Session Connect Goes Back To Dial Tone

[JoelIrwin]

Any updates on this? Saw other threads about using *67 as a workaround?

Joel

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By the way, below is my conversation with MJ tech support on this. First they wanted me to globally change to their DNS and then play around with the headset volume and then abruptly AND RUDELY!!! disconnected me because I was complaining how long it took. What CUSTOMER SERVICE???!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

THE CHAT (from the Chat window):

Lovelyn: Okay, what is the second problem Joel?
Joel: dial a number -- starts session - goes back to dial tone.
Lovelyn: May i know if this problem applies to most of the numbers you call?
Joel: don't know - its random but once it happens I can keep retrying and the problem persists. Seems others have been
discussing this
at www.phoneservicesupport.com.
Joel: Their solution has something to do with prefixing with *67 and using * as 2nd digit of phone number but that is a
workaround and
may not work everywhere in the US. I have not tried it.
Lovelyn: Okay. That site is not our official site so i would not recommend that one.
Lovelyn: Could you please try to place a call and let me know if same problem still occurs?
Joel: i want to be able to call my parents in FL and last time I tried, I kept getting dial tones (sometimes immediately and
sometimes after
a single ring). Have you seen this problem?
Joel: I am not going to randomly call numbers since this problem does not happen all the time.
Lovelyn: Please try placing a call even once. Just to check before i walk through you with the fixes.
Joel: called my duaghters house in memphis and let it ring twice.
Joel: have you seen this problem?
Lovelyn: Yes, i do. Please don't worry that can be fixed. It is with your setting in your computer.
Lovelyn: Please do the following procedures to stabilize your connection to our servers.
Lovelyn: 1.Please go to the windows start button and locate control panel.
Lovelyn: 2.Please click on network and sharing center and click on MANAGE NETWORK CONNECTIONS located on the
left side of the
Network and sharing center window.
Lovelyn: 3.Now right click on your local connection and click on Properties and click Continue.
Lovelyn: 4.Scroll down and click on TCP/ IPV4 and click on Properties.
Lovelyn: 5.Please select the radio button that says use the following DNS Server address”. In Preferred DNS Server type
in:
67.90.152.122, in Alternate DNS Server type in: 67.107.71.186 click OK and OK.
Lovelyn: Please let me know if you're done.
Joel: why am i changing the dns server from my ISP to your DNS?
Lovelyn: That is only for magicjack. It will not change or do any harm to your current internet connection.
Joel: got it - stand by.
Lovelyn: Sure.
Joel: im still confused - there is nothing in properties that refers to Magic Jack. Changing it seems to impact everything.
Joel: right now IP supplies the DNS automatically.
Joel: meant isp
Lovelyn: There is none Joel. Please click on the button that states use the following DNS Server address
Joel: that is global for my networking card -- does not refer to Magic jack.
Lovelyn: May i know of your active internet connection when you clicked on MANAGE NETWORK CONNECTIONS?
Joel: did you want to know the name of my networking card/
Lovelyn: Can you see Local Area Connection there? Aside from that what other internet connection you have there?
Joel: none
Lovelyn: Including that of your networking card.
Joel: one local area connect
Lovelyn: Is that the one you right clicked, selected properties then clicked continue?
Joel: yes
Joel: where is this discussion headed -- are you saying to make the dial tone problem go away I have to set my deault
dns for all the
software on my PC to point to your DNS instead of Comcast (my ISP) which is the automatic setting?
Lovelyn: We need to set your DNS setting as that is the one used by magicjack.
Lovelyn: As i am saying to you Joel we will not change the DNS settings of your ISP.
Lovelyn: The procedure i am giving to you is purely for magicjack's use.
Joel: changing it there sets the DNS to your DNS for all the software on my PC. Doesn't it?
Lovelyn: No, it isn't.
Joel: its the DNS used for my only networking card. Please explain then how the ISP DNS is used for say IE?
Joel: and not yours?
Lovelyn: The DNS settings is your connection from your data network to our servers. It will not change the DNS of your
ISP.
Lovelyn: Are you able to do it now?
Joel: first of all, once I do that as I recollect I will need to reboot? Correct?
Lovelyn: Yes, after you do that so that the updates made to your network to take its effect.
Joel: 2nd of all - I am somewhat knowledgable of windows (I evaluated technology for Exxon for 23 years) and as far as I
know in XP and
Vista either your ISP assigns you a DNS or you can specify one and an alternate manually and you are permitted one set
per networking
card which applies to all your software. So manually setting the DNS on my only card will change it for all my software.
You said no? If
that is true I need to understand where my other software gets the Comcast/ISP DNS from. I am unwilling to change DNS
globally.
Lovelyn: Okay. I would not insist if you don't want to try that. I can give you another procedure then.
Lovelyn: Please do the following.
Lovelyn: Click the Windows Button (Win Logo)
Lovelyn: Click Control Panel.
Lovelyn: If your Control Panel is in Classic View, Double-Click Sound
Lovelyn: Click on Hardware and Sound
Lovelyn: Click Sound
Lovelyn: Then click on "Handset" and then "properties" and then select the "levels" tab and turn up the volume. if the
volume was on 32
and turned it up to 68.
Joel: handset is currently at 100
Joel: (by the way, im on vista and your instructions seem to be for XP)
Lovelyn: That is for Vista Joel.
Joel: im in classic veiw and there is no hardware and sound just sound.
Lovelyn: Please double check Joel it is there.
Joel: this is taking a lot of time --- if you have seen this dial tone problem, then please tell me you know a solution. Is it a
DNS problem or
a volume problem. We don't seem to be moving towards anything specific.
Joel: as i said i was there and the volume is 100
Joel: what does the volume on my headset have to do with a dialing problem?
Joel: weve been talking for an hour and I really do have other things to do. Have you solved the problem before for other
people?

Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.

[az2008]

then abruptly AND RUDELY!!! disconnected me because I was complaining how long it took. What CUSTOMER SERVICE???!!!!!!!!!!!!
by the site operator.

I hate to sound like I'm justifying them abandoning their chat session. But, I think this really boils down to "you get what you pay for." I'm sure these guys have a threshold of how much time to invest in a problem before it's just not worth it (for a service that costs $1.66 per month).

You just spent an hour on chat with them over $1.66 per month. If it were me, I'd be hard-pressed to justify that (or too many of those). If I were them, I'd be even harder pressed.

Does it reflect badly on MJ? Generate negative word-of-mouth? Sure. But, at $1.66 I don't think they care. They're just looking for the low-hanging fruit. People who it works for; who will fund their continued development and improvement.

Mark

[JoelIrwin]

What irks me is the lack of knowledge across their support people. I chatted again and HALEY told me it is a known problem with no current solution. So then why 'jerk my chain' troubleshooting for an hour and then drop me. First she should have known this and just said so. And secondly, could have been civil and told me there was nothing else she could do and it was time to wrap up -- you don't HANG UP on people... at least not in corporate America.

I asked for an email which they refused to give me. So I have posted the same request in the rant and rave forum.

Here I merely want to confirm other people are still having the problem and that from the MJ perspective it remains unsolved.

What the last month should have taught us with this economic situation and the impact on the financial markets is that oftentime -- PERCEPTION becomes REALITY no matter what ACTUALITY may or may not be. I used to run a call center and you don't want customers to get the impression you are ineffectual and have poor service. Once that permeates, you will lose customers regardless of your TRUTH.

Joel

[az2008]

I chatted again and HALEY told me it is a known problem with no current solution.

How do you know that Haley knows more about it than Lovelyn? Maybe Haley looked up your support history and chose to end it without spending another hour with you.

These guys are with liveperson.net. It's the same company that provides live chat support for Charles Schwab and other companies. I suspect they're chatting concurrently with a dozen other people on everything from brokerage accounts to auto warranties. I bet they've never seen an MJ device.

Sorry. But, I'm not optimistic in this department. Dan shaved costs by using a support group like this. And, they have to work within the nickle-per-chat they get. It all factors into the $1.66 per month price we pay.

I don't have any suggestions. You could try pointing to a different MJ server (in case it's specific to your regional server).

Mark

[JoelIrwin]

Good to know -- had no idea they outsourced support. So I wonder how these generic support people communicate with MJ employees and get problems solved?

Aren't other people here experiencing this same problem?

Joel

[enandpogs]

hi. i think we have the same problem. all my calls backs to dial tone and i tried it on many different numbers.. online chat support is USELESS!!!!

