VOIP etc > Voice Over IP - VOIP > Vonage > Vonage connection question

Vonage connection question

Yes, but:

1) You absolutely MUST disconnect the telco line at the network interface device (NID) whether or not the service is live. You should also leave a note in the NID box so that no one accidentally reconnects it.

2) If you have some type of alarm system hooked up on this circuit, problems will result because the alarm system will not be able to grab control in an emergency. That's a separate issue from the more general question of VoIP and alarms.

3) If the preceding points are addressed, you should be good to go.

My NID has the option to switch the connection off (pulling a switch breaks the circuit between the jacks and the phone line drop.)

Could I just do that?

Great, thanks for your help!

reply to sjvirchow
As stated in PX Eliezer's post:

"You need to disconnect the line even if it appears to be dead, because at some point the phone company could place voltage across that line for one reason or another, and that could damage your equipment, and even possibly start a fire!"

I know someone who that exact thing happened to, if that's enough of a reason for you to disconnect it at the NID!!
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reply to sjvirchow
Since the image you posted implies that you have a DSL connection, that does complicate things since you can't simply disconnect every connection to the NID.

With a DSL connecton, you will need a dedicated "homerun" connection from the NID to the DSL modem, but any other connections to the NID must be disconnected from the NID. The Vonage connection can then use the remaining in-house telco wiring.

If you still have voice service on the DSL line that you want to continue to use in addition to your Vonage service, that complicates things more. In that case, I will assume that the telco voice line that is shared with the DSL service is "line one". Keep the "line one" wire pairs connected to the NID (still connected to phone devices using DSL filters), but disconnect all "line two" wire pairs from the NID, and use "line two" in your home wiring for the Vonage service (this has nothing to do with line 1 or line 2 on the Vonage adapter). I have in the past had a telco POTS connection on a shared DSL line, and a Vonage connection sharing the in-house wiring as I just described, so it certainly can work. Just be sure that the telco and Vonage connections only share the same in-house cabling, not the same wire pairs.
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Mmmph.

How would the DSL modem make any sense where he has it in the scheme of things?

It makes no sense in regard to the NID or in regard to the Vonage adapter, as shown on his diagram.

Obviously you are right in saying that he has something there labelled DSL, but beyond that it's as mixed up as a Dali painting.

Many apologies, I should have mentioned that I am in the process of switching to Cable internet service, and dropping the DSL connection. I guess DSL was on my mind when picking the picture. I would also be dropping my landline, as Windstream wants $60 a month for it without DSL, and I would be porting my number to Vonage and using Vonage over the Time Warner cable internet connection.

Great, thanks for your help!