• Computer: While
not necessary, a computer will allow you to access the online
BroadVoice Account Portal, with which you can manage your account,
including accessing voicemail.
• Router:
If you also use a home computer with your BroadVoice
Service, you will need a routing device. If you do not already
own a router, BroadVoice can supply an integrated router with
your Phone Adapter. The Router/Phone Adapter allows
your phone and one computer to use your Internet
connection at the same time. If want to connect more than one
computer to the Internet, then you can either buy your own
router, or have one installed by a local computer
services company.
BroadVoice
recommends that you purchase a DSL/cable web-safe router that
provides Network Address
Translation (NAT)
and Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) for your network.
Although BroadVoice service will work with most routers available
for purchase today, we do not recommend a specific brand. If
you are having trouble with your BroadVoice service on an older
model router, BroadVoice recommends that you download and install
the router's latest firmware from the manufacturer's web site.
Note: If
you are using a DSL for Internet service, your router typically
should be configured for PPPoE. Some cable modem services require
that the MAC address of the computer is cloned in the router
configurations. Check your router's setup guide or the manufacturer's
web site for more information.
• Web browser: either a Microsoft
Internet Explorer (version 4.x or higher), Netscape Navigator
(version 4.x or higher) or Safari (version 2.x or higher) web browser with cookies enabled. You
can use the web browser to manage your account, including accessing
voice mail.
• Home networking: BroadVoice service
requires a dynamically-assigned IP address; in your networking
equipment this may be called DHCP. Though not required, BroadVoice
works easily with your existing home network if it supports
DHCP and NAT. NAT is the translation
of an Internet Protocol (IP) address in one network to a known
but different IP address in another network.
• Port Connections and Firewall Support: most customers just plug and play because BroadVoice has designed the service to work behind simple NATs. No ports have to be opened up for BroadVoice to work properly if the phone is behind a simple NAT and the BroadVoice-issued Phone Adapter has a private IP address. BroadVoice uses NAT to keep the Phone Adapter available at all times. If you have a firewall, you must give the Phone Adapter rights to access certain ports on the Internet, including 69-69 UDP, 5060-5063 UDP, and 10,000-20,000 UDP. If you plan to connect your PC to the Internet as well, the IP address for the Phone Adapter can either be provided by your ISP or your network router (when the router is set to DHCP).
