IP-Phones

An IP-Phone is really just a telephone with a built-in ATA. Now, instead of the phone cord plugging into your telephone wall jack (RJ-11 jack), it will only plug into an RJ-45 jack (Ethernet-compatible jack). An Ethernet RJ-45 jack is what is usually on the back of your DSL or cable modem and accepts the cable that plugs between the DSL/cable modem and your computer Ethernet card (carries the IP or Internet Protocol signals between computer and modem). An IP-Phone can also plug directly into the back of your DSL/cable modem. And when you plug an IP-Phone directly into the modem (or router) you no longer need your computer and headset to talk over the internet. In fact, you can turn the computer off and still talk over the Internet with your IP-Phone. The same is true if you are using an ATA with your standard telephone; it can make calls without the computer needing to be turned on. Just dial and talk (assuming the IP-Phone has been configured correctly).