[LUNA] [(way) OT]: VOIP/POTS

[Chris Adams]

Once upon a time, William A. Mahaffey III <wam at hiwaay.net> said:
> The key detail is I want to use my existing
> in-house phones/jacks & have them operate in/out over my
> cable-internet. *Any* help appreciated. TIA & have a good one.

If you want it to "just work", I highly suggest a purpose-built
appliance.  I use an OBi100 (which I think has been replaced by the
OBi200 now).

It will work with Google Voice (have to do setup through their "cloud"
management because of Google's OAuth2 security, but then does work
locally without dependence on OBi servers and doesn't require just
storing a Google user/pass).  Two downsides to using Google Voice: no
911 service (can get through a third-party provider) and no name on
caller-ID (can also get through a third-party provider); I haven't set
up either.

Before you plug ANY FXS device into your existing household phone lines,
make sure you are physically disconnected from any external service, or
you can damage equipment.  In general, the phone company switch will
detect it and shut you off (which would then require a service call to
turn it back on if desired), but it is better not to depend on that.

-- 
Chris Adams <linux at cmadams.net>