Source: Karolina Kabat on Flickr

A: This depends on how your phones are currently set up. If, like many people, you use a standard cordless phone system where one base phone plugs into a standard phone jack in the wall and the others transmit wirelessly from that base unit, your phones should work exactly the same with a VoIP system once you plug the base unit into your VoIP adapter.

If all four phones currently plug into their own wall jacks, you have a couple of options for multiple phones. If your phones are plugged in in separate rooms, you might want to use wireless phone jacks, also known as portable phone jacks, to connect your phones through the electrical wiring in your house. A main base plugs in to the VoIP adapter, and then individual extender ports for each phone plug into electrical outlets around the house. This can cause some interference or audio issues, but is simpler than some of the other options.

Splitters are another possibility if you don't mind dealing with running wires from room to room. A splitter plugs into the VoIP phone jack and provides multiple phone ports, which you can then use to plug in a number of phones.

Finally, you can use your existing telephone wiring to route your VoIP service throughout your home. This option is best if you live in a single-family house, as redoing the wiring might cause problems for other residents in an apartment or condo building. To do this, you must separate your house's wiring from the phone company's outside system and connect it to the VoIP adapter. This change is reversible. Although you can do the wiring yourself, an electrician can help with the process. Check with your VoIP provider to see if they can recommend an electrician or other professional. VoIP providers may also provide resources to help you do the rewiring yourself. Some VoIP providers advise against rewiring your house because traditional telephone wires carry a charge that can sometimes damage VoIP equipment. If you're thinking about Vonage service, click here to read our blog post on using your existing home wiring with Vonage for more detailed information about rewiring.

If you just need one extra plug, some VoIP providers' adapters have more than one phone port, including one of our top-rated options, VOIPo, which offers an adapter with two phone ports.

Long story short, multiple phones are very doable with VoIP, but you might want to switch to a cordless system, since overall, the simplest solution is definitely to use one main base and a number of cordless handsets rather than to install a splitter, redo home wiring, or use wireless extensions.

Got other questions about VoIP? Compare services head to head with our comprehensive charts for home or business VoIP services. You can also read our FAQs, delve into detailed individual reviews, or take a look at other blog posts answering common VoIP questions.

Source: Yortw on flickr

A: If you currently use your phone line for occasional faxes, you can use a VoIP line in exactly the same way. With Vonage, you can just connect your VoIP phone line to your fax machine as you would with a standard landline. Note that just like a regular phone line, if you are using the line to send or receive a fax, you can't make voice calls at the same time. Many services recommend that you get a second, dedicated fax line if you plan to leave your fax machine connected.

Some VoIP companies also offer internet-based fax features. One of our most popular options, Phone.com offers web-based faxing straight from your internet browser. Check out our full review of Phone.com to find out how to get 10% off six months of the company's Home/Residential Phone Service Plus.

If you're interested in adding separate Internet Fax services to your landline or VoIP service, you can also check out our comparisons and detailed reviews of Internet Fax companies, or read this previous post on faxing with a VoIP account.

Grasshopper, a particularly feature-filled virtual phone service, is offering an exclusive deal to our readers. Now when you sign up for this service through NextAdvisor, you will get a $75 credit towards your account. Grasshopper allows an unlimited number of extensions and even has fax-receiving capabilities. You can customize each extension and call-forwarding number, organizing your business' phone system no matter how many employees, and different locations, are involved.

No coupon code is necessary, just click on any Grasshopper sign-up  link on NextAdvisor to take advantage of this sweet deal. Click here to read the full Grasshopper review.

A: The minimum bandwidth that you need for VoIP is usually around 88 kbps, so your connection speed should be enough. (1,000 kbps = 1 mbps) And as long as you have a router, which the VoIP adapter needs to be plugged in to, you should be able to use VoIP services with no problem.

If you have other questions about VoIP, check out our VoIP compare page to compare different VoIP services. If you want speak to someone by phone about VoIP services, Vonage offers NextAdvisor users a toll-free 800 number to speak to a representative. Or check out our top-rated VoIP provider, VoIPo, which has the cheapest domestic calling plans.

