The adapter needs to be connected to a VoIP phone service and high speed internet in order to work. I have the phone service through my home based business and it works fine. What's great about the adapter is that it's portable. I can take it anywhere in the world and plug it into a a high speed internet router or modem, plug my phone into it, and it will ring when someone calls my home number. What's even better is that I don't pay an arm and a leg for the service. This adapter is indeed the wave of the future.