blocking skype

If you want to know how hard it is to block Skype read this article. There were claims in the comments section about people being able to block skype but I have not seen anything for real. Your best bet would be to start up some really big downloads on your computer and that will mess up his ability to talk.

astormchaser

Is the internet connection yours, or a shared resource? If it's shared, then the answer is: you don't.

If it's yours and you are not otherwise compensated, then you are free to place restrictions. With Skype, the easiest solution is to simply deny all access during certain time periods, Skype goes out of it's way to be difficult to block, so the appropriate response is to "pull the plug" (figuratively or literally, I'm a fan of simply rejecting all unwanted traffic)

Do you want to stop only skype, or are you cool with stoppping all internet access after midnight or whatever?

Did you try asking them to keep the noise down? Its usually hte best way to solve interpersonal problems. Nuking their phoneline will just piss them off, and one day you'll find a dead mouse in your soup.

Anyway... who owns the connection, ie what name is on the contract?

If you're the contract holder, give your mate a warning and he he/she doesn't heed it then power off the router at midnight. Many routers have a "stop internet" button in their Admin GUI, so you could use that. Worst case, remove the power lead.

If the flatmate is the contract holder, they can do what the heck they like, its their bill. Tell them you're moving out unless they become sociable, and tell them you'll warn future tenants of their bad habits.

Whatever happened to just politely reminding them that there are other people living there who are being disturbed?

Adam Chapman hath wroth:

No. It can be done with specific firewalls that have a blocking feature, but with your commodity router, it can't be easily done. See:

The reason he talks loudy is that his earphone volume is probably too low or his sidetone level (hearing himself speak) is too low or missing. His brain assumes that if he can't hear himself, nobody else can. Sidetone level is a problem because Skype and other VoIP service have none. I've done the trick by constructing an external hybrid and mixer, but that might be a bit much for most users. It might also be done in software using the sound card mixer, but I haven't figured out how to do it.

I've also experimented with a few friends to see if turning up the earphone and sidetone levels on a cell phone will reduce their tendency to yell into the microphone. So far, it works fairly well. However, when the other end of the connection drops out or garbles slightly, the user will again assume that they're not getting through and compensate by yelling into the microphone.

I've found that simply explaining this phenomenon to the perpetrator often results in a substantial improvement in their phone etiquette. If you want to panic the flatmate, suggest that his yelling into the microphone might be an indication that he's going deaf.

"Jeff Liebermann"

| If you want to panic the flatmate, suggest that his yelling into the | microphone might be an indication that he's going deaf.

Or a sign of pending impotence. FWIW worked with a friend that chain smoked.

"NotMe" hath wroth:

I don't currently have any friends that smoke. I'm 60 years old and the ones that smoked are long dead.

About 15 years ago, I decided to do something about the kids that were smoking. I would drag them for a tour of the local hospital with pre-arranged stops at lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, etc victims rooms. I didn't have to say much as the patients did most of the lecturing. Batting average for the 13 year olds was about 70%. The older kids were more resistant to seeing the obvious resulting in about a 30% batting average. The one's I've met years later have all thanked me for saving their health.

There's some truth that loud talking is a sign of hearing loss or neurological damage. One of my friends tends to talk rather loudly due to some kind of brain damage. It's weird. He says some whispering sounds exactly the same as someone yelling. We have various hand signals to advise him that he's talking too loud. My guess(tm) is that some people have the same problem, but to a much lesser degree.

I've also noticed that my musician friends all talk very quietly in person and into the cell phone. I don't know if this is a rule as the sample is rather small.

I also have some past experience in training roommates and other wild animals, but that's a bit too far off topic.

Thanks for the responsess, for all those that are saying im harsh, of course I have tried reasoning with him. Ive even got mad at him many times in the two months since he moved in.

Action speak louder than words, so if talking to him doesnt work im going to have to physically lay siege to his connection.

I guess i could just trip the fuse so the router goes off.

If it's your router and your flat, then just lay down the law; after midnight, unplug the router and hide it. Or throw him out and find a different flatmate.