[EdLUG] Linux wifi phones that can plug into a UK phone socket

[Geetam]

Hi Tahir

You may have a few 'wires' crossed in your idea. Or I am totally confused.

1) a BT-type phone socket is good to connect a simple telephone instrument 
(POTS Plain Old Telephone System). It is useful to have a POTS  instrument 
handy if you need to test your line or if you need to make an emergency 
telephone call when you do not have any power for your 'fancy' devices. 
(WiFi does not come into this).

2) VoIP telephones connect to the network, usually with RJ45. (WiFi still 
does not come into it).

3) I believe there are VoIP phones that can also connect to your BT-type 
telephone socket (for convenience: you can choose which method (outgoing 
line) to use for your calls and all incoming calls will ring the same 
phone) (WiFi still does not come into it 😇).

4) I too am quite keen to use Linux wherever I can, but (to me) it seems a 
bit overkill to want Linux running on a simple telephone (smart phones 
excluded). Unless you want specific functions (but you said you did not 
need/want Asterisk or similar PABX functionality).

5) making phonecalls over WiFi? I would use a VoIP app on my smartphone. 
And that does not need a physical telephone instrument - your WiFi router 
(running Linux, I assume) is doing that job already. I am confused when you 
ask about wired telephone devices and WiFi... 🙄. Or do you mean a cordless 
phone? In that case go back to 3) above and find a cordless VoIP device 
that also conects to your landline.

6) in case you want to use a WiFi device to make calls through your 
landline: landline call charges are higher than mobile phone or VoIP 
charges these days.

7) SSH into a phone? What would I do there? Oh, yes, just because I can 😉.

My advice: buy a POTS phone on eBay (I recommend looking for an old (BT) 
Viscount - not much to go wrong - just works, even if your power is off or 
your battery is empty)

I offer all this for your consideration (and amusement)

Regards
Geetam

---
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I don't know what it is
...
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Isn't it beautiful

On 11 December 2020 16:31:43 Tahir Hafiz <tahir.hafiz at gmail.com> wrote:

> Have moved to new abode - went for a Virgin media package deal to get
> internet, TV and phoneline as it was pretty much the same price as
> getting those things individually.
>
> I have not had a dedicated phone line socket for many, many years
> because I've just been purely using my mobile phone.
> I am wondering if there are any phones out there that can plug into a
> normal UK phone house socket (back of the virgin media internet
> modem/hub box in my case) and allow normal phone line calls, and wifi
> calling etc and are running Linux.
> Found one so far (I think, not sure if anyone can recommend it):
> https://www.internetvoipphone.co.uk/product_data/gigaset-dx800a-datasheet.pdf
>
> Bearing in mind that I am not really wanting to set-up a home asterisk
> server and play around with phones to such a great extent. Looking
> more for a fun end-user type appliance that has some extra features
> and is running linux.
> Therefore, are there any phone appliances that might be a fun addition
> to the new home and can even be ssh'd into perhaps that people have
> tried?
>
> Cheers,
> Tahir
>
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> EdLUG at mailman.lug.org.uk
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