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Wireless Networking Handhelds Hardware

WiFi Phone Announced 212

Posted by michael from the just-can't-wait-to-get-back-on-the-road-again dept.
igrp writes "Zyxel just announced its Prestige 2000W VoIP Wi-Fi Cordless Phone. It's designed to work with 802.11b networks, implements QoS and IP-to-IP call functionality and uses 128-bit WEP encryption. It also scans for 'available APs in [the] hand set's environment'. War driving just became a whole lot more interesting."
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WiFi Phone Announced More

WiFi Phone Announced

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  • But.. (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:45AM (#8542882)
    Does it run linux?
    • Seriously, but what OS does it run? Can I write apps for it? Any phone that isn't a computer is already outdated.
      Think I'll check out Zultys...

  • War driving attention span (Score:5, Insightful)

    by dalamarian ( 741404 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:46AM (#8542886)
    I don't know about the rest of you, but the war driving experience only provided about .5 hours of entertainment. After that I just wanted to go out and drink.
    • I don't know about the rest of you, but the war driving experience only provided about .5 hours of entertainment. After that I just wanted to go out and drink.

      I didn't even get that far. Straight to the pub for me (:
    • *shrug*
      I dunno, myself and one of my friends have killed many a hours on multiple outings doing it. We always fall into the "Just X more signals"-trap. I guess its better with a friend, as I can see doing it by myself would be rather boring.

      Of course, I'm a 'spark' (one who likes to go to fires) so I'm used to the whole cruising around waiting for a call to come over the fire radio.

    • Re:War driving attention span (Score:5, Funny)

      by swordboy ( 472941 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:44AM (#8543386) Journal
      After that I just wanted to go out and drink.

      Just remember - friends don't let friends drink and wardrive.

    • Re:War driving attention span (Score:5, Interesting)

      by scum-e-bag ( 211846 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:45AM (#8543400) Homepage Journal
      I actually had some great fun with it. Weeks and weeks of joy for me. I got myself a job as a taxi driver and stuck a laptop with external GPS and external 802.11 connected to the roof for good reception. After a days work I'd pull out the laptop and see where all the networks were and when I had been driving all day.

      Not forgetting to mention that when I get bored I can just whip out the lappy and recompile my kernel for fun...

      I can only just begin to imagine how much fun and how useful this new device is going to be for me.

  • end of wiring (Score:3, Interesting)

    by pvt_medic ( 715692 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:46AM (#8542889)
    with everything going wireless, will we even need to wire houses of the future (well i guess power might be necessary)?
    • I've actually been thinking that when I build my dream home, an integrated hard line and WiFi will be built in. I consider it to be as necessary as my phone jacks. I'll (or my guests) be able to jack into any room, just like in an office suite.

      • Re:end of wiring (Score:2, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward
        " I've actually been thinking that when I build my dream home, an integrated hard line and WiFi will be built in. I consider it to be as necessary as my phone jacks. I'll (or my guests) be able to jack into any room, just like in an office suite."

        I already jack in any room and every room, but I expect my guests to behave with more decorum.

    • What is interesting is that the rate of adoptation of VoIP technologies in way faster in asian and african countries than western countries like america where the land line network is in existance for a long time.

      It would really be sad , if the VoIP technology in US is also controlled by the baby bells.

    • re: end of wiring (Score:4, Interesting)

      by lo_fye ( 303245 ) <derek.geekunity@com> on Friday March 12, 2004 @11:16AM (#8543648) Homepage Journal
      Nikola Tesla developed *wireless electricity* [tfcbooks.com] in 1900, and perfected it in 1904. He was able to illuminate lightbulbs around the world using a single power source in New York. Unfortunately, he couldn't get funding to roll it out nationally because there was no way to meter usage (and because it would upset the international power balance).
    • latency freaks like me will still get there goods out of plain old wire. The latency in 802.11 is somewhat painful if you notice it.

  • Oh, good! (Score:4, Funny)

    by TexasDex ( 709519 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:47AM (#8542901) Homepage
    Maybe my gf will come wardriving with me now...

