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Summiteer
MagicJack Newbie
Joined: 05 Apr 2009
Posts: 3
Location: Oregon
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 Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: Tried it, but going back to landline |
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I really liked the idea of MJ and eventually canceled my landline and went all in. My experience: There are times when MJ works fine--good quality and service. But there are other times it's quirky. There seems to be a split-second delay during many conversations. Sometimes I'll hear the other party and they won't hear me. Other times I get complaints from the person I'm talking to about me "breaking up." Occasionally, there are random beeps on the other end of a call. Voicemail is kinda weird. The bottom line is that my experience has been spotty and made me long for the dependable, predictable ol' landline. My wife, particularly, found herself defaulting to the cell phone for important calls that she couldn't afford to have get screwed up. I'm disappointed, but not mad. It was worth a try, and we'll keep it for those times we're on the road. In the end, MJ was too finicky for me to be thoroughly satisfied. The reasons? Can't really say. I have a fast internet connection and a new computer that's hard-wired to the modem, so I can't be sure why our experience was unreliable. Wish it had been different. We were able to get our old number back, so I'm going with a bare-bones phone service linked with Google Voice.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: Magicjack support, tips, tricks, and hacks |
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cell14
Dan isn't smart enough to hire me
Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 417
Location: South FL
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I have a fast internet connection and a new computer that's hard-wired to the modem, so I can't be sure why our experience was unreliable. |
The problem is most likely your internet connection, which is at times much worse than it should be or as the provider promised you.
People who have Verizon wireless or other "friends and family " type calling circles can program their Google Voice number as one of them and get the least expensive plan and do unlimited calling through Google Voice from their cell phone(s) |
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speaker2112
MagicJack User
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Just to clarify, to make calls via Google Voice from the cell phone, you need to be at a computer to initiate the call through Google Voice which then rings your cell phone and destination number, correct? |
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Darkman90808
Dan Should Pay Me
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 687
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | you need to be at a computer to initiate the call through Google Voice which then rings your cell phone and destination number, correct? |
Not necessarily. I use an app on my Samsung Omnia: GV Dialer.
http://www.gvdialer.com/
It will dial out from your phone with your GV# showing as the CID to the receiving party. The other way, would be to go to google.com/voice/ from your phone's browser and dial out from there, but that's really just a variation on dialing out from your desktop, IMO.
GVDialer is $9.95 after the trial period. There's another dialer that's free but I ponied up the dough because it works seamless with the phone's voice commands. |
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Darkman90808
Dan Should Pay Me
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 687
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Aacchhhhh! Apparently, I posted too soon! GVDialer is no longer being supported or offered. Too bad! really enjoy it.
http://blog.gvdialer.com/ |
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Nobody beats the Whiz!
Dan Should Pay Me
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
Posts: 559
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| speaker2112 wrote: | | Just to clarify, to make calls via Google Voice from the cell phone, you need to be at a computer to initiate the call through Google Voice which then rings your cell phone and destination number, correct? |
No. You can dial your GV number using your cell. Then when the VM answers, press 2 (? I believe) to make an outgoing call using your GV number.
_________________
Enjoys a daily VOIP cocktail made from:
-One shot Magic Jack
-One shot TK6000
-One shot NetTalk Duo
-Two shots Ooma (it's bigger)
Shaken, not stirred.
Google Voice is the chaser. |
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Darkman90808
Dan Should Pay Me
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 687
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | You can dial your GV number using your cell. Then when the VM answers, press 2 (? I believe) to make an outgoing call using your GV number. |
Good point. I forgot about that since I've gotten spoiled with my little app. |
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speaker2112
MagicJack User
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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Nice, but if you pay by the minute on your cell plan as I do (prepaid plan) then there is no money savings going through Google Voice. Is that correct?
Is the only reason you guys are calling out via Google Voice is to have the GV shown on caller ID, or are there other reasons? |
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Nobody beats the Whiz!
Dan Should Pay Me
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
Posts: 559
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| speaker2112 wrote: | Nice, but if you pay by the minute on your cell plan as I do (prepaid plan) then there is no money savings going through Google Voice. Is that correct?
Is the only reason you guys are calling out via Google Voice is to have the GV shown on caller ID, or are there other reasons? |
They were talking about adding their GV number to the Friends and Family list. That way, all their calls through GV do not use minutes.
That disqualifies prepaid plans, of course.
_________________
Enjoys a daily VOIP cocktail made from:
-One shot Magic Jack
-One shot TK6000
-One shot NetTalk Duo
-Two shots Ooma (it's bigger)
Shaken, not stirred.
Google Voice is the chaser. |
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speaker2112
MagicJack User
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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Gotcha Whiz.
I justed pmdump'd MJ to find my proxy and discovered my packets go from Boston to Chicago to New York and back to Boston to connect to MJ's proxy and vms servers. Seems likes a ridiculous route since I'm physically located about 15 minutes from Boston by car!
Tracing route to proxy01.boston.talk4free.com [216.234.66.8]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 * * * Request timed out.
