First Look: Linksys WIP310-G1 802.11G WiFi IP Phone
Linksys cum Cisco has been threatening to release the WIP310-G1 since Spring of 2008, and it looks as though the wait may be coming to an end.
The VoIP Insider has managed to score an early test unit, and the product should be available through Cisco distribution very shortly. Expect retail prices on the unit to be around $249.
The WIP310-G1 support WiFi 802.11b/g and the latest SIP protocols. The handset features a large, bright, full-color high resolution display and quick network connectivity via WiFi Protected Setup (WPS). WPS is a fast, secure way of connecting the WIP310 to your wireless AP. Just press the WPS button and your connection will automatically be configured and secured with a custom SSID using powerful WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption. Within seconds you have successfully set up a secure connection. Easy Peasy.
VoIP service from pretty much any SIP based provider that allows BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) can be quickly provisioned via a WiFi connection and the configuration profile is received securely right to the handset using TFTP, HTTP, or HTTPS.
The included telephone base accentuates the appealing, modern design of the handset and provides hands-free convenience when using the built-in speakerphone. The WIP310 supports many features such as caller ID, call forwarding, call transfer, 3-way conferencing and can store 200 records in its phonebook. We have tested the WIP310 with a variety of SIP IP PBX platforms, including Trixbox and Switchvox, with great results.
Folks who are accustomed to working with the popular Linksys SPA-9XXX desktop IP Phones should immediately be familiar with the web based UI of the WIP310-G1. A screenshot of the GUI is below.
10 Comments
Your site says it’s now on pre-order until the 24th. Were you given any indication it would come out at that point, or is that just a guess, like the guess that’s been there for the past 5 months?
Joe – the best intel I have points to us having product to ship sometime between January 4th and the 17th, 2009. The roadmap for this product and subsequent delays are a casualty of Linksys being assimilated into the Cisco machine. Hang in there, we’re getting really close to seeing this product.
What do you hear about compatibility of this unit with Skype?
Looks interesting. but i think price is a big concern. Regardless price, features are awesome.
@John:
I don’t think it will work with Skype.
This is sexy looking gadget mate. Are you sure its not compatible with skype??
Does anyone know if this phone will work with an NEC NEAX PBX? I know it supports Asterisk – but what about the NEC?
I just received my WIP310 last night from Amazon (sorry VoipSummply, honestly I’d rather order from here but they’re not in stock yet). My impression so far is very positive. I’ve been walking around with it all day in the house and backyard, and it hasn’t dropped a connection yet. There is very little jitter or noise as long as you use the “tighter” codecs (G.729 or GSM). Provisioning was easy too; in fact I just loaded the configuration XML from a Linksys SPA962 and then changed a few settings via the web interface.
Of course, there are a couple of issues Cisco needs to address still:
– Menu and feature navigation is a bit clumbsy in places
– Phonebook downloading doesn’t work
– VM waiting indicator is broken
– Options for configuring messaging appear to be missing
– Settings menu is missing about 1/3 of the options it needs
– Custom ringtones can be selected but there is no mechanism to get them on the phone
– Documentation is COMPLETELY non-existent
The plus side is that all these shortcomings are fixable in the firmware. Cisco has already released an update from what shipped on the phone, which is a good sign that they are working hard to finish it. The hardware, on the other hand, is quite solid and ready to go.
FYI, I am using 3CX’s PBX software with a pretty vanilla (inside the firewall) SIP configuration. I’ve made calls to and from a Grandstream GXP2000, 3CX’s softphone, the X-Lite softphone, and out through CallCentric’s VoiP gateway. G.729 on the Grandstream and CallCentric sounds better than GSM on the softphones, but they’re all “good enough” for my needs.
@Scott:
So basically, it appears that it may be NEC NEAX compatible in terms of the SIP capability, yes?
This is a capable device. We’ve seen it work very well with our service thus far. As the first VoIP service provider to support the phone, we can attest to it’s quality. We put together a short video on the phone which you may find interesting. You can check it out here: http://www.freedomiq.com/voip-phones/cisco-wip310-wireless-ip-phone.shtml