A: Phone.com, one of our favorite VoIP services, includes built-in support for web-based faxing. With this service, you can get the best of both worlds: cheaper calling plans and the ability to fax straight from your browser. Currently, Phone.com is offering a 10% discount exclusively to NextAdvisor readers, and you can save even more when you sign up for an annual plan. Read more about Phone.com here.

On another note, if you're set with a VoIP service but need more advanced faxing options, looking into the many Internet Fax services on the market may be the perfect option for you.  Click here to compare all of our Internet Fax services and get an awesome deal today.

Source: Skype

A: If you are looking to use VoIP services with your mobile phone and forget about international calling problems, Skype Unlimited World and Vonage World Mobile are wide ranging, affordable VoIP services that let you make calls from your iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry, or Windows phone (with Skype).

Skype Unlimited World's $12.99 per month iPhone app allows you to make clear phone calls through WiFi to land lines in over 40 countries.  You can also make calls to other mobile phones located in the USA, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Canada. In general, we found that the Skype Unlimited World iPhone app had clearer and warmer call quality than Vonage World Mobile.

Vonage World Mobile includes calls to land lines in over 60 countries, and allows calls to mobile phones in the USA, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, San Marino, Saipan, Puerto Rico, Malaysia, Macau, India, Guam, Brunei, and the Bahamas. Vonage World Mobile lets you make calls through WiFi as well as over 3G cellular (international only). It costs $24.99 per month.

In general, Skype Unlimited World is cheaper with higher call quality. See the full comparison chart and read the reviews here! 

Want more affordable virtual calling cellphone options? Virtual Phone services give you a single phone number that you can route to the phones of your choice, for cheap. Compare all of our virtual phone services here! 

A: Luckily, there is no special router that you need to use for VoIP services. Most VoIP services (especially our top services) are compatible with most routers. In addition, services offer online and phone support to help you connect your router to the VoIP network.

In addition to the router, you must have a VoIP adapter to attach to it to. Each service provides its own adapter so that you can use VoIP over your telephone. Most of the top companies, such as Voipo and Vonage, provide the adapter for free. Some, such as PhonePower, will let you “lease” the hardware for free, but it must be returned. Companies such as Phone.com will waive the cancellation free if you return the hardware. If you want to know more about what each company provides, check out our VoIP service reviews.

A:  Vonage, one of our top-rated VoIP providers, allows users to attach the included adapter to the central phone in your network of hard lines and all of the phones around the house will ring at the same time. This goes for most all of the VoIP services - if you buy a set of phones that comes with a base unit and additional headsets, plugging the adapter to the base unit will ensure that all of the other headsets will be connected as well.

Another one of our favorites, VOIPo, gives you a free cloned 2nd line included with the Home and Home Office plan.

In general, you can also use a multiple jack extension connector by plugging it into your Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA). By doing this, you can use multiple phones on a single line at the location of your ATA.

A: The great thing about VOIPo, as well as other VoIP services, is that you can use the router you already have at home. No need to buy any extras – VOIPo comes with a free adapter you can then attach to your router, using the internet connection to make a call, turning data into voice.

Vonage and Phone Power are two of our top VoIP services that come with free adapters as well, or check out reviews of the rest of the VoIP services we tested.

Source: Creative Commons, Solace Consultants

Using VoIP services that utilize cable broadband will usually ensure higher quality audio and better phone calls. VOIPo, Phone Power, and Phone.com are all top-rated VoIP services that let you plug into your cable modem.

VOIPo, one of our favorites thanks to its simplicity, doesn't require any software downloads, and you don't need to go on your computer to use it. Just plug into the broadband connection and use your regular phone. Phone Power and Phone.com services use a broadband connection as well. Whether you're plugging into a cable or dsl modem, they will connect to your phone power servers quickly and efficiently.

Compare a variety of VoIP services!

A: It depends. All you need for VoIP to work is an active Internet connection with a router. Most VoIP adapters hook up directly to your router, so it uses the Internet connection to make the call. If you receive your Internet through your phone service, then it won’t work if your service has been cut off. If on the other hand you receive your Internet over a cable line, then you should be able to hook up your VoIP adapter to your router and use the VoIP services. Check out our VoIP reviews to see which service best fits your needs.

