Jittery Voices

[GA]

I am ready to send my MagicJack(s) (I have two) back. I have worked two days with the online tech chat people. I love the concept...but when I make a call the voice on the other end is jittery...sounds like a digital recording that skips. Also they have the same complaint on my end.

I want to keep at least one for my home-based business. But I will be embarrassed if I cannot get this figured out and fixed. The "chat" techs don't know and constantly give the same suggestions. I have two MACs that I want to use MagicJack on - one is a MacMini and the other a MacBook - both have only 1 GB memory.

I got a RMA number and have to return them before Nov. 6th. Anybody else have this same problem and figured a work-around? As I said, I may keep one of teh two anyway just as a back-up. Thanks in advance for any suggestions/hints.

Sorry if this has already been addressed elsewhere - I could not find it (if there are any).

[az2008]

I have two MACs that I want to use MagicJack on - one is a MacMini and the other a MacBook - both have only 1 GB memory.

Go here and report back what it reports about your VOIP capability:

http://myspeed.visualware.com/voip/index.html

On XP, I would recommend going into Task Manager and right-click on the majgicjack.exe process, and set its priority to High (to reduce the potential of choppiness if it's competing with other processes). I don't know if you have an equivalent option on Mac OS.

Finally, I'd find out if your router is capable of being flashed with Tomato or DD-WRT. I'd flash it (or buy a router that can be flashed), and use QoS to give priority to MJ traffic. I've done it with Tomato and it made a big difference for me (256kbs up, 1500kbs down).

I can't think of anything else. I believe it's either your system is overloaded with competing processes (anti-virus, firewall, etc.). Or, you have network problems, which QoS should help unless you have really bad latency (using a satellite ISP service).

Mark

[GA]

I am using it on my MacMini and have DSL with Bellsouth (now AT&T). Supposedly, I have 6.0 download speed but it seldom gets that high). I went to teh site you suggested and here are the results:

Download speed 3447 Kbps (socket test)
Upload speed 293 Kbps (socket test)
Quality of service 77 %
Maximum delay 157 ms
Round trip time 29 ms
Upstream jitter 1.9 ms
Upstream packet loss 0 %
Upstream packet order 100 %
Upstream discards 0 %
Downstream jitter 0.8 ms
Downstream packet loss 0 %
Downstream packet order 100 %
Downstream discards 0 %

[GA]

