VoIP: Switch from ISDN to Internet telephony
If you have your telephone switched from ISDN to Internet telephony with VoIP, you should note a few points so that the transition runs as smoothly as possible. We will show you what is important.
Internet telephony with VoIP instead of ISDN: what is changing?
Deutsche Telekom in particular is driving the switch from German telephone connections to VoIP. With VoIP, you now use your line completely for the Internet instead of separately for IP and telephony as before. This is why parts of your previous telephony hardware are no longer necessary. We'll show you exactly what VoIP is in another practical tip.
The new hardware for Internet telephony
In some cases you can switch to VoIP with existing hardware, in others you have to buy a new device:
- Check the manual of your router or the manufacturer whether your model also supports an IP connection and Internet telephony. If not, you have to buy a new router. As a rule, you can order a suitable router from your provider when ordering VoIP.
- When buying a new router, make sure that there are enough connections for your existing devices. Many VoIP-enabled routers offer connections for analog telephones and ISDN telephones. In many cases you can also connect and use existing ISDN PBXs.
VoIP with new cabling
On the day of the changeover from ISDN to Internet telephony, you have to make small changes to the cabling of your connection. As soon as you notice that your connection has been changed, you can start to set up your new connection:
- First remove splinters and NTBA. With VoIP, your signal does not have to be split into telephony and IP first. The router takes care of this from now on.
- Connect your DSL cable (depending on the hardware supplied, also with an adapter) to your TAE socket and connect it to the DSL and telephony input on your router.
- Connect your telephones or your PABX to the associated interfaces. Alternatively, you can also connect your portable phones wirelessly to a DECT base in the router, if your device supports it.
The last step in the changeover: connecting device
When you have finished wiring your new IP connection, you must finally set up your access in the router:
- Connect to your router with a PC, laptop or mobile device via LAN or WLAN and open the user menu. The manual for your router describes how to get to the menu.
- Enter the access data for your connection using a wizard or the menu in the router and wait until you are connected to the Internet.
- Depending on the telephone provider, your phone numbers will appear automatically in your router or you will have to enter them yourself. You can now make calls with your router via VoIP.
- In a last step, you list all existing telephony devices in your router and assign specific phone numbers to them. For example, you can have phone A ring at all of your phone numbers, but phone B only when someone calls a number you specify.
If you were not lucky with the changeover, we will show you how you can complain to Telekom or Vodafone.
DSL comparison calculator
in cooperation with communicationAds.net