A: The answer largely depends on which VoIP service you are using. Mostly, it is not a good idea. Fax machines generally use the standard analog network (normal phone service) to transmit data, where VoIP compresses the analog voice data into digital data, which tends to operate differently with fax machines. Short answer: They aren’t compatible.

Having said that, Vonage claims that you can hook up any analog fax machine to your Vonage telephone adapter, as long as you already have a voice line with Vonage. Of course, you can’t make calls and accept faxes at the same time, so getting a second line would be advisable. They also have an extensive fax trouble shooting section on their online support page, if you were to have problems.

Most other VoIP companies provide Internet Fax options, so that you don’t even need to deal with the old analog fax machine. VoIPo offers a Virtual Fax Service that can be added to an existing account for those who want a fax line for their home or office. When a fax is sent to the line, the service will turn the fax into a PDF and email it to your provided email address. Phone.com also offers a digital fax service standard with most of their phone plans.

If you don’t want to set up your fax service through your VoIP account, there is also the option of using a third party fax services, which we review here.

A: VOIPo’s 7,000 service areas only include the US, but services set up in the US provide unlimited local and long distance calling to all of the US and Canada. You can set up your service in any area code included in those VOIPo service areas. Since the VOIPo adapter is portable and the service can be used anywhere that has an Internet connection, you should be able to set up your adapter (with your US number) in Canada as well, although VOIPo support staff is not equipped to troubleshoot in other countries.

VOIPo offers three different payment plans: a 2-year plan for $6.21/month, a 1-year plan for $8.25/month, and a monthly plan for $15/month. All plans are unlimited in the US and Canada. Both activation and the VOIPo adapter are including in the plan, so there are no extra fees to pay.

A: Yes, you can keep your phone number if you switch to VOIPo, as long as your number is within the 7,000 areas that VOIPo covers. The company allows you to transfer your number to their service free of charge. And since VOIPo doesn’t give out numbers that are active with other phone companies, there is no chance that VOIPo has already given your number to another customer. To confirm your number can be transferred you can email your number to support@voipo.com.

To transfer your number, VOIPo asks you to fill out and return a Letter of Authorization giving them permission to transfer your number, as well as a copy of your most recent phone bill, which confirms your name and phone number. The transfer usually takes about 1-2 weeks, and the number must remain active with the old phone company until the transfer is complete. Make sure the VOIPo service is working before you cancel your old service.

A: If you live in the U.S. (regardless of which town), you should be able to use VOiP provided you have the following items:

1. A high speed internet connection such as Cable or or DSL.
2. A touch tone phone.  Wireless or wired is OK, but rotary dial phones won't work.  If you don't have a touch tone phone, you can pick up a low-cost phone at your drugstore or chain market.
3. The VOiP phone adapter, which will be sent you you by the service you sign up for.  Most services, including Vonage, VOIPo and PhonePower, will give you the adapter free of charge.

VOiP is a great way to save money on calls, so if you're on the fence you should seriously consider it.  To learn more about VOiP and how it works, see our VOiP FAQ.  Also, take a look at our home VOiP comparison chart to compare and contrast our reviewed services.

A: You do not need to use your computer in any way when you have a VOiP phone system. That means your computer does not need to be turned on or logged into the internet. The only things you need to enjoy VOiP are a broadband internet connection (DSL or cable) and a touchtone phone. All the VOiP systems we review provide you with any other necessary equipment.

VOiP works just like your current phone service;  to make a call you pick up the phone and dial the number, and when someone calls you the phone rings and you pick up the phone and answer it.  It sounds and feels the same to both your and other people. The only difference is the less expensive price.

VOiP is a great choice because the cost savings are generally much greater than a standard phone line, especially if you make long distance or international calls. This is because VOiP uses your internet connection for calls instead of phone lines. Our top contenders for home VOiP service from a service and value perspective include Vonage and VOIPo, but we also review many other home VOiP services.

Q. Can I keep my same phone number with VoIP? Will it work with one phone and two extensions, one being in a trailer outside the building?

