Hello. I have a home network setup and running smooth enough but I wanted to try an expand it by installing some kind of internal phone system. I just wondered if I could do this easily enough via my existing network? I don't know anything about VoIP phones or all that. I wasn't really interested in using a VoIP for Internet use, I just want a couple of phones that can plug into my network so that if I'm upstairs in the office I can ring the phone downstairs etc. Being connected the actual phone line so I can make calls outside is not necessary, although it would be a bonus. Do I just need to buy a couple of VoIP phones and simply whack them on my LAN or is it (and I'm presuming it is) much more difficult to accomplish? Many thanks.

VoIP phones are essentially the same as ordinary phones except the to enable them to be used on VoIP they have to be connected through a VoIP adaptor. Some phones have these built in. This is essentially and VoIP modem that turns the analogue audio from the phone into digital signals that can be transmitted over a network. Then you would need a central controller or VoIP server to make sense of this data that the phones are generating. This type of equipment is usually only used by phone companies or companies with hundreds of internal phones. So although it is possible to do what you want, it could be an expensive project. If you just want communications between two phones within the house the best thing is a digital cordless phone with two handsets. The two handsets will be able to communicate with each other. Stuart

Then you would need a central controller or VoIP server to make sense of this data that the phones are generating. This type of equipment is usually only used by phone companies or companies with hundreds of internal phones. Those controllers aren't cheap, trust me. And, they are designed to interface with a PBX switch (phone). They might make a toned down model to allow one to communicate like the OP is asking to do (within a small LAN) but something tells me this isn't likely. Even if they do, it would still be expensive as you're basically buying a managed switch with special software added on it. If you just want communications between two phones within the house the best thing is a digital cordless phone with two handsets. The two handsets will be able to communicate with each other. Good advice. We have two cordless phones. If I'm buried in my office in the basement and the wife's upstairs, she'll ring me on it via the builtin intercom system. And vice versa (she has a home office in the basement she works from). Comes in quite handy. :)

Asterisk is a FREE open source VoIP software package that is used by many home users as well as companies. It might be a little daunting at first, but once you start using it, it's fairly easy to use. Asterisk@home (now known as tribox) is what most people use for home use, because it has more user friendly utilities for setting up and maintaining. http://www.asterisk.org/ http://www.asterisknow.org/ http://www.voip-info.org/tiki-index... http://www.trixbox.org/