  • You are stupid (Score:2, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Cisco has had the 7920 WiFi VoIP phone out for a good while.. nothing new.

    • Re:You are stupid (Score:4, Informative)

      by jaredmauch ( 633928 ) <jared@puck.nether.net> on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:04AM (#8543052) Homepage
      The Cisco 7920 only supports the skinny/sccp protocol used by the their call manager system (runs on WinNT and successors). This is interesting as it uses the ietf produced protocol SIPv2. Pulver also has one here [pulverinnovations.com]. Still "nothing new", but represents more geeky products in the SIP world.
      • According to my Cisco rep. There will be a SIP image for the 7920 out in the summmer. I have a 7920 at work and it's really a sweet phone... Having a SIP image available will be a bonus (it should then work really well with Asterisk, the open source IP PBX).
      • The 7920 is supposed to be upgraded to support SIP this year. Also Cisco Call Manager supports SIP as well as sccp.

      • Check Asterisk (Score:2, Informative)

        by jtn ( 6204 )
        The Skinny/SCCP protocol has some support in Asterisk [asteriskpbx.org] 0.7.x now. I haven't had a chance to test it myself as there is no way I'm paying that much for a portable phone with very limited coverage at the moment :)
        • Yeah, it partially works on the Cisco 7970 [nether.net] I have sitting here. I've been using asterisk over a year with great success with primarily 7960, 7940, and ata-186 plus a few soft phones (eg: xlite [xten.com]).

          I don't have my hands on a 7920 (feel free to send me one ;-) ).

  • Can't buy (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I'd be happy if I could buy VoIP hardware without having to pay 50-100% extra for shipping to Europe. Does anyone know a European retailer of Sipura VoIP adapters?

  • Tin can with string (Score:4, Funny)

    by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:48AM (#8542910)
    I want one of these as a Pringles can with string [windley.com]

    • Re:Tin can with string (Score:4, Funny)

      by emo boy ( 586277 ) <hoffman_brian@ba h . com> on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:52AM (#8542952) Homepage
      That's so yesterday. We already have wireless can phones. All you have to do is hold your campbell's soup can up and talk and presto...the guy across the room with his can, can hear you. The clarity is amazing the louder you speak into it. AND LOOK MOM! NO CORDS!

      • You're right (Score:4, Funny)

        by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:57AM (#8542998)
        You are so right. I've used this device to call across a room. In fact, I found that it even works if you don't have the soup can.
        • These little jokes made me think back to a fortune cookie I once read. I've googled it up, so here it goes:

          An Explanation of Radio

          "You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat."

          Albert Einstein
  • is it me or is this a bad link?

  • Nice... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by robslimo ( 587196 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:48AM (#8542914) Homepage Journal
    I bet these would be immediately useful on medium to large commercial, industrial and educational campus, for intracampus mobile communication. But to be of much use to the general public, the coverage by WiFi cells will have to become ubiquitous, at least in metropoliton areas.
    • Not really. So long as there's WiFi that covers my entire house, then this phone is just a geeky version of a 2.4 GHz cordless phone.

      • Re:Nice... (Score:2, Insightful)

        by robslimo ( 587196 )
        OK, but other than geek factor, what good does it do you?

        A customer I've worked with has two locations in the US, one in Aimes, IA and the other in Lawrence, KS. They have some manner of leased line (T1 or T3) between them. Their inter/intranet and some voice lines traverse this pipe. In KS they just dial the 4 digit extension of anyone they want to talk to in Aimes. I'm pretty sure the voice lines are of the tradition analog (64K bit) type you'd implement on a T1 or T3.

        Now, imagine the cost of a leas
        • True, but we're not talking about the "last mile" but really the "last inches". A wireless VoIP phone could have all of the VoIP stuff a fixed point base station, and then use analog 2.4 GHz to get to the headset and end user. Really, the main use of this device is environments where 2.4 GHz is allready being used by WiFi so that there'd be conflicts if anything else is on that band.