[ELe]

been using MJ for abt 3 mos, it worked perfectly, i ran out of international credits so i purchased $5, but my MJ goes back to a dial tone after dialing, i tried to go into the MJ website to chat with a tech rep, but the small window is blank everytime i click on it. I need Help, what should i do and how do i contact them.

In desperate need of help,
elaine

[HolmanGT]

been using MJ for abt 3 mos, it worked perfectly, i ran out of international credits so i purchased $5, but my MJ goes back to a dial tone after dialing, i tried to go into the MJ website to chat with a tech rep, but the small window is blank everytime i click on it. I need Help, what should i do and how do i contact them.

In desperate need of help,
elaine

I don't know if this will work for you but there is only two things you can do and Tech Chat is not one of them.

1. I said Tech Chat was not one of the possible solutions. I think I lied about that. Don't get real involved with them and spend a lot of time. Don't joke with them, most don't have a good enough command of the English language and you will put them off stride because they don't have a clue between humor and serious comments. That out of the way there is only one thing you want to say to them and that is a short statement of the problem and that your friend had the same problem (I know I am asking you to tell an un-truth) and one of the Tech Chat people escalated the problem and had his/her account reset on the MJ servers. End of approach one.

2. Now a lot of Internet addicts such as my self have a lot of trouble with this one but it has been know to work for this problem and several other MJ server related problems. OK - her it comes; turn off your computer, modem, router and unplug your MagicJack. Waite 15 minutes and turn everything back on. Once you have Internet back then and only then plug your MagicJack device back in.

The concept here is to force their servers to believe you have totally abandon their servers in which case the servers will drop your existing profile. When you fire back up the MJ servers will rebuild a clean profile for you. I know this sound bizarre but it has been know on several instances to cure the infamous "Low Volume" problem.

Please if I have persuaded you to try this and it fixes your problem please post your results back here so the rest of know if this if a viable solution or just the rantings of a lunatic.

[twebdonny]

The only time my MJ reverts back to dial tone iw when I have a lousy
internet connection.

[docooo]

I Have had this problem sence day one - I still can not
call my Mom in the 559 code .. I also hve noticed that
if the line is busy I get this also as I have called from my MJ
and got the "back to dial tone" - then called that number
with my cell and it was busy .. hve done this at least 8 times for
a test .. so it's on MJ's side!

When is the last time anyone has got a busy with there MJ ??

Doc
>

[HolmanGT]

I Have had this problem sence day one - I still can not
call my Mom in the 559 code .. I also hve noticed that
if the line is busy I get this also as I have called from my MJ
and got the "back to dial tone" - then called that number
with my cell and it was busy .. hve done this at least 8 times for
a test .. so it's on MJ's side!

When is the last time anyone has got a busy with there MJ ??

Doc
>

I have never gotten a busy signal with MagicJack that I can remember.

[ELe]

Holgman, did everything u said, and still im getting dial tones. not only on international calls but also long distance and local calls, even with dialing my own number.. though im able to receive incoming calls.
Aside from what you've advised, i also did the powercycle thing, changed USB ports, restrarted MJ using advanced user then restart, removed the phone jack and tried dialing, did the upgrade thing, but still everything went back to saying "ready to call" and dial tone.
I've read something about changing phone numbers but im hesitant to do that cos i might not be able to receive incoming calls which is the only thing i can do with MJ right now.
I dunno about the resetting the account, i dont even know how to contact MJ agents cos everytime i click on tech chat and the tiny url site i only get blank white pages.
Still desperate,
Ele

[JoelIrwin]

By the way, as I started this thread -- I continue to go to dial tones randomly it seems. I am not convinced it is necessarily connected to a busy signal since when I get a dial tone back, I dial with my cell with no problem (though I am charged minutes!!! lol).

Seems to me we all know about this but I am not convinced that MJ is doing anything about it based on my conversation last week with their tech support.

Joel

[ELe]

I tried to do holgman's instruction. First attempt, it didnt work. But i tried it again, and it did work 2nd time. I dialled my own number to check voicemail, it went blank then hanged up. Tried to call another number and i was back to dial tone. So i did holgman's instruction again and avoided the voicemail, and it worked, and is still working. I can do without checking voicemails just as long as i can make outgoing calls.
TY again.

Cheers,
ELe

[HolmanGT]

ELe,

A lot of this bizarre behavior disappears with time. IMHO they have a limited number of programmers that put all the server problems in a queue and and chisel at them the best then can. I can honestly say that all the strange behavior I have had has vanished - with time - on it's own.

