VoIP for a Wireless Office

Want VoIP but only have wifi in your office? Don’t despair. We can offer a few practical solutions.

Most VoIP phones require you to have a nearby Ethernet connection. This works great for large businesses with established wired networks, but a lot of small business skipped all that and went wireless directly. What do you do if your desk stations don’t have a nearby ethernet cable?

Option 1: A Wireless DECT Phone

Wireless DECT phones look a lot like the kind of wireless phones you’ve had at home for a long time. There is a base connected to the phone line and there is a wireless handset. Today’s wireless DECT phones have two distinct advantages over the home variety:

1) They use the DECT protocol, which means crystal clear sound and no interference.

2) They are VoIP, they connect to Ringio over your broadband connection.

You would put the base of the phone near an ethernet connection (e.g in the closet where you keep the router), and use the phone wirelessly in your offices. You would have to recharge the phones every once in a while.

Option 2: A Wired IP Phone with a Wifi Adapter

Wired IP phones look a lot more like traditional office phones. They’re sturdier, have a great handset, a speakerphone, and can accept a headset. Add a wifi adapter (technically called a wireless ethernet bridge) and you’re in business.

Cisco recently created a wireless bridge that is powered by the phone itself and that tucks neatly in the base… this is a great combo at a reasonable price.

Wired IP phone with Wifi adapter. Cisco SPA 303-G1 – $99 + Wifi adapter $49

(optional) Headset for SPA 303G1 – Plantronics HW261N $79 + QD to 2.5mm cable 64279-02 $19

Option 3: Softphone on Computer with Wired Headset

If you’d rather not use a phone at all, you can always use a softphone in your laptops and a headset. I recommend the Sennheiser PC 350 gaming headset (closed design, great for music, good microphone, uses 3.5mm headphone and mic jack of a computer to connect, so no USB issues). These are ~ $130 – $150 online. Ringio supports both X-Lite, Bria and Blinq (for Macs).

Good news is that all of these options work great with Ringio 🙂

by Sam Aparicio, CEO, Ringio