Working From Home? Tips to improve your VoIP Phone Quality
In recent years, there’s been a significant shift in how we work, especially with more people working from home instead of offices. This shift highlights the need for essential tools in home offices, with one of the most crucial being a phone line.
Many businesses now use voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone services, which route calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines. This makes it easier for remote IT teams to set up and manage phone lines for employees, assuming there’s a high-speed internet connection at home. Residential VoIP services have also become popular for personal use due to their attractive features.
Companies opt for VoIP not just for making calls but also for its array of features. It seamlessly integrates with schedules, offers versatile smartphone apps for both desktop and mobile use, and facilitates collaboration with tools like video conferencing and whiteboarding. Even personal lines benefit from features such as three-way calling, customizable voicemail, and ring hunt groups.
The ultimate test for any VoIP service is call quality. Whether you’re chatting with a client or catching up with a friend, clear communication is key. Yet, call quality issues can arise, impacting conversations negatively. With remote work, getting instant IT support isn’t always possible. But fear not! Here are some handy tips to diagnose and fix VoIP problems at home. By identifying the root cause and taking preventive measures, you can ensure smoother conversations and better connections, whether it’s a business call or a casual chat with loved ones.
1. Choose a good quality equipment
If you’re experiencing issues with your VoIP calls, start by checking your headset. Headsets come in all types and prices, from inexpensive earpieces to high-end models. When selecting one, consider factors like call quality. Opt for noise-canceling headphones that cover both ears for the best experience. Corded or USB headsets generally offer more stable sound quality compared to wireless or Bluetooth options.
Lots of home VoIP companies send adapters to their customers. These adapters act like digital phone plugs, allowing you to connect regular phones for VoIP calls. On the other hand, business VoIP services often offer apps for making and receiving calls using computers or smartphones. However, there could be additional choices available to you.
Many VoIP providers, even some for homes, offer SIP-compliant phones. These are like the ones you see in offices, with features such as speakerphone and multi-line hold. They can also be wireless handsets. These phones work smoothly with VoIP since they support the session initiation protocol (SIP), solving call quality issues. Check with your IT team or service provider to see if they’re an option for you.
2. Ensure your wireless router knows VoIP traffic
Before diving into VoIP, make sure your home or small business router can handle it. Check if it can prioritize VoIP traffic. If unsure, reach out to your router’s support line. Alternatively, VoIP service providers often list compatible routers. If yours needs an upgrade, you can find VoIP-friendly routers for home offices priced under $300.
Most routers are set up to prioritize certain types of traffic like gaming or streaming videos, not VoIP calls. However, you can usually adjust the settings to prioritize voice traffic. The tricky part is figuring out how to configure it to do so.
If you’re not sure how to configure your router, reaching out to an IT professional is a good idea. However, if you’re working remotely and your IT department doesn’t visit homes, they’ll need to access your router’s settings online. Learning how to grant them access can be tricky. Make sure to provide them with the router’s make and model, along with its support site, to help them assist you better.
3. Understand the core functioning of your router
If you’re comfortable with technical stuff, you can dive into your router’s settings and explore its features. Just keep in mind that home routers usually come with simpler management tools compared to business-grade ones. This is especially true for all-in-one products like wireless mesh systems. They often have basic mobile apps that might overlook useful options. Home router manufacturers do this to make router management easier for everyone, but it might mean that advanced features, like prioritizing traffic for apps like VoIP, could be hard to find or absent.
If your router has certain features, they could come in handy. Quality of Service (QoS) is a favorite among users because it helps prioritize and safeguard gaming and streaming activities on home networks. But QoS can also prioritize VoIP traffic. However, tweaking the settings correctly might be tricky if your router’s interface doesn’t offer clear guidance.
Some routers offer extra protection features like supporting the SIP protocol, which ensures reliable data delivery for VoIP. Higher-end routers may also support virtual LANs (VLANs). VLANs let you dedicate part of your bandwidth to a separate network just for voice traffic. This reduces network delays, resulting in improved call quality.