Now just as soon as I learn patience skills I will be MJ ready or is that certified.

[acb_xtatic]

I started having this problem 2 days ago. i've tried to find out what is causing the problem but I think it has something to do with the magicjack software upgrade. It affects some but not all magicjack hardware. This is a work around that is almost 100 % working for me. I hope some of you can test it to see if it works for you. Customer service is useless so don't waste your time there, I already wasted mine

1. Assuming that Windows is already running, unplug your magicjack.
2. Now unplug your ethernet/network cable. At this time you should have been disconnected to the internet.
3. Now plug in the magicjack back to the USB port. let magicjack load the softphone.
4. The softphone will display "Please connect to the internet and double click here"
5. Now after about 5 seconds or more plug your ethernet/network cable back in.
6. The magicjack softphone will detect these. Wait for the "ready to call" message on the softphone.
7. That's it. You should be able to make a call by now.

Post a message here if it works or if it does not work. Thanks.

[JoelIrwin]

Well thanks - I'll try that workaround next time it happens.

Well, its Mon and I needed a way to wake up (LOL). So I check with the useless tech support on status -- which ended rudely as it normally does by their disconnecting me in the middle.

If you have a few mins and want a laugh -- check out the discussion below:

Joel

---------

You are now chatting with 'Maynard'

Maynard: Hello, how may I help you?

Joel Irwin: Can you please update me with the status of the problem where you dial a number and it goes back to a dial tone. MANY
people I know are having this problem. I DO NOT wish to trouble shoot it now. I have heard about at least 3 work arounds. I WANT TO
KNOW whether it is being looked at and approximately how soon it will be fixed.

Maynard: May I have your magicjack phone number please?

Joel Irwin: xxx-xxx-xxxx

Maynard: Thank you.

Maynard: On your magicJack, click menu and volume/headset control. Can you toggle between telephone and headset there?

Maynard: If using a phone, choose "Telephone"
Maynard: If using a headset/speakers, choose "Headset

Joel Irwin: I DO NOT WANT TO TROUBLESHOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is the status?

Maynard: In Service Joel.

Joel Irwin: Huh?

Maynard: May I know when this problem starts?

Joel Irwin: Are you listening to me? No troubleshooting. If you are not familiar with the problem pass it on to someone who is.

Maynard: Thank you for your patience. I will transfer you to a higher level of support. Please hold while I transfer you.

Please wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited site operator.

You are now chatting with 'Jeanille'

Jeanille: Hi Joel

Joel Irwin: I have already troubleshoot this for three session and over 2 hours. You all know its a problem. I am just trying to find out
status.

Jeanille: Ok. May I know when did this start?

Joel Irwin: Are you aware of this problem?

Joel Irwin: YES or NO?

Jeanille: YES

Jeanille: May I know when did this start?

Joel Irwin: I AM NOT going to troubleshoot just want status. Y'all are wasting my time!

Jeanille: I'm not wasting your time Joel.

Joel Irwin: Is it being looked at?

Jeanille: I need to know for me to make a report your account to the Engineers.

Joel Irwin: You said you know about the problem. Is it being looked at?

Jeanille: Yes Joel.

Jeanille: And I need your information now.

Joel Irwin: When can I expect to see it fixed?

Jeanille: How can we fix it if you're not providing me information?

Joel Irwin: Want to see about 400 lines of previous information from previous chats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeanille: You may send it to me.

Joel Irwin: I am not going to troubleshoot anymore. I don't care about your report. It has been going on for me and many others for
months. IT is RANDOM. Just tell me how soon will it be fixed.
Joel Irwin: You want it? Then email me for it. Want to?

Jeanille: Yes.

Joel Irwin: Email the request to [email protected]

Jeanille: Ok. Thank you,

Joel Irwin: Now what is the status?
Joel Irwin: I am very busy and will be disconnecting in 2 or 3 mins.

Jeanille: Try to check your phone within 24 hours from now. If issue won't resolves, please wait for their email confirmation within a
maximum of 24-48 hours from now.

Joel Irwin: Done that 4 times. It still happens. Has it been fixed or not? You are NOT answering my questions or providing me the info I
requested.

Joel Irwin: This is a GLOBAL issue -- not just my phone number. Have you fixed it and if not what is the status?