    • Re:Nice... (Score:3, Informative)

      by BHS_Turf ( 8387 )
      We are using a couple of cordless Cisco VOIP phones in exactly the opposite environment. We use these in the middle of the forest in a fire camp. I guess I should mention that we have a trailer outfitted with a satellite uplink, GIS workstations, Crew Dispatch, and high resolution video into the hospital when needed.
    • I recently read an article [techreview.com] about hybrid cell phones that are capable of transparently switching to an in-range WiFi network to save money on calls. Phones like this would still be usable if there aren't hotspots everywhere, and better yet, if they become popular, they will produce demand to build even more hotspots.
      One thing I worry about, however, is that free hotspots may become overcrowded with people carrying out high-bandwidth VOIP conversations. I guess operators of free hotspots will have to take u

  • Looks like a new WiSIP (Score:5, Informative)

    by OctaneZ ( 73357 ) <ben-slashdot2NO@SPAMuma.litech.org> on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:49AM (#8542919) Journal
    Wow, it looks almost exactly like the WiSIP [pulverinnovations.com] that Jeff Pulver [jeffpulver.com], founder of Free World Dialup [freeworlddialup.com], has been selling on Pulver Innovations [pulverinnovations.com] for about a year now.

  • Conversation (Score:5, Funny)

    by pete-classic ( 75983 ) <hutnick@gmail.com> on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:49AM (#8542920) Homepage Journal
    "You keep cutting out."

    "Yeah, I'm not sure why, but I have a strange feeling the guy outside in the beige '87 sedan, wearing a topcoat and no pants has something to do with it."

    -Peter

  • Google Cache (Score:5, Informative)

    by UncleBiggims ( 526644 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:49AM (#8542925)
    Here's the Google Cache [216.239.57.104] of the product page.

    Are you Corn Fed? [ebay.com]

  • MMmmmmm radiation (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:51AM (#8542936)
    How wise is it to stick a 802.11 transmitter right next to your brain for extended periods of time?

    RF Safe [sartests.com]

    "According to Dr. Brown, the real danger is the proximity to the transmitter because the transmitter sends out the waves that could heat up human tissue if close enough to the antenna. "

    "Moving from one inch away to only one foot away from the Wi-Fi antenna weakens the signal by a factor of 100. So unless you're hugging the antenna, or leaning against it, you're being exposed to very little radiation."

    D'oh... Better have a "hands free" option so that I can place the transmitter next to my genitals instead of near to my head.

    • Re:MMmmmmm radiation (Score:5, Funny)

      by grub ( 11606 ) <slashdot@grub.net> on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:01AM (#8543019) Homepage Journal

      Moving from one inch away to only one foot away from the Wi-Fi antenna weakens the signal by a factor of 100.

      There goes my idea of a covert 802.11 butt plug antenna.
      • > There goes my idea of a covert 802.11 butt plug antenna.

        I'm not sure I understand... are you saying that for some reason putting the antenna in your butt would put it too close to your head?

        If you did go with the idea, you could probably market it as a fitness tool, since it would give the wearer a very hot ass. They don't have to know that "hot" refers to temperature...

    • Yeah, but half the hands free sets I see clip on your belt, can anyone say "ROASTED NUTS"
    • Moving from one inch away to only one foot away from the Wi-Fi antenna weakens the signal by a factor of 100.

      Suddenly I doubt Dr Brown, if this is his idea of accuracy. It weakens the signal by a factor of 144. Come on, the inverse square law isn't _that_ difficult...

    • How wise is it to stick a 802.11 transmitter right next to your brain for extended periods of time?

      This device 14dBm = 0.025watts
      My GSM phone 33dBm = 2 watts (with automatic power control so it dosn't allways use that much)

      I'm not worried at all. Would you expect to see a rise in brain tumours by now considering the number of people with mobiles?

      That said I think the SAR ratings for phones are completly bogus. A phone with a 4 inch pull out antenna may have a higher SAR rating but it transmitts more e
      • There's the difference that 802.11b is a 2.4 GHz signal where GSM is not... and 2.4 GHz is the resonant frequency of water. Though, I don't think the a 0.025 watt signal is going to heat you up all that much...
    • D'oh... Better have a "hands free" option so that I can place the transmitter next to my genitals instead of near to my head.

