Does Hub Two work with Voip?

[#1]

I use Voipfone and a Gigaset 500 base station with the SH2. It works fine.

[#2]

@Frances28 If indeed " PN said - they said it should work as soon as I plugged the phone in." that's a blatant lie by them I'm afraid.

I believe calls are recorded, you should demand that they review that, share it with you, and compensate you appropriately.

[#3]

@Frances28 

For simplicity and likelyhood that it will "Just Work" I suggest buying a DECT phone from Andrews & Arnold as you have their service and it seems they will supply the equipment preconfigured.

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/use-cases/home-user/

Personally I have some Gigaset equipment bought from LiGo (who seem an excellent supplier) 

https://ligo.co.uk/collections/voip-dect-phones

Andrews & Arnold do offer some support for Gigaset equipment 

https://support.aa.net.uk/VoIP_Phones_-_Gigaset_N300

however, on balance, in your situation I would buy the preconfigured equipment from Andrews & Arnold.

[#4]

As for a smartphone VoIP client, I use Acrobits Groundwire

https://acrobits.net/sip-client-ios-android/

Andrews & Arnold also offer support for setting that up

https://support.aa.net.uk/VoIP_Phones_-_Acrobits

It's a paid app but not very expensive. I think their cheaper Softphone would suffice in your case.

[#5]

Thanks to all for your replies so far. My comments/ info below

I believe it was A&A in an online chat before I went with them who said I should be fine with my Hub Two router and existing DECT handset,. I'm pretty sure they knew I was with Plusnet too. But I wouldn't pursue that. Nor with PN - I'm not that litigious.

Today when I picked up my handset, instead of silence I got 5 rapid beeps. PN did say to wait 24 hours after FttP had been installed, so it may be due to that. Just for info, I realise I'm not getting VoiP on it.

I can't see the Support Question supposedly opened maybe because PN still thinks I'm on my old contract which expires on Sept 27. It tells me an error has occurred - I have a product change in progress.

I know I could have a new router but I had so many problems linking all my household items when I got the Hub Two that I really wanted to keep it.

The Smartphone VoiP options look a possibility, but since I went for VoiP just in case my smartphone was out of action I don't think I'll pursue that.

And rethinking it overnight, I realise that my existing handsets are getting old and don't respond well when I push the buttons, so it looks like a new handset and related equipment is the way to go. These Gigaset phones etc - plug straight into the router via an ethernet port? 

II think I'll wait until PN have the correct contract and broadband in my account and then go for Gigaset kit etc.

[#6]

@Frances28 

The Gigaset base station (or the similar device now sold by Andrews & Arnold) just plug into an Ethernet port on the Plusnet Hub 2. I assume you have a spare Ethernet connection available.

If you buy the Gigaset from (say) Ligo you will need to configure it yourself.

It was replacing my old Panasonic DECT phones (which had lasted well more than a decade) which helped with the Gigaset purchase decision.

[#7]

@Frances28 the Gigaset N300 is pretty easy to configure , and A & A have the details here https://support.aa.net.uk/VoIP_Phones_-_Gigaset_N300 

If you should struggle with configuration , there are plenty of people on here using them

Ligo outlet currently have some refurb units with 12 month warranty

N300 with a single handset https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395495479423

Additional handset https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285286454614

[#8]

@Frances28 I came to a similar conclusion to you re my old DECT handsets; just not worth keeping with VOIP.

I started off my migration with JUST a Gigaset N300ip base station and moved some existing DECT handsets (II had too many!) to it, but in the end went for Gigaset handsets and got rid of the old ones. FYI I chose R630H PRO and R650H PRO models.

After a bit more reconfiguring and thinking about backup I now have a spare N300ip and R630H PRO which will go on eBay when I can get round to it! 😃

And yes, the base station (N300ip or as I now have N510ip PRO) just needs an ethernet cable to the router. N300ip includes analogue (POTS) phone support alongside VOIP, N510ip is VOIP only.

Incidentally, with a bit of cable "butchery" you can run either of those base stations off a USB power supply if that helps you. Not sure if the Hub2 USB port supplies enough current to do it reliably though, though I did do it that way briefly during testing/upgrades.

The Gigaset handsets can also have their charger bases run off USB, again it involves cable "work". I have one handset charger and the N510ip powered from USB ports built into twin 13A mains sockets.

[#9]

Thanks for your reply of a few days ago. I have bought a 'pre-owned' N300ip and have got that set up and lit up. I've also connected my Panasonic DECT phone via RJ11 cable to it.

I have two questions: Do I need to download any firmware for the N300?

More importantly, I CANNOT see how to get to the settings page to update it, the one on this page VoIP Phones - Gigaset N300 - AAISP Support Site. 

Any advice gratefully received, thanks

[#10]

Look on the router for the IP address of the N300.
Enter that in the address bar of your browser, log in with the system pin

[#11]

Thank you! I'll see how far I can get now!

[#12]

@Frances28 

More importantly, I CANNOT see how to get to the settings page to update it

You need to determine what IP address your Hub 2 has allocated to the N300.  You should be able to see the N300 in the connected devices display on the Hub 2. That will show you the IP address , assuming the Hub 2 is using the default IP range it will be something like 192.168.1.xx . Once you have that then open a browser and put that address into the URL bar. That should open the N300 configuration GUI. For information the full manual for the N300 is available here https://gse.gigaset.com/fileadmin/legacy-assets/CustomerCare/Manuals/N300-N300A_IP/A31008-M2214-L101...

Do I need to download any firmware for the N300?

Firmware is already loaded although it may be out-of-date, once you're into the N300 configuration there is an option in the Settings menu to check for firmware updates.

I've also connected my Panasonic DECT phone via RJ11 cable to it.

That's not going to work, the RJ11 socket on the N300 is not for connecting a DECT base. The N300 is a DECT base unit in itself, you should be able to connect the Panasonic handsets directly to it  Look at the handset registration section of the manual ( page 112 ). You MAY have to de-register them from the Panasonic base first.

[#13]

@Frances28 said " I've also connected my Panasonic DECT phone via RJ11 cable to it."

Have you read the manual? I don't think that's what you're supposed to do and I doubt it will work.

The RJ11 port on the N300ip is to connect it to the incoming old-school POTS phone line, if you wish to use that as well as VOIP.

If you have a DECT phone you just need to register the handset to the N300ip as its new basestation and unregister from the old unless it supports multiple base stations. You'll need instructions for the handset on how to de-register and re-register and the N300ip manual (though a long press on the front face button is one way of putting it in regfistration mode).

Edit: Snap @MisterW 😂

[#14]

Thanks to all so far. I have to go out for a few hours now (fortunately) and will try again later. I've unplugged the RJ11 and will try to deregister my handset. Speak later!

[#15]

@Frances28 Note that if you have a pre-owned unit it may well have accounts/handsets configured. They may even have set a fixed IP address, usually "automatic" suffices.

It will be a good idea to firstly do a full reset, then check for firmware upgrades and finally remove any remaining accounts/handsets. You can't always remove unavailable registered handsets though, I'm not sure why.

As noted above Hub2 can tell you the IP address if you can't find it.