Wireless Home Networking - Index of

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Part IV: Using a Wireless Network
phone jack (just like any other cordless phone in the world), and the other
plugs into an Ethernet jack connected to your wireless or wired broadband
router. Calls then can be made (and received) over your standard landline
phone service or over a VoIP connection.
Most of these dual-mode DECT phones are designed to work with Skype (discussed
in the next section), but some manufacturers are also offering SIP
dual-mode DECT phones as well. (For our readers in North America, these
SIP dual-mode phones are not yet widely available, but we expect as DECT
becomes more popular here they will be on the shelf at your favorite electronics
store.)
One feature that a few dual-mode phones have is the ability to conference
between a Skype or VoIP call and a second call on the landline. This is a great
way to get distant family or co-workers on the phone without paying excessive
toll charges. One phone that supports this functionality is DualPhone’s
3088 (dualphone.net/DUALphone_3088_for_Skype-789.aspx).
If you have a big family or a big house, look for a DECT system that supports
multiple handsets. You’ll need to plug only one base station into your router
and phone jack. The remaining phones can connect to that base station and
need only remote charging stations. This makes it easy to extend your wireless
VoIP network throughout the house without extra wires.
Choosing Skype phones
A special category of Wi-Fi VoIP phones are those designed to work with the
Skype network. These phones are similar in size, shape, and functionality to
the Wi-Fi VoIP phones we just described, but instead of being built around
the SIP protocol, they work specifically with the Skype VoIP service.
There are two types of Skype wireless phones:
� Phones that work with your computer: The simplest (and cheapest)
wireless Skype phones are those that connect to your PC (typically with
a dongle that plugs into one of your computer’s USB ports). These phones
work with the Skype client software installed on your computer, and
calls are actually placed and received through your computer. When the
computer is turned off, the phone no longer works.
� Phones that work independently: Other Skype phones are full-fledged
Skype clients in their own right and don’t need a running PC (though a
PC may be used to set them up in the first place. These phones can use
Wi-Fi, or they may be DECT phones as discussed in the preceding section.
Skype keeps a current list of certified Skype wireless phones in the Phones
section of its online store at www.skype.com/go/shop.accessories.