BajaNomad

Magic Jack working like a charm in Asuncion....sooo cool

shari - 7-3-2009 at 08:01 AM

Thanks to Ibannie...who turned us on to MajicJack...she told us about how for $30 a year...you can hook up this little gizmo to your computer USB port and make all the dang calls ya want to harrass your family and friends in the USA and Canada...call em every hour to brag about the halibut ya just caught off the beach...how cold the margaritas are...how great the surf is...etc etc....it'll drive em nuts.
I got my gizmo last night delivered by bajaboy transport and it is so cool. So we now have a san diego phone number for anyone who wants to give us a buzz...er call...619-906-8438.
If you call me and leave a voice message i can call you back free...i'm gonna call all my pals today.
You can take your gizmo on the road with ya....like down to baja and keep in touch via phone for free with your family back home. This is one of those...too good to believe...things but seems to work just fine for now.

Geo_Skip - 7-3-2009 at 08:13 AM

Excellent news Shari! I'm sure that it will make calling Sirena easier! I was glad to hear about her time up working at the aquarium again. While I would not wish that you BE closer to San Diego, the local phone will be a great help. Congratulations. By best to all those lucky enough to be in Asuncion now..

A few specs on the equipment would be nice. I want one for my next trip too!

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 08:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
Thanks to Ibannie...who turned us on to MajicJack...she told us about how for $30 a year...


Really? Mine works great at $59.00 for five years. Go on their site and see the add.

woody with a view - 7-3-2009 at 08:17 AM

that's cool!

shari - 7-3-2009 at 08:19 AM

I only got the year tryout in case new technology comes out...just got my first call from the Woodman...this is so awesome!

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 08:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
You can take your gizmo on the road with ya....like down to baja and keep in touch via phone for free with your family back home. This is one of those...too good to believe...things but seems to work just fine for now.


Can you do that, Shari? I thought I had to install it on my computer. Then again, I may have done whatever I had to do after leaving Sharky's so there's no tellin' what I did.

shari - 7-3-2009 at 08:23 AM

i have mine on my laptop...i'm gonna try another laptop to see if it works on another computer too. IBannie was using hers on the wireless connection from our campground.
here is what the website says about use on other computers

YES. magicJack is a portable device and may be used on multiple computers.

magicJack may be used on any Windows XP, Windows Vista or Intel-based MACs. You will not have to register your magicJack again.

Simply plug your magicJack into the new computer and wait for the software to appear and you will be able to make and receive calls within moments.

Only one magicJack may be used on a computer at a time.

magicJack is ideal for traveling.





[Edited on 7-3-2009 by shari]

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 08:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
IBannie was using hers on the wireless connection from our campground.



WOW....What could be better. Betcha Carlos Slim loves to see this.

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 08:30 AM

Thanks, Shari. It's a pre-Sharky's learning experience.

Iflyfish - 7-3-2009 at 08:32 AM

How cool is that!! Our kids in CA are using this too. This is huge for you guys. I will give you a call!!

Iflyfish

karenintx - 7-3-2009 at 08:32 AM

To make the Magic Jack work on an other computer you will need to plug your "MJ" into the USB port...it will automatically download the software needed to make the calls from that computer. Sometimes it can take a few minutes.

We have used our "MJ" in several countries and love it.

MJ

Lee - 7-3-2009 at 08:52 AM

Share my MJ with a PC and it works fine on my Mac. We have 2 separate numbers -- because of 2 laptops. And it works fine most of the time.

Sometimes, from BCS, it won't connect with the Norte number being called.

When I've called from up North to Pescadero, reception is fine from Pescadero but there is definitely an echo from my end and a lag.

Otherwise, for the price and convenience of having a Norte number that rings in BCS, it's great.

shari - 7-3-2009 at 09:47 AM

I just talked to some family members in Canada and it was fine...even got an incoming call, put mom on hold and she got musac too...wonderful new toy. It is very nice to be able to chat with family and friends whenever I want.

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 10:10 AM

The only drawback is that you have to have your computer on to receive calls.

Although, they do have voicemail. It sends you an email when there's a message in your box.

[Edited on 7-3-2009 by DENNIS]

ibannie - 7-3-2009 at 11:00 AM

oh good, Shari! I am glad you got it and it works great from there still. We used it down in Los Barriles too - and all over the USA. Just finished the 1st year and bought the $59 deal. They don't warn you when your year is done - it just stops working - so make sure you mark the date to renew on time:)

Yep - take the little do-hicky along with you and install it on any computer. There is an adjustment if you go between Mac and PC, so watch out for that..... otherwise its just great.

I have a serious case of IMA (I miss Baja!)
Annie

toneart - 7-3-2009 at 11:08 AM

I don't have a phone line in Mulege. (Can't get one because underground wiring is required within my park, so it would be costly. Not enough neighbors want to chip in). So I receive the internet by way of a router in a neighbor's house who is on the river road and has a phone line. Because of distance and block walls, I have to sit in front of a window that has an unobstructed pathway to the router. It is wireless, but it is v-e-r-y s-l-o-w.