      You're a slashdotter, you wouldn't use them anyhow :)

  • Crypto software. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by sabri ( 584428 ) * on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:51AM (#8542939)
    Now it's a matter of time before someone implements a software version of the Cryptophone [cryptophone.de] for these wifi-phones.. I really wonder how LEA's will deal with this. Afterall, wiretapping a phone will be fairly impossible :-)
    • in the end wont all electronic communication be impossible to tap with the right encryption. Its something that the NSA is much fearing. Its already causing inteligence agency to start to refocus on human intelegence over electronic.

  • Text from site (Score:5, Informative)

    by erobertstad ( 442529 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:51AM (#8542941) Homepage
    First few times I tried it was allready having SQL errors so here's the text:

    Prestige 2000W
    VoIP Wi-Fi Phone

    The Prestige 2000W VoIP Wi-Fi phone, compatible with IEEE 802.11b wireless standard, is a perfect solution for Voice over IP applications. It allows users to make or receive phone calls as long as they are in the coverage of IEEE 802.11b or 11g wireless Access Points. By using the Prestige 2000W, users no longer have to pay expensive communication fees and can enjoy the convenience of wireless mobility.

    The brand new application is developed to support open standard SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), which interoperates with major SIP-based call servers, IP-PBXs and various VoIP client devices. It is not only an ideal alternative for ITSPs (IP Telephony Service Providers) to deploy their VoIP services; it can also be the wireless handset, which is applied in corporate IP-PBX centric VoIP environment.

    The Prestige 2000W is very easy to use and configure. It allows users to configure with LCD screen menu or web browser. Meanwhile, with the smart auto-provisioning mechanism, ITSPs can easily deploy and manage the VoIP services. Easy-to-use and convenient, the Prestige 2000W delivers high quality voice functionality in a cost-effective way.

    Benefits

    Open Standard SIP v2 Support
    The call control protocol of the Prestige 2000W is based on SIP v2 (Session Initiation Protocol version 2, RFC 3261) open standard, which is interoperable with major SIP-based call servers, IP-PBXs, and other standard SIP-based client devices.

    Mobility with IEEE 802.11b Wireless Standard Compliance
    The Prestige 2000W is compliant with the IEEE 802.11b standard and interoperates with any existing 802.11b or 802.11g wireless AP and gateway. It may be used as a cordless handset for residential users or for business users in an office environment. The small form factor of the handset is easy to transport and allows users to place VoIP phone calls in public 802.11-based hot spots.

    High Voice Quality with Low Communication Costs
    The Prestige 2000W is capable of tagging features that support a service provider?s QoS (Quality of Service) planning, such ToS (Type of Service), and DiffServ. It allows gateways or central side equipment to identify and prioritize voice and data traffic. By supporting G.711 and G.729 voice compression technology, the Prestige 2000W effectively reduces bandwidth consumption caused by voice traffic.

    Enhanced Power Saving Design for Extended Standby and Talk Time
    With an improved power-saving design, the Prestige 2000W can be used for a relatively long period of standby and talk time. With an extended life for each recharge cycle, the Prestige 2000W is available where and when you need it.

    Direct IP-to-IP Call and Ad-hoc Intercom Mode Support(Optional)
    By configuring a remote IP address in the built-in phone book, the Prestige 2000W provides a direct IP-to-IP call feature when there is no intermediate SIP proxy server available in the network. The Prestige 2000W can also establish an 802.11 ad-hoc network (computer-to-computer network without Access Point), which allows users to use the handsets as wireless intercoms.
    Features

    Wireless
    - IEEE 802.11b support
    - Frequency band: 2.400 ~ 2.497 GHz
    - Channel: FCC Ch1~11, ETSI Ch1~13, Japan Ch1~14
    - Data Rate: 11 / 5.5 / 2 / 1 Mbps
    - Output Power: 14 + 1dBm
    - Sensitivity: -82 dBm@11Mbps
    - Operating range: Out-door up to 300m, In-door up to 75m
    - 64/128 bit WEP encryption
    - Site Survey: Scan available APs in hand set?s environment
    - Support infrastructure (public) mode and Ad-hoc mode (option)

