Definition of an ATA and can MJ run soley in a router?

JDub · Post by **JDub** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:18 pm

I've tried searching and reading through the stickies. I'm hoping to get MagicJack running 24/7 without requiring a full desktop running. I'd rather not spend $120~ on a stripped down PC just for it though.

From what I've gathered an ATA is a stripped down computer like an hp slim? Can anyone give me a clear definition of an ATA device and link me to a few of the cheaper ones? I've only ever seen it referred to in posts here as "ATA" which doesn't really lend itself to googling.

I've seen a few posts about running MagicJack as a process in your router (I have a linksys WRT54GL running Tomato). What do you do from there though? Plug the MagicJack dongle into a USB port on your router? Mine doesnt have one.

Do you need the dongle at that point? Can you just plug a phone jack into an Ethernet jack on the router? (I doubt it but man that would be awesome)

Also I've heard MJ has blocked ATA devices very recently... can anyone clear this up?

Cablespider · Post by **Cablespider** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:08 pm

http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/toma ... t7055.html

JDub · Post by **JDub** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:13 pm

I read that, but it didnt help with my questions. Hell look at the bottom of that first post... thats a default Linksys firmware screen at the end.. how are you supposed to access that with Tomato installed? Are you supposed to use 2 routers?

I know enough to know that screen is not a part of tomato.

Cablespider · Post by **Cablespider** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:28 pm

My fault. I didn't read your post well enough. I thought you were looking for Tomato instructions.

The Linksys screen is the ATA. You point the ATA to the router instead of the MJ proxy. The ATA will use the modified router as a proxy. The ATA used to access the MJ network directly. That stopped working and the router method was developed as a go between to handle authentication or something like that. I'm not knowledgeable about the specifics. No dongle needed with this set up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_telephony_adapter

Lots of people use the PAP2 ATA. I use a Cisco ATA186 with no problems. The ATA186 is really easy to use. Just a few SIP changes and you're phoning.

JDub · Post by **JDub** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:40 pm

So the ATA is doing the heavy lifting and the router running the MJ service is acting as a ... proxy? I thought the process was small to be emulating the MJ dongle.

Does anyone know when was this proxy created? What exactly it does? I have to wonder why it is necessary if you have an ATA.

Thanks btw.

JDub · Post by **JDub** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:43 pm

Out of curiosity could you run MagicJack (using the dongle) on one of those ultra low power PC's that is basically the size of a transformer you plug into the wall?

... You know the ones you hear about every once in awhile that have an ethernet port, maybe USB and the designers aren't exactly sure what they're going to be used for.

I mean if I'm gonna spend $50~ for a dedicated piece of hardware for VOIP I may as well get the beefiest thing I can for my money.

Cablespider · Post by **Cablespider** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:50 pm

Not that one. Windows is a dongle requirement.

Have you checked the thin client section? Lots of good tips in there for small, low power solutions.

JDub · Post by **JDub** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 2:19 pm

Trying to, I'm also trying not to waste too much time hunting for info. The first hour and a half I spend browsing pretty much just told me things are complicated as a Gordian Knot. I read the wiki on ATA's and I think I get it that end of it.

What I still don't understand is what is MJ doing to block ATA's? Does this mean the connecting an ATA to your router running the MJMD5 (aka mjproxy) no longer works? I'm guessing based on the size of that mjproxy file that its just a basic SIPS redirect/server?

If I have to run a PC to run the "server" then I'll have to run a PC anyways and theres no point in using an ATA as the MJ dongle is one already.

Does anyone know WHY MagicJack has a problem with people not using the dongle? Are they afraid people will use the SIPS account at multiple locations? (IE giving all your friends your info and them getting free VOIP) ?

crackerjack · Post by **crackerjack** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:53 pm

JDub wrote:Trying to, I'm also trying not to waste too much time hunting for info. The first hour and a half I spend browsing pretty much just told me things are complicated as a Gordian Knot. I read the wiki on ATA's and I think I get it that end of it.

What I still don't understand is what is MJ doing to block ATA's? Does this mean the connecting an ATA to your router running the MJMD5 (aka mjproxy) no longer works? I'm guessing based on the size of that mjproxy file that its just a basic SIPS redirect/server?

If I have to run a PC to run the "server" then I'll have to run a PC anyways and theres no point in using an ATA as the MJ dongle is one already.

Does anyone know WHY MagicJack has a problem with people not using the dongle? Are they afraid people will use the SIPS account at multiple locations? (IE giving all your friends your info and them getting free VOIP) ?

In their last security upgrade, MJ implemented an authorization routine that requires some relatively serious calculation of a virtual 'checksum' that is used with normal sip credentials to authenticate your mj account with the mj registration server.
This calculation is handled routinely on the local PC by all the MJ clients who are using the MJ in the way it was designed, by connecting via USB to your favorite PC.
If your desire is to use the MJ untethered from its proprietary USB dongle hardware, you must supply a computing platform to handle the calculations required by the new authorization routine.
You will find within these forum pages various means to perform the required calculation using your pc, your router or your ATA. You must pick and have active at least 1 of the above platforms providing the calculating power to support calculating the additional authentication details to allow access to a MJ account in a 'non-traditional' way.

There is not 1 best way, only you can decide. If you want the least cost method, try to have mjmd5 running on a pap2-na, imho.

Good luck

Crackerjack

JDub · Post by **JDub** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 11:25 pm

Ah, roughly how powerful of a machine do you need to perform these checksums in time?

Did they implement this soley to cut down on ATA logins? Again I have to wonder why.

crackerjack · Post by **crackerjack** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:15 am

JDub wrote:Ah, roughly how powerful of a machine do you need to perform these checksums in time?

Did they implement this soley to cut down on ATA logins? Again I have to wonder why.

no more powerful than a Linksys pap2
As to their motivation, that's anyone's guess...

synchron · Post by **synchron** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 5:59 pm

At first I thought that Dan & co. just wanted to dramatically plug ATA's and force people to use their service the correct way. It was then explained how easily the MD5 checksum calculation and noonce string could be exploited and I thought it was amazing to see how fast it took hackers here to come up with the MJMD5 fix. I honestly feel that MJ developers knew this and that they accomplished what they wanted - less ATA users. I would also think only a small group of us are using the Tomato/DDWRT router exploit which is a true mimick of an ATA that requires no PC on 24/7.

Funny that my AR670W wireless N router finally got DDWRT capability a month ago but I have no intention of possibly messing up my home network as I've moved on to Sipsorcery/Google Voice and various free incoming providers for my primary home Voip service. I'm a happy camper using MJ the correct way as a backup in case Sipsorcery goes down and I'm pretty convinced that Dan is currently concentrating on improving the voice quality of the service and putting the ATA plug to bed [knock on wood[].

Synchron

voipmailme · Post by **voipmailme** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:13 pm

I'm hoping to get MagicJack running 24/7 without requiring a full desktop running.

Did you check this thread for a possible alternative ? http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/anyo ... t7143.html

ThisIsMyUserName · Post by **ThisIsMyUserName** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 9:01 pm

No need to keep the computer on with www.tk6000.com in fact there is no need to even have a computer with www.tk6000.com