Cont'd

It looks like I have a high loss that may be causing the jittery effect - if I am reading the following correct (excuse the length):
Packet # Jitter
0 -1.5
1 -0.5
2 -2.5
3 -1.5
4 -0.5
5 -1.5
6 -2.5
7 -1.5
8 -1.5
9 -1.5
10 -1.5
11 -1.5
12 -1.5
13 -2.5
14 -1.5
15 -2.5
16 -1.5
17 -1.5
18 -1.5
19 -0.5
20 -1.5
21 -1.5
22 -1.5
23 -0.5
24 5.4
25 -0.5
26 -1.5
27 -2.5
28 -2.5
29 -1.5
30 -0.5
31 -1.5
32 -1.5
33 -2.5
34 -2.5
35 -2.5
36 -1.5
37 -1.5
38 -1.5
39 -1.5
40 -1.5
41 -2.5
42 -0.5
43 -1.5
44 -1.5
45 -1.5
46 -2.5
47 -1.5
48 -1.5
49 -1.5
50 -2.5
51 -1.5
52 -1.5
53 -2.5
54 -1.5
55 -1.5
56 -1.5
57 -1.5
58 -1.5
59 -1.5
60 -1.5
61 -1.5
62 -1.5
63 -1.5
64 -1.5
65 -1.5
66 -1.5
67 -1.5
68 -2.5
69 -1.5
70 -1.5
71 -1.5
72 -1.5
73 -2.5
74 -2.5
75 -1.5
76 -0.5
77 -0.5
78 -1.5
79 -1.5
80 -0.5
81 -1.5
82 -1.5
83 -1.5
84 -1.5
85 -1.5
86 -2.5
87 -1.5
88 -2.5
89 -1.5
90 -1.5
91 -1.5
92 -0.5
93 -1.5
94 -2.5
95 -0.5
96 -1.5
97 -1.5
98 -1.5
99 -1.5
100 -1.5
101 -1.5
102 -1.5
103 -1.5
104 -1.5
105 -1.5
106 -1.5
107 -1.5
108 -2.5
109 -1.5
110 -1.5
111 -1.5
112 9.4
113 20.4
114 5.4
115 -0.5
116 -1.5
117 -1.5
118 -0.5
119 -0.5
120 0.4
121 -1.5
122 -0.5
123 20.4
124 5.4
125 -1.5
126 2.4
127 -1.5
128 -0.5
129 -1.5
130 -1.5
131 -1.5
132 -1.5
133 18.4
134 2.4
135 -1.5
136 -1.5
137 -0.5
138 -1.5
139 -0.5
140 0.4
141 -1.5
142 11.4
143 20.4
144 4.4
145 -0.5
146 -1.5
147 -2.5
148 -1.5
149 -0.5
150 -0.5
151 5.4
152 6.4
153 9.4
154 -2.5
155 -1.5
156 -1.5
157 -1.5
158 -1.5
159 -1.5
160 -1.5
161 -1.5
162 1.4
163 12.4
164 -0.5
165 -0.5
166 -1.5
167 -0.5
168 -1.5
169 -0.5
170 -1.5
171 -0.5
172 11.4
173 -1.5
174 2.4
175 -1.5
176 0.4
177 -1.5
178 -1.5
179 -0.5
180 -0.5
181 -1.5
182 3.4
183 17.4
184 1.4
185 -1.5
186 -1.5
187 -0.5
188 -1.5
189 -1.5
190 -1.5
191 -1.5
192 20.4
193 22.4
194 6.4
195 -1.5
196 -1.5
197 -1.5
198 -1.5
199 -1.5
200 -2.5
201 10.4
202 16.4
203 2.4
204 -1.5
205 -1.5
206 -1.5
207 -1.5
208 -1.5
209 -1.5
210 -1.5
211 -1.5
212 15.4
213 14.4
214 0.4
215 -1.5
216 -1.5
217 -1.5
218 -1.5
219 -1.5
220 -2.5
221 -1.5
222 -1.5
223 10.4
224 -0.5
225 -2.5
226 -2.5
227 -1.5
228 -1.5
229 -1.5
230 -1.5
231 -1.5
232 -1.5
233 31.4
234 16.4
235 2.4
236 -1.5
237 -1.5
238 -0.5
239 -1.5
240 -2.5
241 11.4
242 16.4
243 14.4
244 -1.5
245 -2.5
246 -2.5
247 -1.5
248 -1.5
249 -1.5
250 -1.5
251 5.4
252 19.4
253 6.4
254 -1.5
255 -1.5
256 -1.5
257 -1.5
258 -1.5
259 -1.5
260 -0.5
261 -0.5
262 15.4
263 16.4
264 1.4
265 -0.5
266 -2.5
267 -0.5
268 -1.5
269 -1.5
270 -1.5
271 -0.5
272 13.4
273 9.4
274 -1.5
275 -1.5
276 -1.5
277 -1.5
278 -2.5
279 -1.5
280 -2.5
281 14.4
282 21.4
283 6.4
284 -1.5
285 -2.5
286 -0.5
287 -1.5
288 -1.5
289 -0.5
290 -1.5
291 -1.5
292 15.4
293 18.4
294 1.4
295 -1.5
296 -1.5
297 -1.5
298 0.4
299 -1.5
300 -1.5
301 -1.5
302 13.4
303 10.4
304 -1.5
305 -1.5
306 -2.5
307 -1.5
308 -1.5
309 -1.5
310 -1.5
311 -2.5
312 -1.5
313 -1.5
314 -1.5
315 -1.5
316 -1.5
317 -1.5
318 -0.5
319 -1.5
320 -1.5
321 -1.5
322 -1.5
323 -1.5
324 -1.5
325 -1.5
326 -0.5
327 4.4
328 -1.5
329 -1.5
330 -0.5
331 -1.5
332 -1.5
333 -1.5
334 -0.5
335 -1.5
336 -1.5
337 -0.5
338 -1.5
339 -1.5
340 -1.5
341 -0.5
342 -1.5
343 -0.5
344 -1.5
345 -1.5
346 -0.5
347 -1.5
348 -1.5
349 -1.5
350 -1.5
351 -1.5
352 -1.5
353 -1.5
354 -1.5
355 -1.5
356 -0.5
357 -1.5
358 -1.5
359 -1.5
360 -1.5
361 -1.5
362 -1.5
363 -1.5
364 -2.5
365 -1.5
366 -0.5
367 -1.5
368 -1.5
369 -0.5
370 -0.5
371 -0.5
372 -1.5
373 -1.5
374 -1.5
375 -1.5
376 -0.5
377 -0.5
378 -0.5
379 17.4
380 2.4
381 -1.5
382 -1.5
383 -1.5
384 -1.5
385 -0.5
386 -2.5
387 -1.5
388 0.4
389 -1.5
390 -0.5
391 -1.5
392 -1.5
393 -2.5
394 0.4
395 -0.5
396 -1.5
397 -1.5
398 -0.5
399 -0.5
400 -0.5
401 -0.5
402 -1.5
403 -0.5
404 -0.5
405 -1.5
406 -0.5
407 -1.5
408 -1.5
409 -1.5
410 -1.5
411 -0.5
412 -0.5
413 -1.5
414 -1.5
415 -1.5
416 -1.5
417 -0.5
418 -1.5
419 -0.5
420 -0.5
421 -1.5
422 -1.5
423 -1.5
424 -1.5
425 -0.5
426 -1.5
427 -1.5
428 -1.5
429 -1.5
430 -1.5
431 -1.5
432 -1.5
433 -1.5
434 -0.5
435 -1.5
436 -1.5
437 -1.5
438 6.4
439 0.4
440 -1.5
441 -0.5
442 -1.5
443 -1.5
444 -1.5
445 -1.5
446 -1.5
447 -1.5
448 -1.5
449 -1.5
450 -1.5
451 -0.5
452 -1.5
453 -1.5
454 -0.5
455 0.4
456 -1.5
457 -0.5
458 -1.5
459 -1.5
460 -1.5
461 -1.5
462 -1.5
463 -0.5
464 -1.5
465 -1.5
466 -1.5
467 -0.5
468 0.4
469 -0.5
470 -0.5
471 -1.5
472 -1.5
473 -0.5
474 -0.5
475 -1.5
476 -0.5
477 -1.5
478 -0.5
479 -1.5
480 -0.5
481 -0.5
482 -1.5
483 -1.5
484 -0.5
485 -0.5
486 -1.5
487 -0.5
488 -0.5
489 -0.5
490 -1.5
491 -0.5
492 -0.5
493 -1.5
494 -0.5
495 -1.5
496 0.4
497 -0.5
498 -1.5
499 -0.5