    Voice
    - SIP (RFC 3261) version 2
    - SDP (RFC2327)
    - RTP (RFC1889)
    - RTCP (RFC1890)
    - CODEC: G711, G.729a
    - DTMF detection and relay
    - G.168 echo cancellation
    - Silence Suppression
    - Voice Activity Detection (VAD)
    - Comfort Noise Generation (CNG)
    - QoS support TOS / DiffServ
    - Support outbond proxy for NAT Traversal
  • Won't the person on the receiving end need one of these phones also, or some VoIP technology?

    Surely this makes it useless when it comes to regular phonelines?

    • Re:Useful? (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      There are several SIP proxies which provide a gateway to the plain old telephone system. Free ones offer incoming calls and calls to toll-free numbers only, but there are also paid gateways through which you can use VoIP phones both ways.

  • Newlyweds in 5 years. (Score:5, Funny)

    by mfivis ( 592345 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:53AM (#8542962) Homepage
    Can you hear me now?

    'No honey! Did you unfilter the MAC address?'

    Yes.

    'Did you enable DHCP?'

    Ah, thats it! Alright, got it!

  • Cisco.... (Score:5, Informative)

    by phillk6751 ( 654352 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:55AM (#8542980)
    Cisco has already developed an 802.11 wireless phone for their VoIP networks for businesses. They've developed fully VoIP phones that only need a certain server and a cat5 connection to the internet to function. They can also use TTS(Text to speech) and ASR(automatic speech recognition) commands for the blind people, and the phones read XML for menus. I think cisco's are cooler.
    • When I visited there on a education related function, the tech demo they gave us was that they even have a dual cell/wifi phone in the works that will switch between the two based on service area.
    • However the Cisco 7920 phone current only supports Cisco's proprietary SCCP (aka "skinny"), which means you have to have a CallManager or router/h.323 gateway running CallManager Express to use the phone. There aren't currently plans to make a SIP image for the 7920 (whereas the desk phone 7940/7960 can be loaded with either SCCP or SIP image loads).

      On the plus side, the Cisco 7920 supports Cisco's proprietary LEAP so that the phone is re-keying WEP as often as you set it (9.1 minutes is enough time to ge

  • Bandwidth Considerations at Hot Spots (Score:5, Informative)

    by iammrjvo ( 597745 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:55AM (#8542985) Homepage Journal

    This would probably work well on a LAN, but would this really work well between networks at all Wi-fi hot spots? I'd be concerned about spotty coverage where the Internet connection is slow, such as at a coffee shop or hotel where every computer on the network is sharing one DSL connection.

    Also, since Wi-fi coverage is still spotty, even inside of cities, traditional mobile service is probably still the best solution for most folks. Once Wi-fi becomes more widely deployed, then this kind of device could displace traditional mobile techs.

  • I hoped for the end... (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    .. of WiFey's Phone. WiFey's Phone-costs almost costed me my marriage.

  • Nokia 9500 communicator (Score:3, Interesting)

    by throwaway18 ( 521472 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:58AM (#8543000) Journal
    Nokia recently announced the next version of the nokia communicator. [nokia.com]
    Triple band, edge, GPRS, bluetooth, infrared, wifi, qwerty keyboard,
    browser, organiser, telnet, ssh, plays mp3s, 80MB memory, camera, 640x200 colour screen.

    A highly desirably toy, though judging by previous communicators there will be a dozen firmware updates and you will need the extended warranty
    because they often break.
    • Just because the 9500 includes WiFi support doesn't mean it can route calls through it.
      You probably didn't mean it that way either, but I figured I'd mention it in case somebody thinks you did.

