If you have a very simple router setup their instructions are fine. They are the most foolproof way and easiest to ensure that all of the ports are open for your VOIPo adapter. That's why they recommend that you set it up that way. There's no danger involved as the adapter is doing network address translation just like your router is doing (actually it gives your router a NATTED address.) If you don't know what this means there's a real good chance that you should just leave everything the way it is.

There are a number of reasons many of us do not want the adapter ahead of our routers. Here are a few of mine:

  1. I don't like doing "double translation". Their device NATs the addresses once, then my router does it again because I need the additional flexibility below.
  2. I'm using a VPN so installing the adapter ahead of my router simply won't work.
  3. I use port forwarding already for some of my devices on the network and the adapter can't do port forwarding. It does simple NAT and DHCP functions.
  4. It's a much cleaner installation to have just one DHCP and NAT device on your network.


Bottom line... if it works and if you don't understand how to setup your router and what all of this means, IMO don't worry about it. Leave it as is.

Steve