Phasing out home phones

[#1]

Another "lightbulb moment". 🤣

I realised that, equipment limitations aside, I can "probably" make multiple calls on my A&A number at the same time.

The N300IP allows 3 (sometimes 4?) simultaneous calls and up to 6 handsets (I have 4 registered) so I did a quick test:

Call through the N300 using my POTS landline to my A&A number, answer on another handset on the N300, keep the call open. Call my A&A number again from my mobile and answer on yet another handset on the N300. All works fine.

(The Gigaset brand handsets also show additional information such as a second incoming call and that the POTS line is in use.)

Not sure that will be useful when I'm migrated, but useful to know. 😎

[#2]

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@HPsauce wrote:

The N300IP allows 3 (sometimes 4?) simultaneous calls and up to 6 handsets (I have 4 registered) so I did a quick test:

Not sure that will be useful when I'm migrated, but useful to know. 😎

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AIUI, the 4 calls must include the physical landline connection, so when you ditch yours presumably you'll only be able to make 3 simultaneous calls.

Unless of course you plug the output of another VoIP device into the 'landline' port.

[#3]

realised that, equipment limitations aside, I can "probably" make multiple calls on my A&A number at the same time.

I believe all A& A VoIP accounts can be used like a SIP trunk, with unlimited simultaneous inbound and outbound calls. I've certainly had 6 simultaneous inbound calls working on our office account.

[#4]

You were correct @Anonymous my drop wire has spare cores. 😎

The cherry picker turned up quite quickly and the engineer connected into my drop wire, all that is needed now is the cabling down from my eaves. The engineer was very happy with the hole I'd already drilled. 😁

Just an FYI, I gave my new A&A VOIP number as the landline contact for this new install and that's the number the OR engineer called to tell me where he was and when he'd be arriving. 👍

[#5]

My new SOGEA line is working well, the old ADSL service is cancelled and both master sockets tidied up.

So today I've kicked off the port of the landline number to VOIP with A&A; around 2 weeks to complete they reckon.

Then another DECT phone system can be "retired", though I may keep one or two handsets for use with the N300IP.

(I also acquired from eBay a Gigaset handset and N300IP combo at a bargain price so I have a useful extra handset and more importantly a backup N300IP)

[#6]

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@HPsauce wrote:

(I also acquired from eBay a Gigaset handset and N300IP combo at a bargain price so I have a useful extra handset and more importantly a backup N300IP)

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Have you seen in the N300IP menus that you can 'save' your working N300IP's configuration to a PC file,

and would make it trivial to 'restore' to your 'backup' N300IP if it was ever called to active duty.

        Settings  ->  Management  ->  Save and Restore

Another thing you might not have discovered, would be backing up the 'contact' information stored in your handsets to a PC file.

Once on your PC you can restore the file to all the other handsets, to ensure caller ID displays stored 'names' consistently on every handset.

        Settings  ->  Directories  ->  Directory Transfer

Just out of interest, which Gigaset handsets have you acquired so far ?

I started with four C610H - which all failed with "AAA" battery recharging issues after a few years.

Currently using four C620H indoors, and a ruggedised R650H-Pro for use outdoors,

Somewhere I have an E630 but forget where that came from or why I have it.

[#7]

Thanks @Anonymous I'm already aware of the backup/restore options. 👍

I've got one R650 and two R630's plus a selection (to be pruned) of DECT handsets that work reasonably well with the N300 but are currently not configured on it.

[#8]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@HPsauce wrote:

(I also acquired from eBay a Gigaset handset and N300IP combo at a bargain price so I have a useful extra handset and more importantly a backup N300IP)

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Have you seen in the N300IP menus that you can 'save' your working N300IP's configuration to a PC file,

and would make it trivial to 'restore' to your 'backup' N300IP if it was ever called to active duty.

        Settings  ->  Management  ->  Save and Restore

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@Anonymous 

That was my plan several years ago when I obtained a spare N300IP, only trouble is a backup from one unit unfortunately will not 'restore' to another!

I haven't tried again recently, but unless something has changed that plan is a goner.

Perhaps I've missed something obvious, but if you find a way to do it I'd be very interested in how! 

[#9]

@RobPN  -

That's odd, I can't immediately think of a good reason why restoring the config of a different unit would be intentionally blocked.

