AN ATA ADAPTOR BY ANY OTHER NAME IS NOT A VOIP ROUTER

As you begin to investigate your options for broadband telecommunications you will quickly see that a VoIP router is included on most “must have” lists. But what is it anyway? The router is the hardwire device that manages the traffic across your network. A VoIP router works by directing the many packets of information that move through your network to other networks, other routers, or to your computer.

The router is what reads the header information contained in each packet and interprets it so that it can be directed to the proper place. You may be familiar with this concept as it applies to local area networks. But what does that have to do with VoIP? The principle is the same. The VoIP router reads and interprets the data that allows you to use VoIP phone services or access the Internet.

Many people are confused about the role of the VoIP router versus the role of the VoIP ATA adapter. Despite what you may think, they are not one in the same. An ATA adapter will allow your telephone to communicate digitally over the Internet but it will not actually allow you to use the Internet. For that you need a VoIP router. If you want or need Internet access on your network, then you will need a VoIP router. Conversely, if you only need telephony capabilities, an ATA adapter may suit you just fine.

Today's technology requires that we make a choice between an ATA adapter and a VoIP router. This will likely change in the future but for now, the device you need depends on what you want your network to do.

The specific make and model of the VoIP router you need will vary depending on your service provider. Before making a purchase you need to make sure that the VoIP router that you have selected is compatible with your service provider. Your provider may provide you with a specific router. This router will be configured at the factory in order to work with their system. If you prefer to use your own VoIP router it will need to be configured to your provider's specifications. You can do this yourself but it can be tricky business. There are literally hundreds of different routers available so you want to make sure the manufacturer provides support in case you need help getting your VoIP router configured.

Depending on the type of VoIP router you have and how you have your network configured, your VoIP router may also be a gateway. What's the difference? The key difference is that a router just moves the data from one point in the network to another. A gateway can convert the data from one protocol to another. In some configurations they may actually be the same thing.

So now it's all clear, right? An ATA adaptor is not the same as a VoIP router and a VoIP router may or may not be a gateway. Those rules are simple. How it all ties together, that may be a little more difficult. Your service provider can help you sort out exactly what you need. If you deal with a top quality hardware supplier they can also help.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/voip-articles/an-ata-adaptor-by-any-other-name-is-not-a-voip-router-916194.html

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