On 2025-12-10 17:15, CAREY SCHUG via Talk wrote:
ok, to clarify.
1. I am looking for a "consumers' reports" review of commercial ATAs that I can buy online, plug in and use. 2. plus understanding of nuances I don't know to ask about. 3. an ATA with current or future options 4. or sufficient benefits I should do something harder
An ATA in the $50-100 range will likely be enough. You want to make sure it will do encryption. I believe they are SRTP and STLS but I am saying that without looking. The ATAs that I have seen have more features than I will llikely ever use.
harder would be building an open source router or switch to replace the existing ones I have.
That is not all that hard. If your OK with OpenWRT you can buy one of a number of compatible products and re-flash the firmware or get an OpenWRT hardware product that is pre-configured. Another choice is to get an old PC or small format computer like a Pi or NUC box. and put one of the dozen or so opensource router/firewall projects out there on it.
First, thanks for the info about STUN, I hadn't thought of that, I guess assuming it was built into whatever service I buy for with the ATA. Does DYNDNS stil exist? Is there a combined STUN/DYNDNS? if I pay for the STUN service with the IP phone number do i get DYNDNS thrown in for free? or only with some services? I had it for a while when somebody was telnetting into one of my sun systems to test it against the emulator he was writing (he actually had access to one system connected into another so he could reboot the second system). So much lack of knowledge on my part....
I should have repeated in the body that I want a list of ATAs I can buy, as the title was supposed to indicate.
With a little more knowledge...next ai query gives: "Most VoIP providers do not work with all commercial ATAs,"
The more important question would be "what ATA works with all VOIP providers"? If you keep to the popular brands like linksys and grandstream you will likely be ok.
so, probably my question should be "which ITSP/VOIP provider is recommended", for which I need to ask on a USA forum as that is where i live. I tend to ask tech questions here, experience has been better answers, sooner. I remember a discussion on VOIP providers, I will look through archives first.
I would plug VOIP.ms. They can provide phone numbers in a large number of countries and areas. They can also port your number if it is in a supported region. I believe they are out of Montreal. If I spent $200/year on my services I would be surprised. -- Alvin Starr || land: (647)478-6285 Netvel Inc. || home: (905)513-7688 alvin@netvel.net ||