Linksys WIP300 WIFI VoIP Phone Review
Source: smithonvoip.com
Linksys WIP300 Review
The Good: Easy web based cofiguration and set-up, excellent range, acceptable call quality.
The Bad: Difficult menu navigation, low battery life, back cover falls off easily, forget about sending emails from it.
The Bottom Line: Unless you are a huge Linksys fan and are unable to afford the higher priced Linksys WIP330, there are better choices on the market. Don’t let the color screen and slick design fool you; the Linksys WIP300 leaves a lot to be desired.
Linksys WIP300 Overview
The Linksys WIP 300-NA Wi-Fi IP Phone enables high-quality voice over IP (VoIP) service through a Wireless-G network and high-speed Internet connection. Connect at home, your office, or at a public hotspot, and make low-cost phone calls through your Internet Telephony Service Provider.
Linksys WIP 300 Features
The WIP300 Wireless-G IP Phone operates in the 2.4GHz band, supports 802.11g and the latest VoIP SIP protocols. The large, full-color high resolution display features an intuitive user interface enabling users to easily and quickly configure the handset using Secure Easy Setup (SES).
• Pixel-based display—Provides intuitive access to calling features
• Nine speed dials configurable in the set
• Comfort noise generation (CNG), voice activity detection (VAD), adaptive jitter buffer, and echo cancellation
• RF and battery level indication
• Local phone book
• Embedded 2.4GHz antenna
• ABS+PC plastic housing
• 1.8” COLOR TFT LCD with backlight
• Simple keypad with backlight
• Remote Firmware upgrading via Wi-Fi
• SIP v2 signaling protocol, RFC-3261
• POP3/SMTP E-mail access (optional)
• SMS (optional, by system default)
• USB charger interface
Linksys WIP300 Configuration
Getting the Linksys WIP300 connected to my home network was no problem (I use a linksys router), but due to my fat fingers and no QWERTY keyboard, I chose to configure the Linksys WIP300 from a web-browser. I used InPhonex VoIP service in conjunction with the WIP300. The configuration via the web browser was extremely easy. All I needed to do was enter my phone number, SIP domain, Proxy Address, Codec, and select “Open Network” under network settings to get the phone up and running. I also tried to use the phone’s interface to configure the settings, but got easily frustrated with the clumsy navigation and the fact that without a QWERTY keyboard, I was “hitting the buttons” way to many times in order to get the right entries. For residential users, who are not use to using a web-browser to configure the phone (Linksys recommends using the phone interface for configuration), I can see some major frustrations setting in. Phone based configuration sure needs help.
Linksys WIP300 Overall Impressions
I was impressed by how easy the WIP300 was to configure via a web browser, but was disappointed with battery life (4 hour standby), the phone’s navigation (clumsy, keypad makes changes difficult), and the fact that the battery cover on the back of the phone falls off every other time you pick-up the phone. For $210, I expected a better product. I wouldn’t recommend this product because it really is pretty average, especially with other alternatives like the Linksys WIP330 and UTStarcom F1000 on the market.
If you are interested in another point of view on the Linksys WIP300, check out Dave Roper’s review at The VoIP Insider.
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