|
Returned it and bought a Hub/Scout instead.As an engineer, I thought this would be a snap, but I admit I was baffled at first by some of the diagrams and descriptions. An ethernet cable runs from one of the ethernet ports to the Hub. Wanted to get rid of the local phone company charges for our 2-line home setup. So now I figured it out. The landlines went dead for incoming calls this morning, and the numbers showed up on the Ooma boxes about 4 hours later. All I wanted was a way to disconnect the regular phone lines and use Ooma instead. That signal goes to an Actiontec M1000 modem, and an ethernet cable runs from it to a DLink Di-524 WiFi router.
Two phone lines come off the "phone" ports of the Hub and Scout and connect to the two phone lines already running throughout the house. Bought the Telo at first, then quickly realized that it had only one dedicated line. The Scout is connected directly to the Hub with a short RJ11 cable via the "wall" ports on the backs of the Hub and Scout. But some of the diagrams implied that I would need to buy a Scout for every phone in the house. I pay $30/month for a DSL-only line to the house. Works great.UPDATE 25 Feb 2010:My two numbers ported over to Ooma earlier today. Voice quality is excellent, everything appears to be perfectly normal, and if it continues I'll be pocketing $60/mo, so breakeven in about 5 months, then gravy.
My 2 scouts work great. Look for my comments on Ooma under the Ooma Core reviews.
Done.2) The scout provides access to the Ooma messages. The advantages of using a scout with extension phones are:1) Simplicity. You can hook up other house phones to the Ooma system without using the scout provided you are willing and able to disconnect your home phone wiring from external lines. Without the scout you can pick up messages from the main Ooma unit only.3) If you opt for a 2 line system the scout provides access to both lines from the remote location.I have the main Ooma unit and 2 scouts. Plug the scout into a phone jack. Connect the phone to the scout. The system works flawlessly.
The ooma Scout does not work with the ooma Telo, so if you own a Telo do not buy a Scout.If you already own an ooma Hub and Scout, and you pay for ooma's Premier service, then you can use your Scout for a free second phone line. The ooma Scout is an add-on to the ooma Core (Hub & Scout package) or ooma Hub (no Scout). At this point, after October 1st 2009, if you do not already own an ooma Hub, make sure that you buy the ooma Core package or the Telo, but not the Hub or Scout separately. You can also buy more Scouts, up to four per Hub, and pay an additional $4.99/month for each phone line above two. If you are just now activating ooma service, make sure that you get all your phone numbers at the same time, in order to try to get them in sequential order.My review of the ooma Core system and reasons you may wish to buy Core or Telo can be found on the ooma Core (Hub & Scout package) review page, dated 10-19-2009.
Ditch traditional voip and go with Ooma. Very easy way to lower your home phone bill.
|
