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Ekiga can be used with several Internet Telephony/Voice over IP Service Providers, whatever free or commercial, as long as they are able to use at least one of the protocols Ekiga can handle (SIP and H323). We will refer to thoses providers as "VoIP services".

== Why use a VoIP service ? ==

VoIP services can provide some very useful features to Ekiga.

* [[image:X-office-address-book.png|left]] '''SIP Address''' (like ''sip:me@provider.net''): If you want to call other users and to be callable, you're best off with a 'human readable address'(sip address), which in essence, looks just like an email address. The SIP address can be used by other users to call you. Similarly, you can use the SIP address of your friends and family to call them. For example, ''sip:dsandras@ekiga.net'' is the protocol & address used to call the author of Ekiga.

* [[image:System-search.png|left]] '''Searchable adressbook''': Most providers maintain a database registering their users and may also provide a search feature through it. Ekiga is able to tap into remote adressbooks if they use the LDAP technology.

* '''Conference calls''': This service is in charge of collecting all audio (and possibly video) flux and mixing them before sending them back to the participants. The free PBX Asterisk can provide this feature too.

* '''Peering''': This is the agreement between VoIP Service Providers which enables the users of one service to call users of another. This is usually implemented by dialing a special prefix number and then the number of the recipient (on the 'other' service). 

* '''PC-To-Phone and Phone-To-PC calls''': commercial providers may provide you a bridge to PSTN/Cell phones networks. The service routes the call to those networks, typically charging you for the operation.

* '''Voice mail''': If you're not available, a caller may leave you a voice message. Ekiga tells you how many  messages you have waiting. The free PBX Asterisk can provide this feature too.

* '''etc.'''

== What are Ekiga.net features ? ==

Ekiga.net is a VoIP service. Ekiga.net allows you to have a '''SIP address''', to search your '''adressbook''', to setup '''conference calls''', and to join friends using other providers with '''[[Peering|peering]]''' or [[Technical_details#ENUM|ENUM]].

== Is Ekiga.net free ? ==

Yes. It's free as in beer: we provide services at no charge! It's free as in speech too: Ekiga.net uses free software (SER and Asterisk).  Finally, Ekiga.net's machine and internet bandwitdth is sponsored by a french company: [[image:Puce-easy9.png]] http://www.easyneuf.fr/

== Can I register to multiple VoIP services ? ==

Yes, you can register to multiple accounts in Ekiga; therefore you can take advantage of several services, whether free or commercial. There is no obligation for you to use Ekiga.net, but we do recommend it.

== What about privacy and VoIP services ? ==

[[ekiga.net_terms|Ekiga.net terms and conditions of use]]

== How do I register to Ekiga.net ? ==

This is quite quick and easy, and probably what you want to do right away if you don't have a sip address yet.  Just hop over to http://www.ekiga.net and sign up for a free account.  Choose a good username (this is what you will be giving out to your friends), and remember that this is your new sip address (ala ''yourname@ekiga.net'').  At Ekiga.net, you can also use the phonebook to search for other users to call (you are automatically added to the database). 

As soon as you have your sip address(whether or not from Ekiga.net) you can finish page 3 of [[Manual#Register_to_a_VoIP_service|configuration assistant]], tell your friends/contacts, add it to your email signature, put a link on your website (''sip:yourname@ekiga.net'') for people to click and call you, etc.

:[[image:Gnome-status.png]] You can add, remove and edit an Ekiga.net account using the [[Manual#Managing_Accounts|Account window]].

:[[image:Gnome-status.png]] You can use ekiga.net with other VoIP programs too.  In this case, please note that ekiga.net refuses registration if the Contact field in SIP REGISTER packet has a private address (this means that you must use STUN).

== How can I advertise the world of my presence status ? ==

See [[Ekiga_Interoperability#Web_Button]].

==How to put the Ekiga button in your Thunderbird signature?==

'''1)''' To open your editor preferred text and copy-to-paste following text HTML:

 <nowiki><html>
<head>
  <meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="content-type">
  <title>ekiga-button</title>
</head>
<body style="margin-left: 0px; width: 991px; margin-top: 0px; height: 45px;"><br>
 <a href="sip:MY_NICK@ekiga.net">
  <img style="border: 0px solid ; width: 164px; height: 45px;" src="http://www.ekiga.net/status/call-me.png">
 </a>
</body>
</html></nowiki>

'''a)''' To replace MY_NICK by your Username of Ekiga User

'''b)''' Save your file to: '''call_me.html'''


'''2)''' Open Thunderbird

[[image:ekiga-thunder-en-1.png]]

'''a)''' Clic to Edit - Account setting


[[image:ekiga-thunder-en-2.png]]

'''b)''' Check box: '''Attach this signature'''

'''c)''' Clic '''Choose''' and search your file '''call_me.html'''


Send your message in plain text and html or in html only.


ok this:

[[image:ekiga-thunder-en-3.png]]



== FAQ ==
=== Who owns it? ===
It is kindly hosted by easyneuf : http://easyneuf.fr
=== who manages it? ===
Damien Sandras, TheBonsai
=== where is the hardware? ===
It is in France.
=== Is there any VOIP specific hardware? ===
No, nothing. It's a standard server with good bandwidth.
=== What software does it run? ===
* Running on GNU/Linux
* Kamailio http://www.kamailio.org/
* Asterisk http://www.asterisk.org/
* LAMP service
* Dedicated user interface in PHP under GPL: http://webxser.tuxfamily.org/<br>Work is on progress to migrate this interface to Drupal: http://drupal.org/

In short: the whole software stack is open source.

=== Can the Public conference room handle video conferencing? ===
Not for now, in the future probably.
=== Is there a control panel for a voip conference? ===
No. It could be implemented.