[az2008]

I went to teh site you suggested and here are the results:

Nothing looks terribly wrong compared to mine. If you go to the advanced tab it will give you results like mine, below.

On the VOIP tab I had an average jitter of 24.7ms, and 0.0% packet loss.

Like I said, using QoS in Tomato helped. Giving high priority to the MJ process helped (do you do that in Mac OS from a command window, and the unix "nice" command?).

=======================
Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 1647512 bps
Upload speed: 240704 bps
Quality of service: 99 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum download pause: 91 ms
Average download pause: 18 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 102 ms
Average round trip time to server: 109 ms

VoIP test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 27.4 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 3.7 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 0.0 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Number of supported VoIP lines: 1
Estimated MOS score: 3.7
=======================

[GA]

I went to teh site you suggested and here are the results:

"Nothing looks terribly wrong compared to mine. If you go to the advanced tab it will give you results like mine, below.

On the VOIP tab I had an average jitter of 24.7ms, and 0.0% packet loss.

Like I said, using QoS in Tomato helped. Giving high priority to the MJ process helped (do you do that in Mac OS from a command window, and the unix "nice" command?)."

This is strange. It is now around 10:30 pm (eastern - not that it matters) but the MagicJack works fine now...the same thing happened last night before I went to bed. I don't think it is because I am using any less CPU My MAC is pretty good at keeping that at a minimum. Just strange....tomorrow morning, if it is nlike this morning, the problem will begin again. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

[az2008]

This is strange. It is now around 10:30 pm (eastern - not that it matters) but the MagicJack works fine now...

You should do a speetest.net test at different times. Also that VOIP test I mentioned before. See if you detect any differences at different times.

It's possible MJ oversold their services, and it has nothing to do with your network connection. But, I'm not experiencing the same thing.

Mark

[GA]

Thx Mark

I just did the re-test and it is different faster and better. Try it again tomorrow morning:

Download speed 5135 Kbps (socket test)
Upload speed 434 Kbps (socket test)
Quality of service 97 %
Maximum delay 65 ms
Round trip time 28 ms
Upstream jitter 0.0 ms
Upstream packet loss 0 %
Upstream packet order 100 %
Upstream discards 0 %
Downstream jitter 0.9 ms
Downstream packet loss 0 %
Downstream packet order 99 %
Downstream discards 0 %

[az2008]

I just did the re-test and it is different faster and better.

I think it's unusual for DSL to have a lot of variation in performance (depending on the time of day). You may want to visit the Bell South forum (if there is one) at dslreports.com.

I think QoS would help. I hate to pitch it so much. But, it made a difference with me using cable's economy tier.

