Preparing Your Internet for a VoIP Phone System

VoIP naturally crosses paths with Ethernet systems, the computer networking standard primarily designed for local area networks (LAN). We may not be aware of it but the VoIP telephones we use in the office or the VoIP-enabled Blackberry phone we use on-the-go rely on some form of an Ethernet system somewhere to send and receive voice calls.

What is the Ethernet?

In its most basic and easily understandable form, Ethernet is the system most often used to connect computers that are relatively close to each other such as desktop PCs in offices or computer terminals in libraries. This proximity of the linked computers is the defining characteristic of the LAN architecture, which is different from linked computer systems in separate and distant locations in Wide Area Network (WAN) architectures, as seen in bank ATMs.

The basic Ethernet setup involves a single cable shared by all the computers or terminals (called nodes), in a topology that enables all the devices connected to the system to communicate with each other. Each device has a unique identifier in its 48-bit Media Access Control (MAC) address, which enables it to send and receive transmissions. The Ethernet setup allows the addition or removal of any device, without affecting other connected devices.

Voice calls in VoIP systems are turned into data packets and hence, can be transmitted through the same shared cable in the Ethernet system. The VoIP transmission may be just within the local area network (such as in IP-PBX setup with local lines) or to a computer softphone, VoIP phone, or landline outside the LAN. If the LAN traffic travels from the Ethernet to other networks or over the Internet, the data packets are repackaged and tagged at each gateway edge device as VoIP packets until they reached their destination.

Advantages and challenges of VoIP in Ethernet systems

In businesses already provisioned with sufficient LAN bandwidth and speeds, it is simply a matter of installing software in desktop PCs, or procuring some hardware (VoIP phone, IP-PBX systems) to set up working VoIP lines. This is possible since Ethernet has improved from the original 10 Mbit/s to a 1 Gbit/s implementation that can easily accommodate the Quality-of-Service requirements of VoIP.

The convergence in communications allows companies to eliminate the waste inherent in circuit-switched telephone systems. Companies may also save on monthly subscription fees, charges for long-distance calls and add-on services, and maintenance fees.

However, if the currently available bandwidth and speed of the broadband connection is inadequate, it may require additional costs to replace the current setup. Legacy coaxial cables used in antiquated systems (Ethernet was standardized in the 1980s) must be replaced with fiber optic cables, and newer networking standards such as spanning-tree and mesh protocols must be adopted to minimize widespread system failures.

Another advantage of Ethernet is the ability to expand into wireless technology like WiFi to bring connectivity to a new level. WiFi is essentially wireless Ethernet with universal presence, and it only necessitates adding VoIP-compatible wireless access points to enable voice calls in the system. WiFi operates in an unlicensed spectrum, but there is possibility of hampered connectivity due to the limited range of wireless devices.

Saiju is an IP communications and business software expert. He enjoys recommending VoIP for business and finding great hosted IP PBX systems and SIP service provider solutions