The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the config file can only be restored to a unit with a particular firmware version level (or above), and maybe your spare N300IP was on an older firmware ?.

The N300IP is supposed to regularly automatically check for itself whether new firmware updates exist and notify the user,  I've had mine since around 2013 and only been notified once.  However firmware updates do turn up perhaps once a year, when I've checked manually, so is something easily missed when you're not looking for updates, and a disconnected 'spare' N300IP could easily fall behind with updates.

I don't have a spare N300IP to try that out on, and if my current unit failed then I'd be looking for a VoIP DECT base that could use IPv6 - and then my entire home network would be IPv6 capable.

.

[#10]

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@Anonymous wrote:

@RobPN  -

That's odd, I can't immediately think of a good reason why restoring the config of a different unit would be intentionally blocked.

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I suspect it's for over zealous security reasons.  ICBW but the backup files appear to be encrypted.

I guess if someone got hold of someone else's backup file, then it would be trivial to install it onto another N300IP and thus gain access to all the stored VoIP accounts which could then be used to run up a large bill making 'free' calls.

I believe A&A insist on having a Direct Debit set up as a condition of their VoIP accounts to cover such occurrences.

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The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the config file can only be restored to a particular firmware version level (or above), and maybe your spare N300IP was on an older firmware ?.

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I can't be certain, but ISTR checking the firmwares were the same.

[#11]

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@RobPN wrote:

... it would be trivial to install it onto another N300IP and thus gain access to all the stored VoIP accounts ...

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I believe A&A insist on having a Direct Debit set up as a condition of their VoIP accounts to cover such occurrences.

A&A also have a firewall rule where the customer can specify the allowed static IP address(es) that the A&A VoIP servers can authenticate with,  so you can be quite sure that any VoIP dialled calls from your account have only originated from your own network.  There are also call credit limits, with default low values, to avoid runaway costs if VoIP was hacked.

[#12]

Reading the manual about backups and also thinking about security issues it's obvious in retrospect that backups are locked to a particular unit. There is no export/import utility, just device-specific backups.

As an aside I have had my two N300IP units up and working in parallel and have actually got Gigaset.net calling to work between them, easier once I figured out how to add each one to the Gigaset.net directory. It wasn't that obvious from the manual how to use it but I figured it out eventually.

I also presume that if you go away to somewhere that gives you access to broadband and a router with a spare ethernet port you can take your landline with you. Just pack the phone and base and plug it in on arrival!

[#13]

My persepective.

There's a model of Yealink (commercial) deskphone that can also act as a switch. A PC can be plugged into that phone. That phone/device can also be managed remotely - told to record IP traffic and calls, which can then be loaded back to the management server. And that (I think) is *the* original source of the vulnerability.

Probably/possibly deployed in call-centres?

[#14]

" I've kicked off the port of the landline number to VOIP with A&A; around 2 weeks to complete they reckon. "

All moving faster than that, request passed to BT yesterday (Tuesday) by A&A (after I verified a few details) and BT plan to complete next Monday morning. So  not quite a week. 😎

[#15]

Does anyone know why some auto dialling telephone equipment is incompatible with VOIP?

I have been following this thread with interest, and when the time comes in April 2025, (Plusnet contract ending), I am now considering setting up VOIP with A&A.

We weren't going to bother with any form of landline phone - we unplugged it last summer when it went faulty and was putting a buzz on the line that affected the broadband. We now only use mobiles.

Or so we thought....

I had completely forgotten that the house alarm system that I installed myself when we moved here 12 years ago, includes a dialler that calls our mobiles in the event of an alarm activation. This plugs in to the landline still, but being hidden away, it got overlooked.

I have been reading on various sites that some equipment that auto dials is incompatible with VOIP services such as BT's Digital Voice - but what is it about this equipment that means it works fine on an analogue telephone line, but not a VOIP one?

I called A&A's technical support yesterday to ask them if they knew why this is sometimes an issue, but even though I said that I would be buying their recommended interface box, the Grandstream HT801 from them, they were unsure if it would work or not? They recommended that I "contacted my alarm company". That is me!

The dialler I have puts a loop on the line if it needs to make a call, waits a few seconds, then dials the number using standard DTMF tones. I don't see how it is any different from a standard telephone? It doesn't respond to incoming calls,or affect them and it is powered via the alarm's mains supply.

Can anyone advise the technical reason why some kit doesn't work with VOIP?