Using multiple phones with one sip?

[X-Nemesis]

I'm looking at switching my father over to freephoneline but I'm not sure how to set up multiple phones off of the one sip device. He has to have the phones in his apartment but then also have one in his computer/photo room which is about 100ft down the hallway. Currently he has his internet running on an ethernet cable to that room from his apt. Would he need to simply buy a 4 handset device and he's good to go or can he use different handsets like he currently has?

[dibsmft]

You have several choices. If you are dumping the PSTN line you can simple make sure that the old PSTN line is disconnected (showing no voltages across the lines) and then plug the ATA into your old phone circuit leaving the old phones where they are. You could buy a multi-handset cordless phone and use that with the base station connected to the ATA and that should will work OK. Or, if you are keeping you PSTN landline, then you could buy an ATA that can handle both the PSTN line and the voip line (eg. SPA3102 - the SPA2102 is not able to do this). I have used all three arrangements at times but have given up on the PSTN traditional line now.

[X-Nemesis]

Thanks, I'll be dumping the pstn so I'll go with the first option.

[Jake]

Thanks, I'll be dumping the pstn so I'll go with the first option.

Just remember, if you are on DSL you still need an incoming line. So don't just chop the incoming line from the internal wiring. If you are on cable it's much easier as you don't have to worry about that. A simple way to liven up the sockets in your house is to make sure the line to the outside world is disconnected, then get a lead that normally connects a phone to the wall socket and join the ATA to the wall socket instead. If you need to have a phone in that room also, a line splitter from the Dollar Store will be your friend.