2 8 ms 7 ms 9 ms ge-3-21-ur01.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.85.160.149]
3 8 ms 6 ms 7 ms te-7-1-ur02.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.145.166]
4 18 ms 8 ms 13 ms te-0-11-0-0-ar01.woburn.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.145.169]
5 41 ms 40 ms 39 ms pos-2-4-0-0-cr01.chicago.il.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.90.5]
6 39 ms 51 ms 53 ms xe-10-0-0.edge1.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.71.248.29]
7 39 ms 39 ms 39 ms vlan52.ebr2.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.69.138.190]
8 40 ms 49 ms 54 ms ae-5.ebr2.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.69.140.193]
9 42 ms 39 ms 47 ms ae-23-54.car3.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.68.101.103]
10 41 ms 39 ms 40 ms XO-COMMUNIC.car3.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.71.100.46]
11 80 ms 79 ms 82 ms vb2001.rar3.nyc-ny.us.xo.net [207.88.13.10]
12 79 ms 79 ms 82 ms 65.106.1.93.ptr.us.xo.net [65.106.1.93]
13 88 ms 86 ms 86 ms p0-0-0d0.mar2.cambridge-ma.us.xo.net [65.106.3.18]
14 85 ms 83 ms 84 ms 207.88.86.158.ptr.us.xo.net [207.88.86.158]
15 88 ms 85 ms 110 ms 66.237.160.154.ptr.us.xo.net [66.237.160.154]
16 85 ms 84 ms 84 ms proxy01.boston.talk4free.com [216.234.66.8]
Trace complete.
Tracing route to vms03.boston.talk4free.com [216.234.66.14]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 * * * Request timed out.
2 16 ms 9 ms 7 ms ge-3-21-ur01.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.85.160.149]
3 9 ms 12 ms 10 ms te-1-2-0-2-ar01.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.145.161]
4 10 ms 10 ms 9 ms pos-0-1-0-0-ar01.woburn.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.85.162.146]
5 39 ms 39 ms 39 ms pos-2-5-0-0-cr01.chicago.il.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.90.1]
6 38 ms 39 ms 41 ms xe-9-3-0.edge1.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.71.248.21]
7 39 ms 41 ms 42 ms vlan51.ebr1.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.69.138.158]
8 49 ms 39 ms 50 ms ae-6.ebr1.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.69.140.189]
9 40 ms 40 ms 42 ms ae-13-51.car3.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.68.101.7]
10 39 ms 39 ms 39 ms XO-COMMUNIC.car3.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.71.100.46]
11 80 ms 80 ms 82 ms vb2001.rar3.nyc-ny.us.xo.net [207.88.13.10]
12 171 ms 80 ms 79 ms 65.106.1.93.ptr.us.xo.net [65.106.1.93]
13 87 ms 84 ms 97 ms p0-0-0d0.mar2.cambridge-ma.us.xo.net [65.106.3.18]
14 85 ms 85 ms 84 ms 207.88.86.158.ptr.us.xo.net [207.88.86.158]
15 96 ms 85 ms 86 ms 66.237.160.154.ptr.us.xo.net [66.237.160.154]
16 84 ms 86 ms 85 ms vms03.boston.talk4free.com [216.234.66.14]
Trace complete.
Just as a test I did a trace to MJ's Chicago's server and still got 15 hops.
I'd like to know if people are getting similar hop counts and having consistently good quality calls with MJ? Thanks! |
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cell14
Dan isn't smart enough to hire me
Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 417
Location: South FL
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | That disqualifies prepaid plans, of course. |
There are some prepaid plans with a favorite number. |
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Darkman90808
Dan Should Pay Me
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 687
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Is the only reason you guys are calling out via Google Voice is to have the GV shown on caller ID, or are there other reasons? |
It's one of my main reasons, but there are others. GV stores your voice mail so you can access them from your desktop, forward them via email, etc. You can also create different messages for individuals or groups. I use my phone for business and personal calls, so I have a group of work related numbers that answers with my company name and so on, while some of my friends get a different message with some levity.
Also, since GV will ring the phones you set up simultaneously, it's a nice way to keep my cell phone open if I'm waiting for a call, while I call out on another line. To me, it's a lot of small things that add up to a nice package. |
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speaker2112
MagicJack User
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:28 am Post subject: |
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thx Darkman.
If I want to make cheap calls over a standard landline instead of MJ, I think I could do the following - but please people tell me if this would make sense.
A. order cheapest landline plan available in my area (ie. Verizon has a $2.99/month plan here - http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/HomePhone/LocalandLongDistance/LocalandLongDistance.htm) and obtain landline phone number
B. register landline number with Google Voice
C. whenever I want to make calls from my landline, initiate them through the online GV interface and have it link to my landline (and then call the number I want to connect to) - if I understand correctly this will be an incoming call to my landline and therefore will cost nothing extra
Is this a viable plan? Am I overlooking anything?
Thanks. |
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cell14
Dan isn't smart enough to hire me
Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 417
Location: South FL
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | order cheapest landline plan available in my area (ie. Verizon has a $2.99/month plan here |
Sounds too good to be true. We do not have Verizon here, but the 'new' ATT and with all taxes, fees and surcharges the bare bone land line costs $ 25.-. That's why I got rid off it, not because I love MJ or any other VOIP. |
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speaker2112
MagicJack User
Joined: 28 Dec 2009
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:31 am Post subject: |
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| cell14 wrote: | | Quote: | | order cheapest landline plan available in my area (ie. Verizon has a $2.99/month plan here |
Sounds too good to be true. We do not have Verizon here, but the 'new' ATT and with all taxes, fees and surcharges the bare bone land line costs $ 25.-. That's why I got rid off it, not because I love MJ or any other VOIP. |
Yeah, you're right. I called Verizon and found out the minimum charge for a phone number with dial tone would be about $24, which is roughly $16 for the basic service and $8 for surcharges, taxes and fees. And this is without making any outgoing calls either! With this plan, every call is extra.
To get unlimited nationwide calling it's minimum $48/month, and that's w/o any extras like call-waiting, caller-ID, etc... You just reminded me why I'm not getting a landline. Even if MJ isn't always perfect, it's very good value for the price - as long as I can make most calls problem-free. |
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