VoIP is a protocol that enables users to make telephone calls over a computer network, such as the Internet. VoIP is used to convert a voice signal from a telephone into a digital signal, which can be transmitted over the computer network. At a receiving end, VoIP is used to convert the digital signal back into a voice signal.
Currently, VoIP-enabled devices, such as telephones, require considerable configuration up front, which can make them difficult to use. For example, installation of a VoIP-enabled telephone on a network often requires a new user to enter a large number of configuration parameters in order to configure a new telephone on the network. These configuration parameters are typically entered via a Web browser interface, and must be entered for each new VoIP-enabled telephone that is added to the network. The amount of time and energy spent on this task can make VoIP phones unattractive, particularly for small businesses with limited resources.
Moreover, the foregoing installation method is error prone. For example, when system settings that affect telephones are made, an administrator must manually update every telephone that is affected by the change. Failure to make such changes can result in communication errors over the network.