How does VoIP work?

[BigToque]

Well, I know how it works, but I'm curious to know what number you dial?

Do you have to use IP addresses?

How Stuff Works.com didn't explain that part and I'm curious to know how VoIP works with normal analog phones that plug into the ATA.

 

[Crusty]

A normal phone number

 

[BigToque]

Originally posted by: MCrusty
A normal phone number

When you dial a normal phone number, how does the connection get to the intended reciever? Don't you need to know the IP to make the connection.

 

[acemcmac]

the part that vonage or comcast does is put boxes all over the nation for your call to be sent back out onto analog lines once it's semi-local to where you're calling

 

[tfinch2]

http://www.telecombeacon.com/voiptech.htm

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: Stefan

Originally posted by: MCrusty
A normal phone number

When you dial a normal phone number, how does the connection get to the intended reciever? Don't you need to know the IP to make the connection.

Nope.

Basically, there are a bunch of computers that act as gateways to the public switch telephone network, and everything happens using the PSTN at the last hop (well, assuming you are originating or terminating at a PSTN connection).

Most VOIP providers assign each account a telephone number on the PSTN (assuming they must accept calls from the PSTN; if they are only making outgoing calls, then most of the time the number you use is just transient). Then the PSTN connects to your VOIP provider's upstream gateway interface, and then their servers take care of routing the call to the destination VOIP device.