magicJack and magicJack Plus Support, Reviews, FAQs and Hacks

Jimmers · MagicJack Newbie Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 6

I have installed Magic Jack for my friends, family, and other acquaintances.
So far I estimate the total installs at around 15.

Out of these installs some have worked great and others have been a disaster.
The common problems are low-volume, breaking up, noise in the background, and so on.
Basically most of the problems I read on this forum can be resolved by using my simple fix.

Now don't ask me why but I'm finding Magic Jack does not like newer computers. Especially the newer sound cards.

So before returning Magic Jack or giving up I suggest this fix that has worked each and every time for me.

Go out and find an older PC that has just enough power to run Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Install a Fresh Copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Nothing Else!

Now of course you will need to set up a network using a router or hub.
Once you have verified that you have an Internet connection, simply install Magic Jack on the older computer.

The older computer should be dedicated to Magic Jack. Nothing else! Nothing running in the background.
You can also find an old monitor to use. And as far as using a screen saver simply use the default Windows XP screensaver.

By using an older computer and making its only function to be running Magic Jack you will find this will fix about 99% of your problems. I've really had no problems finding old computers and old monitors to use. If you don't know anyone who has an old computer laying around the house you can probably pick one up for $100 or less. The only criteria I found is the computer has to be just fast enough to support Windows XP.

My current setup for Magic Jack is an old Dell Computer, 466 MHz, with 256 MB of RAM. I'm also using an old Gateway 2000 17 inch monitor. This computer is set off to the side and is never turned off. As well as the monitor. It has no virus protection running. I have it networked using one of the cheapest routers I could find at Best Buy. About once a month I will reboot the computer. Other than that it just sits there running Magic Jack.

Magic Jack runs flawlessly on this old computer. By the way I forgot to mention I even found an old set of computer speakers. My telephone is an old telephone someone gave me. However I have used a new set of cordless phones on it as well.

Like I said before, before you give up or decided to throw away Magic Jack in the trash can ask a friend or neighbor if they have an old junk computer laying around. Just make sure you wipe the system out and install a fresh copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 2. Set up a network, install Magic Jack, plug in your phone and away you go.

Remember, your old PC should be dedicated to running Magic Jack and absolutely nothing else. It's been almost a year now and I've never turned off the computer or the monitor. Like I said before I reboot the computer about once a month. You'll be totally amazed how well Magic Jack works on the old computer with nothing running in the background except Windows XP default screensaver.

I stumbled on this method because I had a new computer when I first got Magic Jack. I had all kinds of problems. Especially when I was talking on the phone it would start acting up when I had applications running. Even when Microsoft outlook would check mail, Magic Jack would cut out on me. I was very frustrated and was about to get rid of Magic Jack because it was such a pain using it on my main computer. Luckily I had an old Dell Computer with an old Gateway 2000 monitor just laying around. Ever since then I couldn't be more happier with Magic Jack.

I hope this helps.

nostrodamus · MagicJack Contributor Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 66

Let me just add one suggestion to the previous post..... Rather than using a standard installation of Windows XP, you can either strip down a customized installation with nlite, or look for a preconfigured version called "micro XP" which is truly bare bones. There's also something out there called "Windows MFP" which can be found on bit torrent sites, but was never released to a retail market. It was designed to run on thin clients or legacy PC's, so it might work for you. Didn't like my hardware for some reason, so I went with the stripped down XP.

Been running MagicJack (and nothing else) on my old Celeron 333mhz paperweight for several weeks now, with no problems.

steve1975 · magicJack Apprentice Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 20

hardly difficult high tech

Matt9876 · Dan Should Pay Me Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 504

Quote by Jimmers:"Magic Jack runs flawlessly on this old computer. "

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Same thing I have discovered,older machines make great MagicJack servers. Smile

solearth · magicJack Apprentice Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 17

If you leave a dedicated computer on all of the time, the additional electricity expanse would cost more than contracting an unlimited service and using an ATA. If your computer consumes only 250 watts while operating, at 10 cents per kwh, that would cost an additional $18.00 monthly.
A notebook computer, with an 80 watt power supply, is drawing less than 1/3 the power of the desktop. Subsequently, about 1/3 of the expense on the electric bill.
This may not be a perfect solution, but I am forwarding my MJ number to another company with unlimited free incoming. The ATA draws very little power. By forwarding the call to another box, I can still call out on the MJ even if an incoming call is active.

chad · magicJack Apprentice Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 24

Solearth
you setting seems interesting If you could expand on it for those of us who are less savvy
thanks

