Native VPN offered via the OBiTALK Servcie, GTalk Service, or VPN client

[QBZappy]

Yesterday I was playing with an open source VPN product which uses the GTalk log in credentials to accomplish a variety of things, including a VPN connection. http://www.gbridge.com/ . The other features of Gbridge may not be relevant for voip users. I was hoping to figure out a way to make this work with the OBi.

They have managed to make a VPN connection using GTalk. Since the OBi also registers with the same credentials, we could could be very close to having a built in VPN solution inside the OBi.  

The OBi is already using 3rd party software to make communication with GV possible. This could also be another interesting 3rd party app to explore. Imagine voip over VPN, built into the OBi unit That would solve all NAT issues, provide security, and perhaps improve the call quality.

I don't know if it is possible to integrate the Gbridge product into the OBi, however the OBiTALK service provides another NAT solution which has not been fully exploited. It may be outside the scope of OBihai engineers and marketing plan to offer this connection to be tunneled over a VPN. This value added service could even be revenue generating for the OBi company. Some people would be happy to pay a small fee for this service.

Another possibility is to include a VPN client inside the OBi. OpenVPN is an open source app which comes to mind. As an example, I have a Nortel 1535 IP phone with lower specs than the OBi unit that some clever person over at PBX in a Flash forum has been able to setup with an OpenVPN client. That project should serve as a proof of concept for the OBi engineers.

[QBZappy]

It occurred to me that having a VPN connection to the OBi would make the Expert configuration redundant. I imagine that every time the OBi adds functionality to the unit, the sub systems around the OBi need to be maintained and updated. In addition to the above mentioned points, the ability to VPN into the OBi unit could free up the resources necessary to maintain the Expert Configuration portal. This could be interesting for both the OBihai team and end user point of view, for different reasons.

This could also standardize the way the units are supported. We no longer would need to make a choice between the "OBi Expert Configuration" or unit web page method, since by default everything would be configured on the unit web page.  The "OBiTALK portal" wizards are really useful to get the units up and running quickly.

[claude]

  hi does anyone know service provier for obi110 with unlimited call low price $$$$ for canada , i try voiceonmyway but us number only
pls helpo

[QBZappy]

claude,

Hi, not really the right thread to post your question, however, there are many to choose from.

Freephoneline onetime $50 charge for a configuration file that gives you account credentials. If you choose to go with Freephoneline some local 438 or 514 numbers are sometimes not recognized by Bell. I had to change my first Freephoneline tel number because it had issues with Bell. Another good service provider is Voipms. They have reasonably low fixed monthly or variable per use rates, and lots of features.

[yhfung]

I have been using VoIP over VPN for a number of years. In general the VPN server should be provided by the router that VoIP devices are attached with.

If the VPN service provided by the OBiTalk, it makes things more complicated. I wonder whether in OBiTalk service has any encryption embbeded into the RTP packets such that the packets would be easily decrypted by other people?

YH

[yhfung]

I just did a very simple experiment by calling another OBi number. If there is no VPN tunnel between two points, ordinary calling is made. If there is a VPN tunnel between two points, the OBi devices can be intelligently linked via the VPN tunnel.

YH

[baxtr]

I just did a very simple experiment by calling another OBi number. If there is no VPN tunnel between two points, ordinary calling is made. If there is a VPN tunnel between two points, the OBi devices can be intelligently linked via the VPN tunnel.

YH

yhfung,

Could you provide a bit more detail as to how you do this? My router, a Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH, will act as a server, but how can an OBi act as a client?