Open-Source VOIP for personal / educational use

October 6, 2008 6:00 PM

Can anyone recommend an open-source-protocol-based just-for-home-use VOIP provider & software? I'm pretty sure I don't want Skype, pretty sure I don't want Yahoo Messenger - security issues, not knowing what's really going on with these packages once they're installed, plus the license/privacy/etc. agreements are long and pretty bad.

I'd be new to VOIP, but based on the research I've done (and I _actually read_ the Skype EULA/TOS, and started to read the > 20 pages (two columns) I printed out about Yahoo Messenger), I don't want these. But I want to talk to new friends in France and French-speaking Africa as I continue studying the language!

Can anyone recommend a secure, friendly, audited VOIP system? I read a little about Asterix, but that sounds more like it's for businesses setting up a whole VOIP system with server. Maybe a VOIP provider using Asterix? What do I even want?

I don't mind paying a little (can't pay as much as a cell phone plan would charge), but I think I'll need something that my pen pal / whatever pal can install and use for free, even if he or she is in Côte d'Ivoire or something. And pay or not, I think I really want open source.

I did see other VOIP questions on AskMe, but nothing addressing these specific needs.

If anyone local to Chapel Hill wants to help me practice awful French in exchange for help with English (I'm real good at English), I might be interested in that, too.

Thanks!

posted by amtho to education (8 comments total)

What are you actually afraid of with Skype? I would tend to think if someone remotely is going to have to install something, you're going to want something with a wide user base, and anything open source is not going to cut it.
posted by mzurer at 6:11 PM on October 6, 2008

While open source in this day and age has a lot of meanings, it usually refers to software that has been developed so that the codebase is available freely (with all the various meanings of free). I'm oversimplifying.

A protocol, on the other hand, is a standard that is approved by a governing body and agreed upon by multiple vendors and organizations, which usually have some voice in the process. I don't mean to be pedantic (well, yes I do), but clarifying these terms will hopefully make things a little more clear for you. VoIP technology can be confusing, I know firsthand.

So, VoIP is a protocol. Asterix, which you mentioned, is open source software, but it is a server; I think it is probably overkill for what you want to do (although you could certainly use it as part of a system to set up your computer to make and receive VoIP calls) and having set it up and played with it myself I can tell you it's a bit complicated if you're just getting into this stuff. In any case, unless you want to set Asterix up and build some crazy PBX system, you'll want to register with some other VoIP provider, and then get a software VoIP package (look for SIP clients), or just get a VoIP phone.

(These may not be the best links for this stuff, I just searched for these terms and picked the first link that didn't seem like complete garbage...).

Now, I would suggest you look for a provider who offers secure (encrypted) VoIP if you're concerned about privacy, although I don't know how much this is offered or if it is offered at all yet. Or, just look for someone who has a good policy that sits well with you. Once you do that, you can pick whatever software or VoIP phone you want. Sorry I can't be more specific, I don't know my providers that well; but I'm sure you can find some reviews on the Asterix forums and other VoIP forums, and posting a question about privacy concerns and good, cheap providers on one of those should get you some good answers.

If you want to get geeky, you could start with an article like this (granted, this is geared towards company IT, but may be educational nonetheless).

I hope this helps!
posted by dubitable at 6:37 PM on October 6, 2008

I would recommend x-lite:
http://www.counterpath.com/x-lite.html&active=4

I use x-lite at work on a daily basis and it works great.

It is a totally free software, but it does require an existing voip service.
posted by ShortHairyMan at 6:38 PM on October 6, 2008

I've found that SIP VoIP providers often recommend some open source or free beer client. Asterix isn't required unless you want fancy features without paying more.

But honestly Skype is far easier to install than any SIP based VoIP client (and has more aggressive nat transversal). So I'd try it unless your friends are tech savvy.

Imho, you should avoid Yahoo messenger because they don't keep the spam out. Skype keeps the spam out but lets random real people chat you. I'm not sure how these services usually keep the spam out, but Yahoo sucks.
posted by jeffburdges at 6:53 PM on October 6, 2008

Thanks, dubitable. I was definitely vague. I am feeling overwhelmed I know I want open source; I think a lot of people install Skype because it's easy, but not only does it represent real security vulnerabilities (and its very popularity contributes to this, à la early MS Internet Explorer), but I've heard that network activity is detected, with the Skype client installed, even when it's not being "used". And then you get the latest news from China. Blech.

If an "open protocol" (i.e., anyone can use the protocol, it's not patented or secret, regulated by an entity like ICANN) that is also encrypted exists, yes, I want that too.

I need a client AND a provider. I just don't really know where to start, having researched and rejected the two biggest named providers I knew about. It's like counting one-two-many...

If I find a provider, will my correspondents be able to communicate with me regardless of what provider they're using? Since I want to talk to people in the developing world, I think (and I realize that anyone with broadband access is rich in a way), I don't think I can count on _them_ signing up for the same service as me if it's _not_ free.

ShortHairyMan - where can I get this "existing VOIP service"?

I don't necessarily need free as in beer (although my correspondents will), although I'd be hesitant to spend more than $20 or so. I just want to feel reasonably safe in using this from the same computer where all my personal and business information is stored.

mzurer - I've gone back and forth about this; wide user base would be nice, but if I can find something that is also free-as-in-beer, I can probably talk them into installing it too (as long as it's legal for export / not too encrypted, I guess. Geez.)
posted by amtho at 9:24 PM on October 6, 2008

A good list of existing VOIP service providers is the Good Bad Ugly at dslreports.

A VOIP provider will allow you to use a VOIP phone (an actual phone that has an ethernet port on the back) or a "softphone" like X-lite, which is a software phone that runs on your computer.

Once you've got a phone and a provider, you will be able to call real phone numbers. And if you choose the right provider, it will be cheaper than your normal telco. (Some have monthly flat-rate plans) This is the easiest way to talk to your friends. Some developing countries have horrendous per-minute rates, but hopefully it won't be too expensive for you, and it is free for your friends to receive calls.

If you want to have a skype-like service (basically two softphones) then it is possible, but not easy to get setup and running. I don't recommend it. In fact, it could be argued that this is exactly why skype exists and is so huge: They were the first to make computer-to-computer voice communication painless.
posted by kamelhoecker at 2:46 AM on October 7, 2008

You could try a service like JahJah or Mobivox that would allow you to call each other for cheap / free if both parties are members. With Mobivox at least, you could create an account for your friend and put money in it. Of course, these services don't have local numbers everywhere, so YMMV.
posted by reddot at 8:49 AM on October 7, 2008

Might have a look at Gizmo Project. Multi-platform, open-source, free, reasonably drool-proof to get installed. Can do PC-to-PC calls or interface with any SIP equipment you might have.
posted by word_virus at 8:12 PM on October 7, 2008