Geek question, re wireless networks

[timwilky]

OK fello geeks out there.

My friends family are moving out to Palma. there is no possibility of getting a phone line to their apartment.

Apparently they can pick up a wireless internet connection. Therefore, what do they need in order to connect a SIP telephone.

I initially thought simple, a wireless access point into which they then connect thier SIP ATA and PC etc. Then thought whoa does it quite work like that in that.

1) I do not know if they will be assigned a public IP address
2) do wireless access points work that way round whereby their "WAN" interface is the wireless network and that would have to pick up its address by DHCP,
3) There is no guarentee that the Wireless network operator will permit SIP. It has been suggested that they first try a Skype solution to talk family to family between the UK and Palma. but really they want a proper solution whereby they don't need to have the computer turned on and anyone can call them as if they have a proper number, hence SIP.

Has anyone any suggestions. Ideally they want to buy the kit, configure and test before taking it out there and simply tweek local addresses once in place

I'd of thought a wireless AP plugged into a common garden variety router would be more than sufficient. Then plug a SIP phone into the router.

That way, you can give the (ideally dumb bridged) AP an IP for your network, and it can have an IP for the wireless network. Your router can deal with any security issues you have.

as always .. it depends .. is the wireless they can get a wireless signal from a provider or just piggybacking off someone in the neighbourhood? I don't know whether you'd get an AP to work too happily in "client" rather than AP mode, although I could well be wrong on that. I can't see why a wireless operator would stop you using SIP though