  • thank you VoIP gods! (Score:3, Interesting)

    by photovoltaics ( 470242 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @09:59AM (#8543009)
    I can't believe more people don't have more VoIP phones already... Something like Vonnage offers. I can have a local phone number, travel to Hong Kong, and still have a local number to my home town. Having a wireless option makes it that much better. Telephony service costs too much already, and this may help more people switch to VoIP phones, too... thus making it even more inexpensive. As timothy pointed out, this certainly does take wardriving to a whole new level. Sweet.
    • I'd love one, but so far Vonage hasn't set up a local line into my area, so anyone calling me would have to pay long distance.
    • To be honest, you can probably pick up a Vonage account, and plug in a good quality cordless phone at home for significantly less than the VoIP 802.11b phones that are out there. Granted you are not going to have the coolest cordless phone at the coffee shop, but it would work for your home.

      For the Coffee shop, a PDA running netmeeting, or zmeeting would provide a functional ip-ip phone for many people.

      -Rusty

  • This is old tech (Score:5, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:00AM (#8543015)

    Hi there! What planet are you from?

    Cisco has had wi-fi VoIP phones for a year. A friend uses them at work at they are rather nifty. I think there might be some handover issues since mobile IP isn't really fit for fight yet.

    Here's the product page. [cisco.com]

    If you google for wi-fi phone you'll find there are some others as well, but coming from the PDA end of the spectrum.

    Plus Nokia's latest phone/pda has wi-fi as well, but I don't think you they are available in stores yet.

  • Cool!... (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Now I can surf BBSs with my Apple IIc wirelessly, using an acoustic-coupler modem.

    Paleo-wardriving, here I come!

  • NAT (Score:2, Interesting)

    by v_1_r_u_5 ( 462399 )
    When these phones can get around the need for a central server if both parties are behind NAT, things will get real exciting. As it is right now, though, if both parties are using NAT, there's no direct way for them to connect unless through a central server, which is not a good idea for numerous reasons. Maybe with the new IP protocol...

    • Re:NAT (Score:4, Informative)

      by Gaewyn L Knight ( 16566 ) <vaewyn.wwwrogue@com> on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:37AM (#8543324) Homepage Journal
      Look at the IAX protocol that Asterisk PBX [asterisk.org] uses. Several devices are coming out now that talk this protocol.

      Main selling points are:
      #1 It works VERY well
      #2 Only 1 port is ever used so NAT fowarding fixes all NAT issues
      #3 Is a full PBX level intercommunication protocol so you can have any device using it do very advanced things that SIP and H323 only wish they could do well. (example... line in use indication for secretaries phones)

      Virbiage [virbiage.com] is preparing to sell there FT201 based on IAX protocol and Digium [digium.com] (makers of Asterisk) are beginning mass production on their "IAXy" which is an ATA brick for analog phones.
  • Funny, I just tried out a Cisco WIFI phone yesterday.

    It's shaped a bit like an older Nokia cell phone - relatively big by today's cell phone standards. And, of course, it's VoIP.

    My office is all VoIP (with Cisco VoIP phones at each desk), so a WIFI version would be a great benefit to those of us to scurry around the facility. Especially considering the poor cell phone reception in the area.

    The real beauty is the possibility of taking this phone home - I could use my office phone on my home network (an
  • What kind of battery does this thing use? Or do you have to plug it in?
  • no, not that product - but how we have 100 comments even when that link is wrong/bad. this a slashdot specialty?
    lol.
  • Obviously it's maximum throughput is limitted to 11Mbps, as indicated by the underlying tech (802.11b)
  • All of those pay-to-play Wi-Fi APs [t-mobile.com] in coffee shops and airports need to talk to a browser to authenticate your NIC. It's not clear how you can do that with a phone.

  • Practicality (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 12, 2004 @10:17AM (#8543156)
    I work in the engineering section of one of the leading cordless phone companies. A couple days ago, I asked why we weren't developing a voip cordless phone. He said that aside from the cost and complexity of implementing this, the battery life is also a huge issue.

    I hope they can pull it off. I think it's a great idea because it means that your cordless phone has coverage over your whole wireless network rather than just when it is in close proximity to your base station.
  • I read this as a 2000W VoIP phone, not a model 2000W. At first, I was thinking, what, a range of about 20 miles on this baby, battery life of almost a minute. Not only that, but you turn it on, and you lose bladder control, and suddenly can't turn left. Free guide to microwave induced cancers included, get them all and you win a discount on the next model!