Mark

[GA]

Mark

I am trying to figure out how to do the QoS with my MACs. The thing went haywire again later this morning. I even called AT&T and we tested my speed - it was great. 6.1 Mbps (downlaod) and 3.54 Kbps upload. I want this to work but it sure is frustrating...as I was talking to the CSR for AT&T I used the magicjack and she noticed that I was breaking up - and it was not because I was crying. This did not happen late last night - NOTE: I am using wireless throughout the house and have Bellsouth's (AT&T) Versalink - a pretty good router

George

UPDATE: I ran the VOIP tester again:

Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 5076992 bps
Upload speed: 434032 bps
Quality of service: 95 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum download pause: 64 ms
Average download pause: 3 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 28 ms
Average round trip time to server: 29 ms

VoIP test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 0.2 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 0.9 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 0.2 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Number of supported VoIP lines: 2
Estimated MOS score: 4.0

[az2008]

NOTE: I am using wireless throughout the house

I would try connecting to the router with a wire for awhile. Myself and others have noticed wireless connections can degrade MJ's performance.

Mark

[Thunder]

You could also try a different phone. Are you using a cordless phone ?? If so depending on what kind, that also can be an issue. Of course depending on the frequency of the phone may interfere with the router itself.

[GA]

You could also try a different phone. Are you using a cordless phone ?? If so depending on what kind, that also can be an issue. Of course depending on the frequency of the phone may interfere with the router itself.

I tried different phones...I even got a new 2-Wire router/gateway. If anything the voice break-up has gotten worse. I have two jacks and both respond the same way on my MacMini and my Macbook. Ugh! There has got to be a fix somehow. I definitely am sending one jack back before the 30 days are up..but I do want the other to work. I cannot get into the QoS and change it. I even connected directly via Ethernet for awhile with no better results. So....

Did another test with teh following results..again it varies from night to night
Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 5270640 bps
Upload speed: 433832 bps
Quality of service: 77 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum download pause: 74 ms
Average download pause: 3 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 29 ms
Average round trip time to server: 30 ms

VoIP test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 0.2 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 1.0 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 0.0 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Number of supported VoIP lines: 2
Estimated MOS score: 4.1

[docooo]

I got tired of this and payed to extand my Skype - Been useing
this for the last week and NO problems - With MJ it got so bad
I could not even understand the other person .. I also tired
3 phone systems - no luck -

So until MJ Eng do something abt this I will use Skype ..

Doc
>

[tellmeall]

There is a great chance that your PC's built in USB port is not providing enough power to the MagicJack. Sounds a bit crazy - I know, but it appears to be a very common issue.

A good friend by the name of Jeff R. had recently discovered that most XP and Vista machines has its USB Power Management feature set to automatically reduce power to the USB ports. For XP and Vista you simply DON'T want that. Go to Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager then expand the Universal Serial Bus Controller. Right click on USB Root Hub, select Properties, then the Power Management tab. Uncheck the box that says "Allow this computer to turn off device to save power." Repeat this step for each USB Root Hub then reboot your computer.

More can be found on my website... http://innervibrant.com/MagicJack.aspx

[az2008]

A good friend by the name of Jeff R. had recently discovered that most XP and Vista machines has its USB Power Management feature set to automatically reduce power to the USB ports.

That's been mentioned here. The results are mixed: http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/try- ... t4371.html

I haven't seen reports of USB power causing choppy voice. It's almost always low audio, no dial tone, etc. But, it might be worth adding to the usual diagnostics that a person should switch to softphone with a headset and see if the problem goes away. If so, then changing the power management might be a next test (along with using a powered USB hub).

MJ may have more choppy audio because it uses a codec that doesn't compress the voice as much as other services. There also appears to be wide variety in the performance of MJ servers. Changing proxy servers (as described on the wiki FAQ) might be the first thing people should try (before QoS).

Mark

[magicscott]

I am ready to send my MagicJack(s) (I have two) back. I have worked two days with the online tech chat people. I love the concept...but when I make a call the voice on the other end is jittery...sounds like a digital recording that skips. Also they have the same complaint on my end.

I want to keep at least one for my home-based business. But I will be embarrassed if I cannot get this figured out and fixed. The "chat" techs don't know and constantly give the same suggestions. I have two MACs that I want to use MagicJack on - one is a MacMini and the other a MacBook - both have only 1 GB memory.

I got a RMA number and have to return them before Nov. 6th. Anybody else have this same problem and figured a work-around? As I said, I may keep one of teh two anyway just as a back-up. Thanks in advance for any suggestions/hints.

Sorry if this has already been addressed elsewhere - I could not find it (if there are any).

I am running on windows xp. What helped me was updating XP to a certain point and getting DirectX 10. Make sure your internet connection is strong too. Seems like any degradation in signal (I have Clearwire) and choppiness ensues.

We also tried it on my gals Macbook and it worked great on that too. She is running 10.4.11 (Tiger) on it and no problems on that system.

Making sure you are up to date on your OS seems to help with sound, dialing issues.


Scott