A. Vonage offers you a choice between keeping your existing number or getting a completely new number. Regarding your second question, most VoIP providers allow you to use more than one extension from a single phone. However, you'd have to add a phone in order to receive an extension outside of your building.

Q. We have a mobile broadband connection for our computer. Will VoIP service work with that?

A. Sorry to say, VoIP needs to be plugged into a modem to work. If you have a wireless or corded modem for your Internet connection, though, you should still be able to use VoIP by simply plugging it into the modem. Customer service representatives for VoIP companies such as Vonage should be able to guide you through the setup steps.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Skype CEO Tony Bates shake hands in May at a San Francisco news conference, predicting what was to come.

Skype is famous for its computer-to-computer calling, but it also provides VoIP. However, Microsoft's takeover of Skype might change a few things within the company.

Over the weekend, the Federal Trade Commission terminated its review of the proposed acquisition early, which means that it is not believed to harm competition or impact consumers in a negative way. Microsoft has already purchased Skype for $8.5 billion, and it's shaking up the infrastructure by firing many of Skype's senior executives. But how will it change the service?

Microsoft is being coy about that aspect. It says it's going to expand Skype and operate it separately within Microsoft, and speculation is that Skype will become a part of Microsoft's digital advertising and business conferencing. Skype is also planning to integrate better with Facebook, which means users will be able to chat with Facebook fans and friends through Skype. Finally, some mobile innovations might be in the works. All this will likely result in a better business VoIP offering from Skype, but we'll be sure to update you when the changes come through.

Q. Do any VoIP services include faxing?

A. That depends whether you're looking for home or business VoIP. If you're looking for home VoIP, the only service that also offers faxing is Phone.com. It's web-based, so you can send a fax from your browser.

However, for business VoIP, you have many more options. First, there's Nextiva, which includes one toll-free number, one virtual fax number, and eight local numbers. That's more than any other VoIP service we review, so we recommend Nextiva if you're looking to save money. Your only other option for included Internet faxing is RingCentral. If you prefer to pay extra for Internet fax, you can choose from Vocalocity, 8×8, GlobalPhone, Apptix, and Improcom.

Q: With VoIP, can you be online and talk on phone at the same time? What if you have problems?

A: Yes, you can. The adapter provided by your VoIP company allows you to be on the phone and online at the same time. The adapter prioritizes voice, meaning that if there is a bandwidth problem, it's not the phone call that will be affected. In our testing, we've never had an issue. In a recent test, for instance, we tried calling while streaming a movie on Netflix, and had no problems. Of course, this all depends on your Internet connection. If you have problems, call your VoIP provider as they may be able to help you optimize your connection.

If you are concerned about how well your Internet connection may handle traffic, choose a provider such as VOIPo that offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. That way you'll be able to fully test how well it works for your setup.

Q: How would the phone service work through a laptop? Is there any other equipment to attach or can you talk and hear through the laptop?

A: Home VoIP services use the exact same Internet connection as your laptop, but it doesn't actually use your laptop at all. In fact, all you need is an Internet connection. VoIP uses your regular home phone, connected to an adapter (or router) provided by the VoIP company. Your laptop (or wireless router) also plugs into the adapter, allowing you to use the Internet and make calls at the same time, and your computer doesn't even need to be on.

The only exceptions to this are products such as magicJack, which we review in our VoIP alternatives section.

Q: Are these VoIP devices portable? That is, can I connect the VoIP adapter to my router in Boston, or my router in FL and have the same phone number?

A: Yes, absolutely. That's the beauty of VoIP; it doesn't really matter where you are physically. Your number is virtual and the VoIP adapter is highly portable. You can even use it in hotel rooms that have Ethernet connections; simply plug the adapter into the Ethernet cable, plug in the power cable, and hook up the phone. Using it in the different locations you described will be no problem. Calls to your Boston number will be routed to you wherever you are.

Here's one thing to keep in mind. Since your number is virtual, 911 services will have no idea where you're calling from if you have an emergency. So, when you arrive in your new location, you'll want to contact your VoIP provider and let them know you've changed physical addresses. Most of the time, you can change this by logging into your account.