A packet-based communications system is provided, including: a client communications module for transmitting digital audio signals to a user interface device over a local area network (LAN) and for receiving digital audio signals from the user interface device, a voice packet module configured to: receive audio signals from the client communications module and encapsulate the audio signals into data packets; convert data packets into audio signals and transmit the audio signals to the client communications module, and a network protocol module for transmitting data packets between the voice packet module and an Internet Protocol (IP) network.