    Seriously though, this looks like fun, I'll have to ask the Zyxel people for one, they make cool WiFi stuff.

    -Charlie
  • ...the question that I have is will it work with existing VoIP providers like Vonage, VoicePulse & Packet 8? If not, then wouldn't I need to have some sort of SIP gateway sitting somewhere in order to use this thing? Sounds great if you're a corporation who could afford that kind of thing. But if you're a corporation, are you really going to expose your SIP gateway to the Internet?

    Or am I just being dumb?

  • OEM (Score:2, Informative)

    by Guanix ( 16477 )
    It's actually just a BCM WLAN600 [bcm.com.tw] (from a Taiwanese manufacturer) that's rebranded. ZyXEL develops very few of their products themselves.
  • I could see this being neat in perhaps a corporate area or somewhere at home, where in either case you or IT has some sort of control over the WAP settings, but this whole "wardriving" nonsense (using WEP) wouldn't work.

    WAP Clients need to use a matching WEP key of the AP, therefore if this roamed to someone's AP, they'd either have to change to that person's WEP key, or disable it. Plus, what about coffee shop / BBSM / Nomadix type solutions that require authorization with a web page redirect first? Someo

  • Sounds good on first read... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Leomania ( 137289 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @11:40AM (#8543941) Homepage
    But the 2.4GHz spot in the frequency spectrum in a typical household is so crudded up already. I mean, I already have these in use in that space:

    o 802.11b network (2 APs, 4 clients)
    o Cordless phone
    o X10 video camera (for baby monitoring)
    o Microwave oven

    The X10 camera goes mostly unused nowadays due to interference from the APs. The telephone has some very annoying pops and clicks when the microwave is in use. I'd be hard-pressed to shell out many buckazoids for one of these until I was certain it worked better than my existing phone that's using that spectrum.

    Assuming there's enough recovery for corrupted packets when interference is occurring (tried to read the article to get more info, but can't get to the site as usual), I can see where it might work better than my existing phone in the presence of such interference. But I won't be in a big hurry to go buy one just yet.

    - Leo
    • Adding this phone in your house wouldn't add a fifth, distinct 2.4GHz competetor to your air-space. This phone would ride over your existing 802.11b (or g) network, working with it, not competing with it. Additionally, it could replace your cordless phone, reducing the cross-talk. Next, do some channel management between your AP's and the X10 to keep them away from each other, and now all you have to worry about it the microwave.

      Of course putting this in at home would require you to somehow put a VoIP


    • But the 2.4GHz spot in the frequency spectrum in a typical household is so crudded up already. I mean, I already have these in use in that space:

      o 802.11b network (2 APs, 4 clients)

      Ofcourse the phone will use that 802.11b network rather than interfere with it.


      Assuming there's enough recovery for corrupted packets when interference is occurring (tried to read the article to get more info, but can't get to the site as usual),

      I read somewhere that TCP/IP and VoIP has data recovery...

  • Been doing it for a while (Score:4, Interesting)

    by zapp ( 201236 ) on Friday March 12, 2004 @11:46AM (#8544028)
    It's called a Pocket PC, a WiFi adapter, and WiFive [wifive.net]

    Wifive can connect to other wifive users or netmeeting, and if you have an IP-PSTN service, you can place calls to regular phones as well.

    Cool though that someone made an actual phone to make the process easier
  • I want to use my cell phone as a modem for my craptop, not use my craptop as a ISP for my phone.
  • If you wardrive and get on another network, the phone will send out packets tagged with 5 in the TOS field, but the network you got onto is almost certainly not going to honor the field, whether it be TOS in the packet or DSCP in the frame.

    Also, QoS in wireless as a whole in an incomplete field. Cisco's AP still can't change the underlying "time on the air" algorithm of 802.11b and thus, you can get into a priority queue on the backside, but if there are too many people associated to the AP, you aren't ge
  • With a typical 3V 1800mAh NiMH battery you would have a talk time of 2.7 milleseconds.

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