thin client vs linksys pap2

[juancollier]

thanks in advance for educating me and the forum. Which one will be (better)?
1. Cost
2. Sound Quality
3. Power Consumtion
4. Maintenance


just wondering.

[crackerjack]

thanks in advance for educating me and the forum. Which one will be (better)?
1. Cost
2. Sound Quality
3. Power Consumtion
4. Maintenance


just wondering.

Assuming you have access to your sip credentials and know how to invoke the mjmd5 proxy fix as needed and have the requisite hardware to run the proxy routine, if needed, then he PAP2 would be the overwhelming choice as superior in every regard

Good luck

Crackerjack

[juancollier]

I have a wrt54gs version 1 running dd-wrt voip right now as a client bridge. I have my crudentials. Is Tomato better? I bought a pap2 v2.0 from ebay. It is locked to Vonage, but I will unlock it. Should I run the mjmd5 proxy fix on the router with dd-wrt or switch to tomato?

[Alpman]

thanks in advance for educating me and the forum. Which one will be (better)?
1. Cost
2. Sound Quality
3. Power Consumtion
4. Maintenance


just wondering.

"Better" is a matter of perception and opinion. The question is which is better for your particular circumstance. Technical ability and type of use will also play into your decision, not just the end result or someone elses opinion. Do your homework. The search function can provide valuable information from this site.

To answer your specific questions...

1. mJ pre-configured Thin Clients can be found from just $55 and up. An mjmd5 capable router, along with it's installation and configuration, would most likely be needed in addition to the cost of the PAP2 and could be substanitially more than the cost of a TC.

2. Sound quality of a PROPERLY configured mJ TC is very close to that of an ATA, or even a land-line for that matter. As an user of both types of devices I can attest to this. SQ and connection quality can be further improved on a TC by configuring QoS on your router, if available. I have excellent SQ with practically zero issues on my TC setup. I even use a TC in my office for a dedicated fax line.

3. Power consumption is only a negligable difference between the two, but significantly less than a full blown desktop, which could end up paying for the device over time.

4. Maintenence is about the same or less for a TC. The ATA will initially require you to retrieve your SIP credentials from the mJ device. You will also need to perform this task whenever mJ changes your SIP password or sends an upgrade as well. The mjmd5 router will probably require a firmware upgrade (and possibly even some down time) at some point if mJ makes changes to block the ATA's again and/or firmware bug fixes may be required on mjmd5. A typical Flash DOM TC will require you to save changes to disk when mJ updates its software, which is a relatively easy step, but not completely maintenance free. If you use a TC with a MicroDrive instead of a Flash DOM (with EWF disabled and Pagefile enabled) there is virtually no maintenance. All mJ updates will be automatically saved to disk, with no user interaction.

A TC can also be remotely managed via software from any internet connection. This makes it an excellent option for family members who may lack computer skills (G-ma & G-pa, etc) as they are plug-n-play devices that require no knowledge of, or any user interface to use. Send a TC overseas with the confidence that you will be able to maintain it stateside. You can't do that with an ATA/mjmd5 setup.

In my opinion, a TC is the most economical choice with potentially the least amount of maintenance while providing excellent sound quality...and not just because I sell them, but because I truly believe in them. If I were not passionate about these devices, I would never dedicate so much of my time to this forum, nor have the confidence to support over 200 TC's that I've sold, with little to no problems coming back to me.

The choice is yours, just make sure weigh all of the pros/cons for each before you decide.

[juancollier]

I don't have much money only time. I got my router for 6.99 and the pap 2 for 6.20. the firmware is free. It seems like a lot of work to setup the pap2 and the wrt54gs. Some people say no matter what you do to a computer even if it is a thin client cannot compare to the quality of a A.T.A. is this true, I don't know. If the A.T.A doesn't work then maybe I will purchase a thin client but I have a dedicated computer already.

[Alpman]

Good prices on those items, indeed. It sounds like you've already made your decision. So then why post the question in the first place?

"Some people" may not have the knowledge to configure a computer, or a thin client for that matter, correctly for best sound quality. I currently use two TC's for mJ in my office and I always have excellent SQ and reliability. I can't remember the last time I even had to reboot one of them.

Anyway, good luck with the ATA setup. I'm sure you'll have a few late nights ahead of you in order to get them up and running, but with persistance I'm sure you will succeed. And when you do, I'm sure you will be happy with the results...

[juancollier]

I posted the question so that I could gain some knowledge from people like yourself that have more experience. thank you. I do value your opinion.



1st mj 6/2008-12/2008
2nd mj 5/2009-5/2010
4th computer

[VaHam]

I have tried both ways and the quality between the two is very comparable to my tin ear, with recent versions of the MJ software. Using a properly configured TC this is IMHO every bit as good as my POTS line now and in fact my friends say it is better than my POTS line. Functionality is basically the same with both of the approaches you mention. Namely they both sit there doing their job unattended for long periods of time.

To use anything other than the MJ hardware you must obtain your user credentials from the MJ device since they are required to log onto the MJ servers. If using the MJ dongle itself then you don't have to worry about this.

The upkeep of the two approaches can be different over the long term however. With the TC approach when MJ changes are made the TC can be configured to simply update automatically; fully automatically, if you do not use EWF on your TC and schedule periodic reboots of it. And if you decide to use EWF you simply have to do a commit following any new updates by MJ usually months in between. Any software changes which MJ makes in the future will work on the TC just as they would on any other computer. It does appear however that MJ only supports XP service pack 2 and above now. I suppose they could drop support for SP2 and force SP3 or above but this would effect so many regular users that this is unlikely.

There are some concerns with the MJ hardware worth mentioning. Using USB power is borderline in terms of some phones working properly however once you have a working combination; which sometimes may mean running a powered USB hub or adding a resistor to get a fully functioning system working they usually stay that way. Some have encountered hardware failures of the MJ hardware with mixed results in getting warranty replacements depending on place of purchase etc. Most name brand ATAs probably have a higher MTBF than the MJ dongle.

Using an ATA has the benefit of not having to keep even a low powered computer (the TC) running 24/7. For most users, currently, it is necessary to run a MJMD5 proxy in order to work with MJ's current software configuration. You could run the proxy on any computer which is on 24/7 on your network. Since most users have a router which is on 24/7 anyway and since the proxy can run on certain routers this is probably the most ideal method if your using an ATA. One thing to keep in mind here however is that the MJMDM5 proxy was developed to work around software changes made by MJ and there is every chance that future software upgrades by MJ may require a different proxy be developed or in the worst case changes which would prevent an ATA from working at all. This could mean, at the least, a prolonged service interruption until some tech savvy person develops a new work around.

People who use ATAs or other software methods are playing a game of cat and mouse. Using anything other than MJ's hardware is also in violation of the terms of use and grounds to have your MJ service canceled.

So for the average user who wants reliable functionality the TC IMHO is the way to go.

[tony]

I don't have much money only time. I got my router for 6.99 and the pap 2 for 6.20. the firmware is free.

If time is in abundance and you have a PC running 24/7 (or at least when you are likely to make phone call), then go the ATA route. That's the least cost route. You can still go the TC route later, it's not precluded by going ATA now (but you can only use one of the methods at any one time).

[juancollier]

thanks tony
I agree with you.I can at least try the pap2. If that doesn't work out i will move on. thanks to the forum.