone or VoIP phone. It comes with ATA already installed in it so you don't need to go for ATA separately. It connects directly with your internet line allowing you to make VoIP calls in the same way as you make regular calls with your PSTN or traditional phone.
With an IP Phone you experience the VoIP at its best however you cannot use it for your regular phone line.
Related Resources:
IP Phone Reviews
Smart IP Phone Deals
VoIP Handsets
VoIP Handsets look like cell phones but are connected to your computer by way of USB or a sound card. You just plug in the handset to internet and use it for VoIP calling. You can use them with a softphone which makes the use of VoIP more convenient. You can also use them with an IP Phone (exclusively VoIP phone) so that more than one person can use a single phone for VoIP.There are various handsets available on the market with varying features.
Related Resources:
Handsets Reviews
Smart Handset Deals
Firewall and Antivirus
Better to be safe than sorry
Firewalls and anti-virus software are not exactly VoIP gadgets but they do make your use of VoIP a lot safer and secure.This is because when you use VoIP, specially through your pc, your VoIP line is susceptible to the usual virus, trojans, adware and other malware threats that any computer connected to internet faces.
So it always pays to be security conscious and install firewalls and antivirus on your computer.
Related Resources:
Firewall Reviews
Smart Firewall Deals
Is This All That Is There To VoIP Gadgets and Equipment?
A big NO
This is just a beginning.
There are lots other VoIP Gadgets and accessories and I will be adding more here regularly. So keep coming back here. And of course, do let me know by Guestbook what you think of this lens and what gadgets you would like to see here.
Looking forward to hearing from you with your suggestions and thoughts...
Added Firewalls to the lens
This is just a beginning.
There are lots other VoIP Gadgets and accessories and I will be adding more here regularly. So keep coming back here. And of course, do let me know by Guestbook what you think of this lens and what gadgets you would like to see here.
Looking forward to hearing from you with your suggestions and thoughts...
Added Firewalls to the lens
by kulla
I love VoIP and this is my second lens where I write about how to enjoy VoIP and what equipment you need. I am sure if you like VoIP you will like thi... (more)
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