My question: would Magic Jack work under those circumstances. Another thing, my laptop is a MAC ibook G4.

ibannie - 7-3-2009 at 11:18 AM

It works on a Macbook - thats what I have when we travel - also works on the pc at home. Not too sure about the slow connection though. Try getting a receiver booster to increase your connection level, then it would be ok. When I get a slow connection the phone sounds scratchy which makes it almost not worth the aggravation.

Sharksbaja - 7-3-2009 at 11:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ibannie
I have a serious case of IMA (I miss Baja!)
Annie


Ummm I thinks that is "IMB"

and it's epidemic!:(

karenintx - 7-3-2009 at 11:22 AM

From our travels and piggybacking on wirless routers, I would said you would have some problems. The slower the connection the worse the sound and some feedback. The hubby would use "MJ" @ the Marriott in Quito. Since it was wirless hotel sometimes it was good and other times it was bad...that is when he would use Yahoo Messenger, Skype or an other VOIP.

ibannie - 7-3-2009 at 11:26 AM

see? Brain non functional outside Baja! IMB......... :(

shari - 7-3-2009 at 11:30 AM

This is a great example of Nomads helping other nomads improve our quality of life....thanks again for turning us onto this great deal...so nice to keep in touch with loved ones when we are so far away.

bonanza bucko - 7-3-2009 at 11:43 AM

Please tell me if Magic Jack has degraded sound on the uplink via a Satellite Internet connection as some other VOIP telecom links do. The band width on the uplink is usually only about 56KB/second while the downlink is usually about 5MB/seccond....so your voice on the US end if you are calling from Baja is garbled.

SKYPE had that problem early on but it's better now...not perfect but OK. Would be nice if Magic Jack solved it.
:bounce:

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 11:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bonanza bucko
Please tell me if Magic Jack has degraded sound on the uplink via a Satellite Internet connection as some other VOIP telecom links do. The band width on the uplink is usually only about 56KB/second while the downlink is usually about 5MB/seccond....so your voice on the US end if you are calling from Baja is garbled.

SKYPE had that problem early on but it's better now...not perfect but OK. Would be nice if Magic Jack solved it.
:bounce:


I live not too far below you. BB, and the voice quality on my long distance calls is perfect. No break up...no lag. Whenever I want to know the weather in the Phillipines, I just call my bank, WAMU. Voice quality is perfect, save for a
slight Tagalog accent.



OOPS...I see your reference to sat internet. Mine is a land line. Sorry.

[Edited on 7-3-2009 by DENNIS]

astrobaja - 7-3-2009 at 11:57 AM

Hi,

I'd like to hear how it works on satellite internet as well. I have a Starband setup and when using Skype the inherent jitter and lag makes it useless about 50% of the time, often even when the other end is intelligible they cannot hear me very well at all. So I'm wondering how it will work compared to Skype.

Mike

shari - 7-3-2009 at 12:32 PM

i dont think i works with satellite internet. When i talk on the phone via MJ, it is not like skypes one way converstations...it's like a real phone call.

DENNIS - 7-3-2009 at 12:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
i dont think i works with satellite internet. When i talk on the phone via MJ, it is not like skypes one way converstations...it's like a real phone call.



I think it does but, not well. I've heard complaints here about lag time and break-up. I'll ask around and get back.

SKIDS - 7-3-2009 at 06:28 PM

Shari, Great info. what type of internet service do you use ?

Magic Jack Works OK with Hughes Satellite

MrBillM - 7-3-2009 at 07:49 PM

On the lowest level of purchase, although there are times when the Hughes Net slows down and there are breakups in the outgoing (upload) conversation. At all times, the incoming sounds fine, but this is typical with Hughes (at least that level of service).

In any case, it is well worth the investment. In one instance, I needed to call a customer service line and I was on for about twenty minutes with NO problems.

ncampion - 7-3-2009 at 08:12 PM

Anybody have any experience with MJ use on a 3G internet connection?

jorgie - 7-4-2009 at 06:35 AM

just did skype to black jack , Shari . they are away but the reception was very good , no way could i write fast enough to copy down the cell number !!

larryC - 7-4-2009 at 06:59 AM

As far as MJ and sattelite, I have starband and tried MJ in January and it didn't work very well, but Skype didn't either for most people. Starband has done something to the network since then and skype works alot of the time so I suspect MJ will also. For the low initial cost, if it doesn't work at least you are not out too much money. Not sure what will happen when starband goes to the new satellite. In trying to help others get their skype working I have found that if your computer is clogged with too much stuff that it slows it down too much, causing an already marginal service to be unusable, meaning voip on starband. I don't know anything about Hughes but I suspect it would be a similar problem.
Larry

tigerdog - 7-5-2009 at 02:08 AM

My question is, if you don't have a phone line to plug MJ into does it still work? So I would be sending/receiving directly from my laptop? If so, what are the steps you have to take for that to work?