Joel Irwin: Why do I have to ask the same question here four times with no answer?

Joel Irwin: If you don't know the answer why can't you say "I don't know" -- are you not allowed to say that?

Jeanille: Joel, we are checking your account here. You need to wait for an email update.

Joel Irwin: Are you listening? It is not a problem with my phone -- I know many people with the same problem. I guess you are just not
wanting to pay attention. IS THE PROBLEM BEING FIXED? AND WHEN CAN I EXPECT IT TO NOT HAPPEN ANY MORE?

Jeanille: Since Engineers are still working on it, you need to wait for their email update. This will be fixed and won't happen again.

Joel Irwin: Do they give you status? YES or NO?

Jeanille: YES

Joel Irwin: What is the status you most recently received?

Jeanille: They're still working on it. So the best way for you to do is to wait for their email confirmation.

Joel Irwin: That's not a status. You knew that when you gave the problem since it has not yet been solved. So you have NO IDEA what
they are doing on it and what priority it has in the queue. CORRECT?

Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.

[tony]

Post a message here if it works or if it does not work. Thanks.

Confirming that your procedure stopped the call from dropping back to a dial tone. But I still can't dial anyone (tried my home and my cell numbers). Instead of dropping back to the dial tone, there's just silence on the line, no sound of ringing in the ear piece, none of the numbers in the house I called ring.

Time now is 8:18AM Pacific time, Nov 17/08 (16h18 UTC).

[JoelIrwin]

As soon as I got off tech support, I needed to call Dell Financial Services and the 800 number kept going back to dial tone. Followed above procedure -- pulled out MJ, disconnected Internet, plugged in MJ and ran software -- got error 6, reconnected to Internet and software automatically went to read to call. Phone call then worked.

When I get no dial tone -- almost all the time, I merely just hang up, wait a couple of seconds and go off hook again and it works.

Joel

[plexus]

what i have found with magicjack live support is that if you dont get help right away, tell them (politely) that you are ok and disconnect. then try another operator. its taken me sometimes 3 operators before i get someone that can address my problem directly. its faster than trying to convince someone that doesnt know.

[HolmanGT]

what i have found with magicjack live support is that if you dont get help right away, tell them (politely) that you are ok and disconnect. then try another operator. its taken me sometimes 3 operators before i get someone that can address my problem directly. its faster than trying to convince someone that doesnt know.

Excellent advice but you left out the part about don't let them convince you to dismantle your computer. Some of them are very bad about having you remove every piece of software on your computer and then when it does not work they say "Oh well guess I will have to escalate this and someone will call you back" leaving you with a MagicJack that still doesn't work and a computer to match.

[JohnnyFreightTRAIN]

I lost internet for a while and I called my ISP,
They had me change my DNS settings back to what they where before magicjack "support" suggested I change them.

God I hate magicjack tech support so much.

[HolmanGT]

I lost internet for a while and I called my ISP,
They had me change my DNS settings back to what they where before magicjack "support" suggested I change them.

God I hate magicjack tech support so much.

John,

You should have read my post just ahead of yours and just ahead of letting Tech Chat convince you to destroy your machine. The first level Tech Support goes way beyond what anyone should ask another to do to their computer - it borders on "Computer Abuse" which if not against the law should be.

[mcbelisle]

i know that every once in a while i have experienced the same thing only with dialing 1-800 #'s like goog-411 etc. i could still call other numbers though not 800#s. this only happens every once in a while but then it gets fixed

[river]

1. Assuming that Windows is already running, unplug your magicjack.
2. Now unplug your ethernet/network cable. At this time you should have been disconnected to the internet.
3. Now plug in the magicjack back to the USB port. let magicjack load the softphone.
4. The softphone will display "Please connect to the internet and double click here"
5. Now after about 5 seconds or more plug your ethernet/network cable back in.
6. The magicjack softphone will detect these. Wait for the "ready to call" message on the softphone.
7. That's it. You should be able to make a call by now.

Post a message here if it works or if it does not work. Thanks.

I've done this a couple of times. Asides for this I have been turning on and off my computer, modem and unplugging and plugging in MJ for days.
Nothing has changed, have dial tone but can't dial. I've also tried plugging into other computers at different locations.

[acb_xtatic]

Try doing it a couple of times. Sometimes it doesn't work on the first try