There are four of us in the house, each with at least one Google Voice number, and one GV number each that could be tied to a "landline" phone.
I want to be able to map each specific GV number to one specific handset device, and for at least a couple of those I'd like to have the device be in a specific bedroom. For the primary numbers, I could potentially use a OBI202 to handle their services which would free up the OBI200 for one of the remaining numbers. I'm wondering if there's a recommended device to take advantage of that would give me the best return on investment.
In a nutshell, there's the primary house number that is attached to a single cordless handset system (four handsets). There's a second number that's basically the same setup. Each of the remaining two (and one is likely to be able to be 'skipped' since it's tied to a cell anyhow) would be mapped to one specific handset (corded) that would be in a bedroom.
All you need are two OBi 202 units.
Each 202 can support four separate Google Voice accounts and two physical telephone line ports.
Example:
OBi 202 "A"
- SP1=Mom GV#1, SP2=Mom GV#2, pointed to OBi Phone port #1
- SP3=Dad GV#1, SP4=Dad GV#$2, pointed to OBi Phone port #2
OBi 202 "B"
- SP1=Sis GV#1, SP2=Sis GV#2, pointed to OBi Phone port #1
- SP3=Bro GV#1, SP4=Bro GV#$2, pointed to OBi Phone port #2
You set all this up on the OBiTALK web portal. No local web page configuration is needed.
On the portal, you can decide which SPx is used as the default number for outbound calls, for each of the two Phone ports. For example: OBi A, you can set SP1 as the default used for outbound calls for Mom. If Mom wants to call out showing the caller ID for SP2, then she keys **2 before the number. Inbound calls are configured on the portal to ring Phone port 1 for both SP1 and SP2. And, so on.
Thanks, Steve.
I'll tentatively say that I had understood / expected this to be the case but wanted validation.
If I wasn't able to centrally locate the devices and run the phone signal to the room, would I be better off just running OBI200's directly in the room where I wanted the phone connected (to keep costs down)?
Any decent places to pick up some used devices? I could most likely accomplish exactly what I want to do with just one OBI202 since I already have an OBI200 that I could move to a remote room for "line 3".
My advice: never buy a used OBi. Most people who own them, keep them as long as they are working. We've seen too many cases of a**holes selling bricked or carrier-locked ones on Craigslist or eBay. You also get a 1-year hardware warranty with a new one. Don't cheap out.
If you want to create the solution in your original post, my answer is...the answer. But, it assumes you already have, or plan to buy either multi-line analog desk phones, or 4 DECT 6.0 cordless systems, one for each user and phone port.
If you have multi-line telephone cable running in the walls, you can hook up both OBi 202s at a central location and use phone jacks around the house. Otherwise, you could use any combination of Ethernet and WiFi (with the optional OBiWiFi dongles).
As an alternate, elegant solution, you could buy as many OBi 1022 or 1032 IP phones as you wish. Each 10x2 can host six different Google Voice accounts, so any family member could make or receive their calls on any of the phones, in any room. Using the OBiWiFi dongles, you don't even need to run wires.
Thanks for the idea about the IP Phones.
I don't believe it's appropriate for -this- effort, but maybe that's the direction I could go for my parents (who have a wall phone).
Do you know if an IP Phone, with a WiFi dongle, can back-feed the lines in the house for the other phone jacks to get signal?
No, you cannot.
OBi IP phones are pure IP. They have no analog telephone circuitry.
Well, that shuts down that idea then. :)
Thanks for the thoughts. I pretty much expected the notion of a pair of OBI202's (lower total cost) if I do activate all four numbers. I'll start with an OBI202 and move the current OBI200 (which will give me THREE numbers active) and pick up another OBI202 later if I end up doing the fourth.
I know the Link Devices option works with the IP Phones, but will it work with "only" OBI202/OBI200 devices? It would be great to be able to transfer calls...
OBi IP phones' features work (mostly) like OBi ATAs. So yes, you can link devices.
I know this is going off-topic, but I don't know that another thread is necessarily warranted (yet).
If someone dials GV#1 and I receive the call, then transfer the call to a second OBI device that has its own GV#, what happens if the transferred call goes unanswered?