Skype without PC??

Hi All,

Have you found a gizmo that allows this, to use a "normal" phone (or even fax) through Skype (Out) services? The simpler, the better, pls.

TIA, JBR

Reply to
BigBen
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Impossible. Skype is just a bit of P2P software, you need a computer to use it (as you do for IM and other similar programs). You can run a version on a PDA.

What you need is Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) plugged to ethernet port on your router and a SIP service provider. Or you can get a router with built in ATA / SIP VoIP port(s) e.g. Draytek Vigor 2500V / 2600V / 2900V / Zyxel

2602HW(L) / Zoom X5V. Regards, Martin
Reply to
Martin²

This seems like a huge market oportunity for someone coming up with a "phone" capable of running this P2P software, (updatable, naturally)

Several friends of mine use Skype, none uses a SIP provider ...

SkypeIn numbers, in several countries, although yet not in mine, is something I'm very interested in. Do SIP providers provide that?

The 2 SIP providers based in my country - Portugal - which I've tried, have been a total disapointment to me so far - more than ounce I've tried making a call through one of these SIP providers, I can hear the called phone ringing, and apparently the call is not completed. Next, I dial the same number using Skype, make the call on the first attempt, and have a loud and clear conversation ...

Thank you very much for the info!

Cheers, JBR

Reply to
BigBen

You may use a new solution. Peercall, that is a normal phone and just a simple VoIP phone have its own no. Better to buy an adaptor and use your normal telephone. Archifone, SIP/H.323 phone, you can have services to call to any normal phone no. with calling rate. can use with mynetfone.

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I had bought from them and very good quality. And there is a free software version as well.

Reply to
NEP

You may use a new solution. Peercall, that is a normal phone and just a simple VoIP phone have its own no. Better THAN buy an adaptor and use your normal telephone. Archifone, SIP/H.323 phone, you can haveSIP services to call to any normal phone no. with calling rate. can use with any SIP Provider.

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I had bought from them and very good quality. And there is a free software version as well. They apply the SIP services and setup for me as well.

Reply to
NEP

If you are within Australia, you better the SIP services here, it is fanastic.

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And try out the link above of the software phone, that is free and also very good quality.

Reply to
NEP

To do that you'd need the source code, which Skype are not about to release.

Why does it *have* to be Skype..? There are a whole load of other (and IMHO better) services out there.

Ivor

Reply to
Ivor Jones

Well, SkypeIn in several countries seems very attractive to me. I know any other provider ofering that

My experience with Skype, is that even now, that I don't have broad band for a few weeks, I can still make perfect calls, which I can not say the SIP provider I (also) use.

Regards, JBR

Reply to
BigBen

BigBen:

The beauty of VoIP is that you can use SIP provider just about anywhere in the world. You can get a US SIP provider to give you a free US number, same in UK, Germany etc. There may be some hurdles to overcame, e.g. you may need to use a local proxy server to register for the service, also make payment in foreign currency etc. Regards, Martin

Reply to
Martin²

Indeed ... I'm temporally without broadband, and when get back to using it, my upload speed won't higher than 128 Kbps.

While I could make perfect calls using Skype, I could hardly talk to the tech support of the PT Sip provider I'm now using ... Imagine if the connection had to go to somewhere further away ...

I do like very much the possibility of using an ATA converter, be able to send/receive faxes over VoIP - and that Skype won't allow (at least so far).

Right, but I'm not interested in using a collection of SIP providers. Do you know any that will get me numbers in several countries - US, UK. NL, FR, and since we're at it, PT

One disadvantage of Skype I must admit, is their tech spport is practically non existant :-(

What are talking about??

I'm used to that already - I get many bicycle parts from the UK, other bits and pieces from the US (mostly when cousins are coming over), etc.

Call me what you like, but I'm appalled by the existing multitude of SIP providers :-()

Regards, JBR

Reply to
BigBen

maybe it is a good opportunity to show then how easy it is.

of course. From many you can even get a telephone number for free.

as a start, try e.g. FreeWorldDialup. What makes a difference is which software/hardware you use, because with SIP you do have the choice. X-lite might be a good starting point.

Reply to
Georg Schwarz

I am also using ADSL 1024/128 kbps and I have so problems with SIP. Maybe your SIP provider and/or your SIP client does not work too well.

receiving faxes over VoIP makes little sense. There are providers who give you a dedicated Fax number and forward to you any incoming faxes (in e.g. PDF, TIFF, etc.) by email to the email address you specify. Some of them are even doing so for free. I know such offeres in Germany, Austria, and the US.

with the right software, e.g. X-Litte, you can stay registered with several SIP proxies at the same time. All you need to do is configure each SIP proxy once.

you get what you pay for. And besides, it's not only closed source, even worse it's also uan ndocumented non-standard protocol.

well, for the services I tried so far, none of this was necessary. (yes, I am behind a NAT)

Reply to
Georg Schwarz

Ok, an example, Sipgate.co.uk will give you a free UK number (you get a choice of area code) if you register from a UK IP range, so if you are outside UK, you have to register from via an UK proxy server. Same for sipgate.de . There is an US provider with free Washington numbers, can't remember the name right now. Regards, Martin

Reply to
Martin²

And if you have a static, routable address for your voip phone they will even route directly to your phone -- no need for a SIP provider at all.

Great service!

Agreed!

Although a think their success might be causing the network connection to saturate once in a while, causing a few seconds of drop-out. I don't notice as many drop outs when I get sip calls from my colorado-based for-pay provider.

-wolfgang

Reply to
Wolfgang S. Rupprecht

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- Washington State (360 area code) numbers. They plug Free World Dialup on the site but you can route to any SIP provider.

Works well.

Ivor

Reply to
Ivor Jones

In contrast, I have made ONE good call with SkypeOut. The sound quality was perfect. But that was after three attempts to the same number where it rang and they picked up but there was NO audio either way. Since then, about ten more tries. To PSTN lines, either NO audio, or audio only one-way. To a Vonage phone number, audio quality mediocre but there's an amazing delay. Sure, Skype and Vonage are "out of this world" but do the calls have to sound like the server is on the moon?

I have read five to ten complaints similar to mine, and five to ten rave reviews. My conclusion is that we are the top and bottom two percent, and 96% have something they can tolerate because it's cheap.

Reply to
Wes Groleau

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