While you can technically have several devices registered on the network for your number at the same time, the behaviour is perhaps not what you might expect.
- If you register several devices on the network for your number at the same time, all the devices will register and be able to make outgoing calls.
- However while you may expect that all devices would then ring if an incoming call is made to your number, this is not the case.
- The reason for this is due to the way VoIP works over the internet.
- When we receive an incoming call for your number our network then forwards the call through to the internet address of your device.
- If you connect from several different devices on different internet addresses (different internet connections) our network has no real way of knowing which internet address (IP address) to send the call to.
- Our network will then send the call to the last device that registered on the network.
- VoIP devices on the network also have an automatic “re-registration” process that happens every few minutes and this time period is essentially random.
- Meaning that as each device re-registers automatically at random times, the “last registered” device will constantly change.
- So calls would end up randomly being sent to different devices.
- Lastly if you are registering several devices on our network for your number and all these devices are connected behind the same internet connection (modem/router), the problem is further complicated by the fact that our network will send the traffic to your internet address, which is then received by your modem/router but your modem/router would have no way of being able to send that same traffic to all the devices.
- It will then try to “guess” which device it should send the call to. Leading to random behaviour in terms of receiving calls and in some cases also to “one-way audio”.
The Solution:
- You can either use a PBX (such as the Yeastar S20) or VoIP gateway (such as the Yealink W52P/W56P), which would then be the only device that registers on the network to Webafrica.
- Your handsets would then register directly to your own PBX as “extensions”.
- This means that all calls will go to your PBX/Gateway and it would then manage which extensions to send the calls to, depending on the rules you set up.
- You can pick up a PBX or VoIP gateway from specialized electronics stores and some online stores.
Please note: All Webafrica deals and packages are subject to change without notification. These include our terms and conditions as it relates to costs and deal/package structures for all of our service providers.