Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: south carolina
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I have one iBook G4 with OS version 10.4.5, and another iBook with OS version 10.3.9.
I am thinking of starting to use VOIP, such as skype, for my phone calls. (We have lousy phone service in our area.) Should I buy a usb phone or a headset + microphone? Do all usb phones work on the mac? The macs are wifi-ed in our house, can I take advantage of that? I would appreciate any comments or advice. |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
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I looked into those USB phones a few months ago, and there was only one that worked with the Mac, and then only with internal beta drivers (that may have been released by now). Unfortunatly I don't remember which.
I recommend that you look into SIP or IAX clients with a service like Broadvoice instead of Skype. JackenIAX is a really nifty IAX client (softphone), and you could use it with a bluetooth headset (or a USB one). The reason I recommend IAX or SIP, is that these are industry standard systems, and you can easily switch service providers, or even set up an asterisk server and configure your own PBX - you have lots of options. Skype on the other hand, is a closed system, which is not standard, and is not compatable with other services and the growing range of IAX and SIP hardware. Edit: Just to clarify, there are industry standard VOIP protocols, which allow for interoperability between a huge variety of software and hardware. Skype is not one of these standards, and if you go with skype you will be essentially locked into their system and skype specific hardware. Last edited by rminkler : 2006-03-15 at 14:11. |
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M AH - ch ain saw
Join Date: May 2004
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I think a Bluetooth USB headset would be prime, you can sit on the couch while the computer sits on your desk. Beaut.
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Passing by
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London, Europe
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http://ga.rgoyle.com
Join Date: May 2004
Location: In your dock hiding behind your finder icon!
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Have a go at installing Asterix! Not sure if there are any USB adaptor cards, but I am sure there are some ethernet ones... Anyway, all the info will be available from that link.
OK, I have given up keeping this sig up to date. Lets just say I'm the guy that installs every latest version as soon as its available! |
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Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472 Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
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I'm not sure if you only wanted info for computer based VoIP solutions but here's my input. I use Vonage and have been for years now. I have two lines with them and service is great. My mom also uses Vonage at her home in Charleston SC. It is hooked into her home wiring so she didn't have to upgrade the old answering machine they have (It uses cassette tapes). There is a "soft phone" with Vonage, but don't know if it works with Mac or not. (I don't use it, just know it is there.)
Price is great too, unlimited incoming and 500 minutes for about $18 or $27 for unlimited outbound (after taxes, etc.) It seems to be free for other VoIP services too. I call my voicemail which is IP based and it doesn't count toward my minutes. Since the phone adapters are ethernet devices it won't matter that you use a Mac. Hope that helps. Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it. |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: south carolina
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Regarding vonage, incoming calls go through the vonage box,
even if we have detatched our computers from the network? We have DSL through our local phone company, but for some reason, it often happens that we have no dial tone for phone calls, but we still have DSL. Do you think the vonage line would work in this situation? It sounds great if that is the case. |
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Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472 Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
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Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it. |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: south carolina
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give it an advantage? With BroadVoice I have to buy a headset or USB phone and plug it into my computer, and I cannot be in the kitchen while talking. But if I go with BroadVoice, what phone works well with my iBook? By the way, thanks for the help with all my stupid questions; I really appreciate it. |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
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http://www.iptel.org/info/products/sipphones.php This is a list of phones (for hard-phones, scroll down past soft-phones). Some are telephone adapters, so they are just boxes with an ethernet port and a telephone port, and you plug any phone into them, and others are full fledged telephones. There are even phones coming out now or soon that look like cell phones and connect to wifi networks. Usually these devices are configured the same way that a router is configured - you go to a computer on the same network and type the IP address of the phone into your browser, and then a web-based configuration utility pops up (this way is best because it's platform independent). Edit: The cool thing is that the service provider sees no difference between a hard-phone and a soft-phone, so you are free to switch back and forth as your needs shift. Both are simply SIP or IAX telephones. |
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Now in lower-case™!
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Are there any cordless ones that work with macs yet? Or does anyone have information on ones that might be coming out soon?
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Now in lower-case™!
Join Date: Feb 2006
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BUMP! Any one know the answer to my question above? I have been searching and can't find one that plugs in via usb and then the actual phone is cordless like a regular land line style cordless phone. Thanks in advance!
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