In 6 months of using Voice over IP I have been very pleased with the service and functionality. And now they are offering a second number free. I can not find a reason to get a land line, or even try another VOIP plan since OOMA is free with their equipment and it allows me to use standard telephones instead of proprietary IP phones or headsets. I may even step up to their new Premier service for only $12.95, but for now what I have works great.

With my recent move there was nothing more for me to do than setup my VOIP hub when the broadband was installed. I really do not miss dealing with the phone company at all. I use inexpensive cordless phones with the system and the range is excellent throughout the house and deck.

OOMA is Available from Amazon (yes, that is an affiliate link!)

You can read more about OOMA at their Blog.

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The main PC is my desktop with a wired connection to the router on my desk. The other desktop is in another room and has been using a Linksys WET11 bridge to connect to the WRT54G Wireless Router. All the other computers are laptops with wireless connectivity.

One of the concerns I had was that a wall between the office and 2nd PC was lined with 1/4″ mirrors and that the signal would not be able to penetrate this. Once I placed the computers in their new locations and hooked up the network there was no reason to go any further. One pleasant surprise was how much better the Comcast signal was at the new location.

I will probably still be doing some wiring, but it is not a priority at the current time.

On a side note I found it interesting how many wireless networks are unsecured in my area. I took my Nokia N770 for a ride around the neighborhood and just let it cycle through a search of available networks. Apparently people just hook up their wireless router and start working without making any changes to the default setup. At least 75% of the wireless networks visible were simply named Linksys or Netgear.

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I promised myself the last time I bought a house that I would do any of the home network wiring before I moved in, and that is one of the big projects I will be working on. Of course now with wireless networking the whole task is a lot easier than it used to be. But there is still a lot to do.

I am also considering moving to an advanced universal remote for all the components. So far the Logitech Harmony 1000 has got my interest.

I can’t wait to get in my new office, it is located between the master suite and upstairs balcony which gives me a nice quiet area to work, with a great view.

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