Assuming you have a stable ISP connection, there are some issues, sometimes related to UDP timeouts, when the ATA is placed behind some routers, rather than being connected to the modem directly:

•call drops/disconnects - random and periodic
•intermittent ringing for incoming calls (do not always ring)
•voice/audio cuts out for a few seconds
•etc

Some of the following routers exhibit these problems when used in this configuration:

•Linksys (Befsr41 & other models, except the WRT54G(s))
•SpeedStream 5200, 6300, 6520 (These are DSL modem/router combo units)

To resolve these issues, the following workarounds are available depending on your LAN requirements and equipment availability:

•Connect the ATA directly to the modem, with your LAN hanging from the ATA's Ethernet port.

•If you have multiple IP addresses, configure the ATA in Bridge Mode and connect the Wan port to the modem. You can then connect the router to the ATA's Ethernet port and put your computer in the router's DMZ. This will provide a separate routable WAN IPs to the ATA and your router. However, if you are running high bandwidth applications/servers within your LAN, then it is recommended to use a QoS based router as described in point 5 below.

•If you must keep the ATA behind the router, configure the ATA in the router's DMZ. You should specify a FIXED WAN IP address for the ATA and configure your router's DMZ with this address.

•With some devices such as the SpeedStream 5200/6300/6520, you can also connect the ATA in PPPoE mode rather than DHCP. These modem/router combo units will Bridge a PPPoE connection, thus bypassing the built-in router capability and providing a WAN IP to the ATA.

•Purchase/Use a router which does not reproduce these problems. You can also use a multi-port QOS capable router such as the Linksys WRT54G(S), appropriately configured.

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by canoe
last modified: 2005-07-13 14:42:56