With Skype, for instance, I just plug my headphone into my laptop, dial the number and chat away. So with MJ, can I just use my laptop in a similar way?

larryC - 7-5-2009 at 07:53 AM

Tiger
MJ plugs into your USB port and then your phone plugs into the MJ.
Hope this helps,
Larry

tigerdog - 7-5-2009 at 08:37 AM

Thanks Larry. Color me dense this morning...

So you have to actually have a phone to plug into? As opposed to simply a headset?

This would not be helpful to me when I'm traveling, then, since I often stay at places that do have WiFi but no phones and my only phone is a cell phone. Guess I'll have to stick to Skype, which works but is becoming increasingly annoying and expensive (relatively speaking).

comitan - 7-5-2009 at 10:48 AM

tigerdog


Just a phone any phone, not hooked into a line.

dccf - 7-5-2009 at 11:26 AM

Shari,

Don't forget to put your MJ number on your website.

tigerdog - 7-5-2009 at 11:28 AM

Thank you, comitan.

RetiredGolf1 - 7-5-2009 at 12:00 PM

So it seems like the mj is pretty easy to hook up. What about the extra "cost" having the pc on 24/7.. is that worth mentioning at all? My wife and I are moving down to baja hopefully sometime soon this year and I would really like to figure all these options out now before going down there. I have a Compaq laptop, she has a new Mac Ibook. cam we get one mj that is compatable with both so we don't need to have both laptops running all the time?

DENNIS - 7-5-2009 at 12:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RetiredGolf1
So it seems like the mj is pretty easy to hook up. What about the extra "cost" having the pc on 24/7.. is that worth mentioning at all?


I mentioned above that it has to be on to receive calls. It's not for everyone. My use is for calling out...to the states and for that, it's good. If I had incoming calls that I couldn't afford to miss, I'd probably have Vonage.
I also mentioned that it has voice mail. The computer doesn't have to be on to record these. MJ sends an email when there's a VM in your box.

shari - 7-5-2009 at 07:40 PM

MJ can also be used with a headset and there is a little phone number pad you can dial from the computer too. It's fine for me that incoming calls go to voice mail when my computer isnt on...i can call them back.

DENNIS - 7-5-2009 at 08:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
It's fine for me that incoming calls go to voice mail when my computer isnt on...i can call them back.


Yeah....That's my idea too. Like I said...It's not for everybody.

Al G - 7-5-2009 at 09:00 PM

I believe most questions have been answer correctly, but some not clearly. I have had my magic Jack almost two years and have used it a lot.
Telephone: for home use this is the biggest advantage in my case. To make it a little clearer... you buy a standard walk around hand set with recharge base. This allows you to talk to someone while you are on the patio and your computer is in your office or living room. I carry my hand set while outside. I think it is 900MHz and thought it would mess with my wireless internet, but it did not. I start my computer early in the morning (stock Market) and it remains on until 7-8 pm. It would be on without MJ...so no difference there. When I do travel I use a head set...a quick change in the dial panel, will make MJ recognize the head set. MJ must remain connected via USB, but line to hand set base does not.
Satellite: time of day is important...you will have to learn when the off peak hours are. Works for out going call best.
Also for any call, close all internet connections as this uses bandwidth.
When giving out your US number inform all, the hours of day your computer is on, and all other calls will go to voice mail/email.
MJ works on all computers with USB port, as far as I know,
because all the software is inside (on a ROM chip) the little USB box you plug in.
as an early adopter I only got 4 years for $59...the early bird does not always get the worm:biggrin:

DENNIS - 7-5-2009 at 09:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Al G
I only got 4 years for $59...the early bird does not always get the worm:biggrin:



That's OK, AL..........The sale price only gives you one more year.
Jeezo....It's a good thing they don't have a twenty year deal. At our age, that might be a bad investment.

Anyway....good to see you.

Hook - 7-6-2009 at 07:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by comitan
tigerdog


Just a phone any phone, not hooked into a line.


HUH???

How would a cell phone talk to the Magic Jack jack?

Al G - 7-6-2009 at 07:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Quote:
Originally posted by comitan
tigerdog


Just a phone any phone, not hooked into a line.


HUH???

How would a cell phone talk to the Magic Jack jack?

It won't as that is the first thing I asked...at the time I only had a cell.

edit for stumpy fingers

[Edited on 7-6-2009 by Al G]

OLIGUACOMOLE - 7-6-2009 at 08:54 AM

We have had a Magic Jack at the bar for six months. We have a Huges satelite for internet service. The Magic Jack sworks well about 20% of the time. 50% of the time works well and 30% not so well. Usually the incoming call is ok for me, but the outgoing sometimes is garbled! It is sometimes like Major Tom to ground control!

The problem is the upload. I still have the basic service from Hughes. By upgrading(paying more) the downlaod and important upload speeds are greater. This should/will help with the Magic Jack reception. One of my friends has skype on his iPhone and it works through our internet.

FYI Buenaventura/Smugglers Cove offers free internet service for those with their own devices. It is open and no password is required.

mulege

mulege marv - 7-6-2009 at 10:12 AM

have mj in mulege (we have dsl) works great. way out performs skype and way cheaper than anything on the market.