4. Evade bandwidth congestion
In many cities, households enjoy fast internet connections. However, with the rise in internet usage, homes are facing congestion. Nowadays, streaming high-quality videos to several devices simultaneously, along with online gaming and large file downloads, can overwhelm home networks. This congestion can slow down internet speeds and affect the performance of various online activities.
Having a congested network is troublesome even if you’re using a residential VoIP service. In homes, all internet traffic flows through a single router. If this router gets overloaded with traffic, your entire network suffers. When there’s a lot of traffic alongside a VoIP call, it can lead to packet collisions and other issues, affecting the quality of your calls.
In a small network setup, one solution to tackle these issues is to decrease the bandwidth used by other applications while you’re on VoIP calls. It’s simple if you’re alone, but families with multiple users might need coordination. If you have a slower internet connection, suggest to your household members to save high-bandwidth activities for the evenings.
5. Evade wireless intrusion
Back in the day, getting your home network up and running meant lots of cables and gear. But now, things are wireless, with Bluetooth, mobile data, and Wi-Fi ruling the roost. While that’s super convenient, it can cause headaches, especially if you’re using wireless VoIP phones.
Your average VoIP phone typically operates at 2.4GHz, but there are also phones available at 5.8GHz and various devices at 5GHz. While the 2.4GHz band offers a wider range, its data speed is slower. Appliances like microwaves and certain AV devices often use this band, causing potential interference with VoIP calls. If you’re facing issues, check your phone’s frequency and consider switching to a different one if necessary.
Another thing to think about is that many home and small business routers and Wi-Fi extenders allow you to choose between the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. Some can even operate on both at the same time, giving you the flexibility to decide which devices and traffic use each spectrum. This can help optimize your network performance based on your needs.
6. Try out network monitoring
If you’re comfortable with tech stuff or willing to learn, using a network monitoring tool can be super helpful for fixing issues. Our top pick for savvy home users is Paessler PRTG. While the paid version is for bigger networks, the free version works great for small setups. It gives you insights into your network, which is handy if your call quality isn’t up to par.
One crucial test to check VoIP call quality is to measure your network’s jitter. Jitter is all about how consistent your network’s speed is. It’s like how sometimes a call goes smoothly, but other times it’s choppy. A bit of jitter is normal, but if it’s too much, it can mess up your calls.
Using a tool like PRTG makes testing for jitter simpler. It has a feature that lets you run a jitter test with just one click. Plus, it has a special monitor that focuses on detecting and alerting you about jitter issues and pinpointing where they’re coming from. Once you identify the problem, you can fix it using PRTG along with your router. This often involves setting up QoS for your VoIP calls, and PRTG helps by identifying your VoIP packets, making QoS configuration on your router much easier.
7. Look around in the market
It’s important to realize that not all VoIP providers are the same, especially when it comes to business versus residential services. While they may offer similar features and pricing, the level of customer support can vary greatly. This becomes crucial, especially when you encounter call quality issues and need assistance. Additionally, some VoIP systems might have limitations due to how they were designed or engineered, which is another aspect to consider when choosing a provider.
Moving big companies from one business VoIP system to another can be quite a challenge. However, for smaller organizations with fewer users, the switch is usually easier. If you’re using a residential VoIP service, don’t hesitate to compare it with other options. Many providers are open to direct comparisons, making it easier for you to find the best fit.
Internet service providers (ISPs) aren’t all the same, and it’s not just about network outages. VoIP calls are more sensitive to network issues compared to activities like browsing the web or sending emails. If you’re experiencing issues with VoIP but not with other online tasks, it might be due to the stability of your internet connection.
Regrettably, in lots of neighborhoods across North America and around the world, there’s often only one choice for internet service. If you’re in that situation, you might not have much flexibility. But if you do have options, it’s worth exploring them to solve any network problems. You can consider switching providers or urging your current one to fix any issues you’re facing.