[KLUG Members] Re: Members Digest, Vol 6, Issue 37 (VoIP)

[Jeremy Leonard]

    Hey, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with 3com

>>>routers?  Escpecially the 3000 family of routers.  I am putting in a
>>>VoIP system and the Cisco routers that I have will not support QoS to
>>>prioitize the VoIP packets.  It will cost me like $1500 to upgrade the
>>>routers to the right amount of memory and the proper IOS to handle it.
>>>I can get three brand new 3000 series routers for about the same price
>>>and then sell the Cisco gear on eBay and save some money in the long
>>>run.  I have just never used the 3Com stuff though and was wanting some
>>>real world stories.
>>>      
>>>
>>yes, I have experience with 3com routers (no, I am not impressed).
>>For VoIP traffic shaping, go for the obvious choice: IPCop 1.4
>>Total price: $0
>>(if you don't have a spare P200, then 'I pity the fool' as the wise sage Mr 
>>T used to say).
>>If you are a bit more adventureous...
>>Load wondershaper on a wrt54g or wrt54gs router.
>>May cost a bit more, but compact, functional and +10 on coolness factor.
>>Just my $0.02  (to be credited towards purchase of opensource software)
>>    
>>
>
>I've not used 3com routers; but I've used bay (are they 3com now?),
>Xyplex, Nortel, and some other I choose to forget.
>
>There is ONE company that makes servers - IBM
>
>There is ONE company that makes routers - Cisco.
>
>We do VOIP between 14 sites on point to point circuits and frame and
>ISDN.  For something like VOIP I wouldn't even THINK FOR ONE SECOND
>about using something other than Cisco.  We started with Nortel and not
>even the phone company could make it work (although that may not really
>be saying much).  Swapped out and installed all Cisco gear.... works!
>
>Sometimes you just have to spend the money.
>

I'd like to echo Adam's sentiment. Cisco. It's worth it.