So you have a SIP provider that has given you multiple devices to use with your VoIP number. You can receive calls to this number on all supported devices, but what happens when one of the devices rings? What will happen is that the first device which received an incoming call will also send an audio stream together with its video stream for both parties to be able to hear and speak with each other immediately. Though the original SIP signaling for this is already bidirectional, an audio stream will still come from one party only. Even though this might be confusing at first, it’s not a big deal because most providers also offer a web interface that you can use to manage your account and do your VoIP settings.
The steps that you can do to link your calls together on SIP service providers which support the transfer of media (RTP) are usually short and easy to follow. There is no specific order on how things should be done, though it’s recommended for you to know some basic network concepts about linking devices before starting this feature with your VoIP service.
For starters, you need to make sure that the devices are in the same network.(e.g. using the same router or access point). It’s not possible for them to communicate if they’re on different networks! If you usually connect all of your devices in one network (i.e., home network or office network), you can proceed with this feature easily.
The next step is to configure the devices so they’ll be able to receive and send RTP media packets. VoIP service providers usually offer some default ports on which the RTP voice packets should pass, but these might not be accepted by some networks (firewalls). So you need to forward the RTP packets by using the correct ports (i.e., port numbers) on your router or gateway. If you’re not able to do this, it’s better for you to contact your network administrator and ask them if they can help you out here.
After configuring the devices and forwarding the required ports, it’s time to do the linking. If you’re using a softphone (i.e., computer with SIP client) or something similar, it’s time for you to look at your device configuration to determine which devices are allowed to send and receive media packets. Most softphones allow you to configure this feature by just checking some boxes and entering the IP address and port number.
After doing the previous steps, you should be able to receive calls on all devices at the same time without any problem. However, there will still be a delay between when one device rings and another receives the call. This is because it takes some time for RTP packets to pass through routers and gateways before reaching its destination.
That’s it! By now, you should understand the basics on how to link calls across multiple devices connected to your SIP service. You can now enjoy the convenience of receiving and placing calls from your VoIP number using all connected devices without any problem at all!
With this feature, you’re able to receive and send media packets on all connected devices. This means that you can answer calls on one device and simultaneously place a call to another number using another device! You can also use all devices for conference calls, so it’s really up to you on how you want to use this feature in your SIP service.
If there are any questions or opinions about this, feel free to contact us. If you are in search of the best VoIP provider, partner with menetalk – UK’s leading business VoIP providers.
