Networking Guidelines

Networking Guidelines

Hosted Voice Over IP (VoIP) telephone service differs from traditional phone systems because you are connected to the Internet instead of copper wires or analog phone lines. As such, your required network setup and equipment includes a high-speed Internet connection, a modem, a router, and digital VoIP phones. A switch is also needed, depending on how many of your employees are using the service.

Our technicians can provide you with recommendations, general installation support, and diagnostics, while your professional IT administrator can implement the solution, depending on the complexity of your environment.


Your Network Environment

A variety of Internet services and equipment are available. Here is a high-level overview of how to use these services and equipment in your environment.

High-Speed Internet

While options includes DSL, Cable, Fiber Optic, T1, wireless, microwave, and more, not all of these are compatible with VoIP.

Recommended:

Cable, Fiber, and Metro wireless connections deliver the clearest connection for VoIP service. See Bandwidth and VoIP to determine whether your current Internet connection meets your business needs. 

Not Recommended:

  • Satellite is not a good choice for VoIP service because the transmission is not strong and consistent. This results in n poor sound quality.

  • WLAN adapters create problems with voice is real-time; anything that may slow down the VoIP traffic can cause noticeable call quality issues.

VoIP Phones

Use VoIP phones that connect to an Ethernet cable, which support Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone. Penguin supports Yealink and Polycom models of phones.

Routers

Offers a  private internet network that typically plugs into your modem. Consider how the following affect your services in a VoIP environment. 

Multiple Routers

Not Recommended. Multiple routers are not recommended as the individual settings on each router can impact VoIP traffic and more.

Modem/Router Combine

Not Recommended.. Some DSL and cable providers deliver a modem with a built-in router, which is often used in the home or small office environments. If you are also using your own router, this can cause problems with your Vonage Business service. To resolve, disable the router, which is referred to as bridging.

Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to bridge the modem/router combination. 

Firewalls

Most routers include a firewall, which dictates traffic that is allowed in or out.

  • For smaller offices with off-the-shelf routers, these firewalls may need to be modified or turned off.
  • On enterprise-level equipment, certain rules may need to be added to allow Penguin’s traffic to flow through.

Our technicians can assist your IT administrator with making adjustments. If you have a complex setup, you may need a network administrator on-site to assign static IPs to the phones and static ports in your firewalls.

 

IMPORTANT: The amount of traffic that passes in and out of a router can cause synchronization issues. If you experience issues we recommend you restart your modem, followed by your router.

Switches vs Hubs

While these devices look identical, they operate in different ways.

  • Purchase a switch to expand the number of ports on your router. The switch must be placed after the router and not before.
  • Do not use a hub on a VoIP network.

Your Network Setup

The setup of your network is crucial for the functionality of the phone system. And a typical setup only requires a few pieces of equipment connected in the right order. Look at the following three examples to understand what works best for you. 


Network example with stand alone modem

This diagram shows a regular standalone modem (without a built-in router) that you would normally receive from a Cable Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is important to configure your network in a similar layout to ensure the highest quality of service.

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The diagram begins with a modem. You use a network cable to connect the modem to a router, effectively creating a LAN (Local Area Network). From the router, you can plug in a few devices, including computers and phones. If your router does not have enough ports to accommodate all the phones and computers, you can plug a switch into the router.

Note that the phones and the computers are separate. The phones are connected to the switch, and the computers are connected to the router. This scenario can help cut down on network traffic and slightly improve your quality of service. However, it is not necessary in most cases.


Network example with modem/router combined

In this scenario, the modem/router combination device has been modified to function only as a modem only. As the router is disabled, you must purchase a standalone router. It is important to configure your network in a similar way to ensure the highest quality of service.

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Network example with multiple switches

This is the ideal setup for enterprise level equipment. In this scenario, the computer and the data traffic, as well as the advanced enterprise level equipment have been separated. It is important to configure your network in a similar layout to ensure the highest quality of service.

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