The days are long since when you only had to rely on fixed routes and are limited to the usage of archaic communication technologies! Businesses now want to connect, exchange ideas and ensure that all receive information can process as effectively as possible. In this respect, most companies have recently switched to more sophisticated business telephone systems.
It’s easy to understand for individuals who don’t know about this type of technology. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol systems, which allow users to make and receive telephone calls using a steady and robust internet connection.
VoIP phones offer a wide range of additional capabilities that outdated traditional phone lines cannot match. With today’s topic, though, How to Connect a VoIP Phone to a Laptop? VoIP systems provide users quick communication and easy configuration at low and affordable prices!
What Is and How Does a VoIP Telephone Work?
VoIP telephones use Internet Voice Protocol (VoIP) technology to provide an online telephone service.
Calls are sent through the Internet rather than the old legacy technology of the PSTN or integrated digital services network (ISDN). The PSTN and ISDN networks will dismantle soon. Due to the reduced infrastructure necessary to carry out VoIP conversations, voice calls can deliver at a meager cost.
VoIP services also use the Internet to provide end-users with telephone system capabilities. Small and medium-sized companies that were previously unaffordable for the SME budgets are supplied with many new features and beneficial services. These will feature e-mail, phone recording, instant messages, international calling, music-on-holding, and call diversion.
It would help if you first comprehended how VoIP technology works before you understand how VoIP telephones transmit calls over the Internet. Voice over IP technology is a group of protocols that work together to reproduce telephone operations. Each protocol has a separate role, yet everyone works in real-time concurrently.
SIP (Session Initiation of Protocol)
The general aim of SIP is to set up multimedia in real-time sessions across the Internet between two or more participants. In VoIP, this protocol is the technology’s signaling component.
Starts the call (when you dial a phone number), connects (when the caller responds by phone), and stops the call (when either of the participants drops the call).
While these connections are more complex operations, this is what SIP performs for VoIP.
What Are the Benefits of VoIP?
The use of a VoIP system has many advantages for companies.
- VoIP offers communication at a lesser cost than traditional landline telephones. It can also incorporate numerous advanced features that needed a significant internal infrastructure in the past.
- It means that even small companies may now implement features like marketing on-hold, call logging, voicemail-to-email.
- You can also include CRM integration, remote work via device sync, and much more.
- VoIP phones also make it easy for growing enterprises to scale.
- Traditional fixed phones needed to be expensive upgraded or extended by new employees to the corporate telephone system.
- With VoIP technology, an Ethernet port allows a handset to be integrated quickly and efficiently into the network.
- You do not have to keep VoIP and IP PBX gear in your office buildings with an IP phone system.
- You can select to host it to obtain all the business features you need in a telephone system without the overall costs of maintaining a server inside your building.
How to Connect a VoIP Phone to a Laptops?
There are two ways of connecting your VoIP phone to your laptop: via the Ethernet port or Wi-Fi. However, some newer phones are now equipped with built-in Wi-Fi, making the process easier via the Ethernet port. Here we will elaborate How to Connect a VoIP Phone to a Laptop through the Ethernet connector for this post since this is the most popular technique used today.
- First, grab your Ethernet wire and plug each end on your laptop and VoIP phone into the respective port.
- You will find behind your VoIP phone a power port and two more Ethernet connectors.
- One is designed for a PC and the other for Ethernet, so make sure they are not mixed up.
- Next, you must plug in your phone’s power cord and let it try to get an IP address.
- Before you may proceed, remember that an internet connection must establish between both devices.
- The next step is to configure your laptop. First, you have to make sure it’s linked to Wi-Fi.
- If so, the “Control Panel” icon can find on your screen, and you can look for the network connections your laptop can give.
- In most cases, both connections are the basic Wi-Fi and an Ethernet connection.
- Double-click on the Wi-Fi network and open its “Properties” to network sharing.
- Once opened, you may select the sharing option and check the box relating to this option.
- You must also adjust your Wi-Fi IP settings along with network sharing. You can search for your IP settings by double-clicking the Wi-Fi network option.
- You have to set up and adjust the settings of DNS once you have identified it. Copying 192.168.137.1 and clicking OK will modify your IP settings.
- Once this has been done, you must do the same steps through the networking properties of Ethernet.
- Sometimes these changed settings are available automatically on your Ethernet connections properties, so you have to double-tap that these numbers are the same and click OK.
- The internet connection between the two devices should establish.
- To use these functions, you must first update the settings and configurations of your phone.
- By viewing your phone’s settings, you can update your system and adjust the parameters to enable the Ethernet connection to be activated.
- After this setup, you can do tests to ensure that your desk phone works and that contacting a simple number is done.
- You will know that the connection is established if the call is connected.
- It is vital to understand that your phone will also be online when your laptop or PC is activated.
Can I Use My Corporate Laptop to Make VoIP Calls?
If you utilize your VoIP phone system in your business, you can use your laptop, desktop, Windows tablet, Mac, etc., to either place and receive phone calls. It’s straightforward. You can download a softphone that offers an interface that imitates a typical desktop phone. Most PCs can handle the software, so you don’t need to use a powerful, cutting-edge laptop.
Nevertheless, Windows and Mac-based applications may or may not be available, depending on your telephone system. If you’re in a company with all Mac products, you might want to look into this beforehand. Software is always accessible for Windows systems; however, Mac-based software may not exist, depending on the VoIP system.
The other thing to remember is that softphones can be an extra price beyond and above your VoIP setup. Some systems can charge you a monthly fee on your computer for an extension, while some designs are included in the system costs. Again, ask if you think softphones are vital for your business.
FAQs – How to Connect a VoIP Phone to a Laptop?
How Do I Set Up Voip on My Laptop?
You may make and receive VoIP calls on your PC. To get started, you only need a microphone, speakers, and a sound card. You can utilize a client application or a web-based application.What Are the Disadvantages of Using VoIP?
The biggest downside of VoIP is that it is entirely dependent on the strength of your broadband connection compared to traditional lines. Internet is not equivalent to VoIP telephone service. It also doesn't end there. A poor internet connection can also influence the quality of the call and cause difficulties such as jitter and latency.Is VoIP Good for Home Use?
While its business-class version does not offer as many capabilities, residential VoIP remains extremely attractive compared with regular telephone service. First of all, its price tag is substantially lower, and secondly, it just offers more functionality than an outdated fixture.
Conclusion
Fast every firm seeks effective communication methods, and it is essential to link all devices with one connection. Would you like to know How to Connect a VoIP Phone to a Laptop? VoIP services respond to the vital communication needs of enterprises, and the ability to use them via a single link is icing on the cake.
Finally, when all is complete, the telephone numbers that you want to use must be ported. This process requires a Letter of Agency (LOA) to be submitted to function on behalf of a consumer by a telecoms provider. Many VoIP providers often provide all their clients with virtual contact center help to deal with issues as they stand, promptly, and free of charge.