Airport Extreme and Vonage setup

I have it setup as follows....

Cable modem hard wired to WAN port on the AEBS. Then from the AEBS LAN port, hard wired to WAN/Internet port on the Vonage/LINKSYS RT31P2 3 port router/switch with 2 RJ11 ports. My AEBS also handles all the routing for DHCP lease and management of 3 additional Airport Express'. Hope this helps.

I've tried setting up my Vonage line as you mention:
( cable modem >AEBS>Vonage router)

I've found that going through the AEBS first causes a big loss in phone line quality. On many occassions, people can't understand what I am saying. I have the Vonage fax service as well, and when connected this way, faxes cannot be recieved. The fax answers, listens, then hangs up.

The only way that I've managed to get a good phone, fax and data signal is by going through the Vonage router first and then to the AEBS.

Any ideas as to why I'm having this problem?

Vonage has tried and has not been able to identify the problem.

G4 Desktop, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

I have not seen any degraded issues with the current setup. I'm only using voice and not fax.

I am using an airport on my iMac to connect to my home network, and I want to connect my Vonage router to the ethernet connection setup as a "shared internet connection". I can make it work from a Windows PC that way without having to set up IP addresses on anything -- then it just works. But on the iMac, nothing ever happens.

Any ideas? What should I use for IP, subnet, router, dns on both to use Tiger's sharing?

I have Vonage in my home and have it set up from SBC DSL to Vonage router to Apple Airport Extreme. I have been having trouble with the airport dropping connections lately but i have not changed the set up since i got it and this only started recently. I have no idea why this is happening but it is frustrating. Maybe i have the set up wrong. does anyone know?

DP, Welcome to the discussion area!

Please explain how you network is connected.

I have the Linksys WRTP54G wireless router with Vonage and it works great. Here is how I have it connected:

cable modem--> Linksys

I have several Macs connected to the Linksys via Ethernet and wireless.

Any ideas? What should I use for IP, subnet, router, dns on both to use Tiger's sharing?

You don't want to use Tiger's Internet sharing at all.

Actually, yes I do want to use internet connection sharing.

I have a router on on my cable modem. My iMac is connected via airport and is across the house. I want the phone connection to be alongside the iMac. So I have turned-on internet connection sharing and connected vonage's WRTP54G to the cable from my iMac. I have a fax machine and a speakerphone on the vonage router. But I don't want to replace the router attached to my cable modem, I want to keep it where it is and use this one hung off of my iMac. I fitzed & futzed around with IP's, gateways and such, and it is working now. At least it works for my fax machine and speakerphone.

Thanks for the reply though --

That seems incredibly complicated and fragile.

I had the issue of phone plug on one side of the room and cable modem on the other side of the room. Since I wanted the WRTP54G connected to both, I ran phone line under the base board around the room to the WRTP54G.

Then when my home phone number was transferred to Vonage, I disconnected the analog phone line at the outside of the house. Then I plugged the WRTP54G into the phone line in the house. Now all the phone lines in my house are connected to the WRTP54G. So I can connect a phone to any jack and have service from the WRTP54G.

Yeah, both ways accomplish basically the same thing. Your's with wires under carpet and mine wirelessly using airport and apple's internet connection sharing.

Duane,

Thanks for your info on the Linksys WRTP54G. I just added a iBook G4 with an extreme airport card. I was using a Netgear wireless router (802.11b) and it immediately slowed down the network when I added the G4 iBook. I saw your article and decided to replace the linksys phone adapter and Netgear router with the WRTP54G. GREAT MOVE! 4 computers are connecting wireless and very high speeds as well as one old Beige G3. Thanks for your posting!

I had the issue of phone plug on one side of the room
and cable modem on the other side of the room. Since
I wanted the WRTP54G connected to both, I ran phone
line under the base board around the room to the
WRTP54G.

Then when my home phone number was transferred to
Vonage, I disconnected the analog phone line at the
outside of the house. Then I plugged the WRTP54G into
the phone line in the house. Now all the phone lines
in my house are connected to the WRTP54G. So I can
connect a phone to any jack and have service from the
WRTP54G.

Power Book G4 15" Mac OS X (10.4.6) Beige G3 500 mhz, iBook G4 12" 1.07 ghz, iMac G3 500 Flower Power, iBook G3 12" 500 mhz, iBook G3 12" 700 mhz

ncbruinguy, Welcome to the discussion area!

Glad that I could help!

Hello
I am about to set up a wireless network in my home. I have Vonage and their RT32P2 broadband router. Trying to decide if I need Airport Express or the AE Base Station. My G4 laptop is wireless; my G4 desktop is not - but I am about to buy a new G5 and will have airport installed. So I have been reading all I can and getting pretty confused. One thing I was reading is about Linksys WRT54G. Now, here in this thread I am seeing many references to WRTP54G. (which I've read some scathing reviews of elsewhere). So now I'm even deeper into the quagmire. AE or AEBS? WRT54G or WRT P54G?
Can anyone give me some advice? I'm not trying to do anything complicated. Mostly, just be able to use my laptop around the house - and keep my vonage service working. I have cable modem. I also have a second phone line.
Thanks ahead.
nÔÔdle- -hëad

IMHO

the best way to set it up is

WAN CABLE/DSL MODEM -> Vonage Router -> Airpot Extreme

that way the priorty for uploads goes to your vonage. Not that I used it but I have an extensive network at home, and just so I give priorty vonage it would go from my vongage router to my other routers at home.

What do you guys think??

I couldn't find any information on the RT32P2. I'll assume that it is an Ethernet router with multiple LAN ports.

You could replace the RT32P2 with the Linksys WRTP54G. That would give you wireless capabilities.

You could get an AirPort Express and connect it to one of the RT32P2's LAN ports.

I don't know the configuration possibilities of the RT32P2 but you probably could buy any inexpensive (802.11b or 802.11g compatible) wireless router and place it between the broadband router and the RT32P2. Most of the Vonage devices are pretty flexible and will work behind another router.

I would take into consideration price and how complicated the final configuration would be.

Duane
Sounds like you have plenty of experience and know enough about this to help. So, if I may continue to tap your expert brain...
You are correct, the RT32P2 has three ports and one (what they call) "internet" port.
But you lost me when you suggested replacing it with the WRTP54G; but then suggested getting and connecting an Airport Express to the RT32P2. Do you mean one or the other, or use both together somehow?

I'm also confused by your next paragraph - get an inexpensive wireless router (*which means what, the WRTP54G? or Airport Express?) and place it between the broadband router (which is what in this case?) and the RT32P2.

Again, are these three different suggestions or are they connected and building upon one another? In other words, are you saying use what I have plus WRTP54G, plus AE, plus "an inexpensive wireless router?"

Sorry, the terms and words are not second nature to me and give me pause. Even after the pause, I'm not clear. (Talk to me about family therapy or child welfare or graphic design and I might sound less dumb.)

nnooo-dlehead ssslowto catchon