V · MagicJack Newbie Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

The old computer thing is on the right track, but to do the job right--that is--completely, with "most minimal," spacial and carbon footprint, go here: unofficialmagicjack2.proboards104.com and introduce yourself to GTHolman, in my opinion, the Supreme Kahuna of the civilian MagicJack realm. He has perfected the ultimate installation for the MJ. I call it the "MagicJack in the Box." It's fan-damn-tastic--using a little HP appliance called a "Thin Client" which is a book-size computer that runs the pared-down version of Windows XT and keeps the MJ isolated from your other computers so all stay stable. It has no moving parts and requires the least energy of any option available.
He offers a turnkey solution that though it will add to your initial outlay, considering the potential savings, it's well worth it.
I had my RMA printed and the MJ ready to return when I discovered Holman and the Jack-in-the-Box. I still have my MJ, nobody would know, but I can't help bragging about not paying Bellsouth for a landline anymore!!

fparkin · MagicJack Newbie Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 2

i agree use older machine Magicjack works fine

JohnnyFreightTRAIN · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject:

We have talked about using the magicjack on dedicated computers for quite some time now. It's nothing new. Several people are doing it right now.

The thinclient isn't new either, GTHolman is actually a member of this forum and created the other one because this one was getting too slow. Wink

rick.1973 · MagicJack Newbie Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Posts: 6

Im running vista ultimate as my main OS, i have only 1 issue with MJ and that is the voice mail, when ppl leave a message they say alot of static and when go to listen to the message it cuts out after 3seconds,i dont even get to hear the rest of it.

I am also running VPC 2007 with xp sp3, i wonder if i ran MJ on it would it fix that issue?

docooo · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:48 am Post subject:

Install a Fresh Copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Nothing Else!

The problem with this is that you are leaving this computer and
all other computers on your lan wide open for attic as the computer
will not have the updates and it seems you can not just get SP2
updates anymore on MS update ...

Doc
>

greeky · MagicJack Newbie Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

This is a good plan. I did this a month ago on an IBM Thinkpad T40 running XP with SP3. It is a full version of XP with nothing stripped. I tweak heavily to reduce what services run on startup. I left windows firewall running and also did not disable UPNP. That way MJ can configure its own firewall rule and the laptop stays somewhat protected on my home LAN.

The laptop sits with the lid closed in a docking station. I use VNC to remotely connect to it when needed. I configured the power profile software on the laptop for its lowest setting. That drops the CPU usage from 1600mhz down to 600mhz. No problem for MJ. I configured the task scheduler to reboot the laptop every night at 4am.

If you'd like to setup your own reboot daily task, use the following command in the RUN line --> C:\WINDOWS\system32\shutdown.exe -r -t 1

I don't like to have single use computers, so I am trying to find additional purposes for this MJ laptop. I recently started using OpenDNS and run their updater here. I also installed Cain & Abel to record MJ calls. Search the site for instructions on how to do this. The hard drive is only 40GB, but I shared a folder on it and backup my USB stick to it nightly so that data isn't gone when I lose the thumb drive.

The importance of using a separate PC for the MJ was huge. Prior to that I think I had to restart the MJ several times a day. I have been avoiding getting a land line since moving 3 yrs ago and between our cell phones and MJ, I feel like our needs are met with this combination of services.

The other thing I did to make calls crystal clear was installing the Tomato firmware on my Buffalo router. Per instructions on this site, I configured QOS and gave the MAC address of my MJ laptop highest priority. I also gave ports 5060 & 5070 high priority.

LEIN669 · MagicJack Newbie Joined: 18 Nov 2008 Posts: 2

[quote="Jimmers"]Now don't ask me why but I'm finding Magic Jack does not like newer computers. Especially the newer sound cards.

So before returning Magic Jack or giving up I suggest this fix that has worked each and every time for me.

Go out and find an older PC that has just enough power to run Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Install a Fresh Copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Nothing Else!
================================================
I did this a while back using XP SP 1 and it's working good. Not sure why some are saying go to SP 2. Any benifit with SP 2 vs. SP 1? Here is how and why I'm using MJ at work..

I ordered Magic Jack for a back up emergency phone due to many fiber line cuts which knock out our long distance. I installed XP SP1 with no other software on the laptop. Also using FireFox web browser for no junk ads on the Magic Jack screen. I then ran a dedicated Cat 5 cable direct from the Comcast modem - router to the laptop computer. So it's basically hooked to a dedicated computer with only the XP SP1 operating system on the computer, I uninstalled all unnecessary software. We have already used this Magic Jack for two fiber cuts in the past 3 months.. Fiber cuts has forced us to use this for all emergency long distance calls, so far it has work OK. AT&T and Verizon use this to call use when there is a fiber cut and they cannot call us on the traditional landline phones to tell us of fiber and circuit troubles. Before Magic Jack we had no long distance service during outages. Note: It�s working okay since this email.

magicJack and magicJack Plus Support, Reviews, FAQs and Hacks

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