Echo fix

tooltimetheo · Post by **tooltimetheo** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:53 pm

Hello all. This is my first post and after reading and getting educated on many things about MJ on here am very grateful to many of you who post and help us newbies out.

I have had an echo problem after installing MJ ever since I installed it. I thought about recently having a router installed and how my phone line needed a filter for the dsl line.

So walla, I installed a DSL phone line filter on my MJ to the phone line and it resolved the echo. So far no echo.
Hope this helps others out there.

hsweiss · Post by **hsweiss** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:11 am

So, you have the phone plugged into an in-line DSL filter which in turn is plugged into the MJ's RJ-11? I wouldn't have thought that this would do anything because a DSL filter keeps the voice in a narrow bandwidth range so that it and the data don't interfere. But hey, if it works, that's a great find! Have you confirmed that the echo in fact comes back when you pull out the filter and goes away when you put in back in-line?

az2008 · Post by **az2008** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:53 am

hsweiss wrote:So, you have the phone plugged into an in-line DSL filter which in turn is plugged into the MJ's RJ-11?

If that works, there must be two kinds of echo. I occasionally get echo using a headset and the softphone.

It would be nice if others who use handsets could confirm whether using a DSL filter between the handset and USB device cures any echo.

Mark

Boondocs · Post by **Boondocs** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:28 pm

I really didn't notice a difference. I just make sure that the outbound volume on the MJ is turned way down and the echo is not that bad.

Rickiev · Post by **Rickiev** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:54 pm

I recently started getting echos after the new update. It only happened once in a while and at the start of a out going call.

I tried this fix with the DSL Filter and have not had this problem since. Happy camper on this end

Thanks for the FIX!

az2008 · Post by **az2008** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:30 pm

rickiev wrote:I tried this fix with the DSL Filter and have not had this problem since. Happy camper on this end

Wow. That's two people. If maybe another one or two can confirm these results, maybe this could be added to the wiki FAQ.

I agree with the other poster that lowering the volume helps.

Mark

FredFriendly · Post by **FredFriendly** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:22 pm

az2008 wrote:Wow. That's two people. If maybe another one or two can confirm these results, maybe this could be added to the wiki FAQ.

I just made a local call to a friend with a landline telephone with whom I almost always get a severe echo, and this DSL filter trick did not help at all. Still that persistent echo. My telephone is an AT&T Trimline 210 plugged into a DSL filter plugged into my magicjack.

It may be purely a matter of coincidence that others have not had an echo problem after installing the DSL filter, just as I do not always get an echo when I call my friend. I don't think I'd add it to the wiki FAQ without more results.

FredFriendly
=========

Rickiev · Post by **Rickiev** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:53 am

FredFriendly wrote:
az2008 wrote:Wow. That's two people. If maybe another one or two can confirm these results, maybe this could be added to the wiki FAQ.
I just made a local call to a friend with a landline telephone with whom I almost always get a severe echo, and this DSL filter trick did not help at all. Still that persistent echo. My telephone is an AT&T Trimline 210 plugged into a DSL filter plugged into my magicjack.

It may be purely a matter of coincidence that others have not had an echo problem after installing the DSL filter, just as I do not always get an echo when I call my friend. I don't think I'd add it to the wiki FAQ without more results.

FredFriendly
=========

I always had the same echo problem with the same number, its a calling card phone number. The DSL Filter worked on my end.

I even, took the DSL filter off, and call the same number, the echo returned, replaced the filter and was gone again.

az2008 · Post by **az2008** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:14 pm

rickiev wrote:I even, took the DSL filter off, and call the same number, the echo returned, replaced the filter and was gone again.

Thanks. I agreed with Fred. But, that's conclusive enough for me. I added it to the FAQ:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/MagicJack/ ... roblems.3F

Mark

tooltimetheo · Post by **tooltimetheo** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:58 am

Yes mine works for the echo.
took off the filter, echo is back. put it back on and echo is gone. I have an echo to all my calls in my kitchen phone (old wall type phone). So when I make calls it is usually from there. That has been my tester phone. The echo is fairly loud and this seems to have worked.

I have SBC DSL through AT&T. I hooked up my MJ a little different though. I took the incoming line from AT&T at my main box and disconnected it. Then I took a phone line inside and went from magic jack to the wall jack of the house. Now All phones in the home work on MJ. So far so good. I did find a phone that won't work with MJ so we are in the process of getting a new one.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:40 pm

I just started getting a bad echo as well as other ugly noise since doing the so-called upgrade. I'm about ready to launch this stupid thing if it dosen't stop. I just got a new dsl router/modem from Qwest for my newer high speed. They gave me filters but said not to use them with a voip phone as they will make it worse. Well, I just plugged one in and it does sound a little better. Does anyone know what happen to Tiger Jet echo cancellation software? I had it but re-installed my pc and now I don't see it available on their website. That really worked good if you can find it.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:40 pm

I just started getting a bad echo as well as other ugly noise since doing the so-called upgrade. I'm about ready to launch this stupid thing if it dosen't stop. I just got a new dsl router/modem from Qwest for my newer high speed. They gave me filters but said not to use them with a voip phone as they will make it worse. Well, I just plugged one in and it does sound a little better. Does anyone know what happen to Tiger Jet echo cancellation software? I had it but re-installed my pc and now I don't see it available on their website. That really worked good if you can find it.

az2008 · Post by **az2008** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:46 pm

saxman wrote:Does anyone know what happen to Tiger Jet echo cancellation software? I had it but re-installed my pc and now I don't see it available on their website. That really worked good if you can find it.

See http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r214335 ... er-Utility

But, it's been reported that it shouldn't be used with a 2nd generation MJ, as identified here: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/MagicJack/ ... rations.3F

Mark

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:07 pm

AZ-Thanks Alot!!-I checked the links out and I have one of the first generation MJs, which likes the Tigerjet, so I installed it just now. I didn't even know there were newer ones available. Wonder who I have to kill to get a new one? I've had mine for about two years now and nobody has asked for any money from me since I first signed up! I'd be happy to pay for year 2 if they want it but I'd like another device so I don't need the extra software going. Do you have one of the new ones and how good do they work as far as audio quality goes? I use the Hawking broadband booster to run the traffic and keep things sorted out and the calls clear but with no echo cancellation it's been terrible-thanks again-

az2008 · Post by **az2008** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:17 pm

saxman wrote:Do you have one of the new ones and how good do they work as far as audio quality goes?

I have gen 2. It's been ok. I think I notice more echo after the recent upgrade.

If you've gone past your original purchased time (nothing to lose except more free time), you should be able to buy a new unit from MJ with one year of service, and then contact chat support before registering it. They're supposed to be able to transfer your number to the new device. You might chat with them first, and save a copy of the chat before trying it.

I bought 5 years. It will be awhile before I can buy a new unit that way. I wouldn't mind spending $20 for a new device if I need to. But, MJ doesn't seem to have that ability. You have to buy a year with the device. In your case that's not a problem.

Mark

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:35 pm

OK-I just made a call with the new phone filter in as well as the Tigerjet installed. It sounded good for the first 5 minutes then I started getting the echo back. I just unplugged the filter and I'll try that. I'm startting to think this new upgrade may be the problem. My phones been working pretty good for many months until I did the upgrade. The new device has anti-echo built in. That may be the way to go.

az2008 · Post by **az2008** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:39 pm

saxman wrote:OK-I just made a call with the new phone filter in as well as the Tigerjet installed. It sounded good for the first 5 minutes then I started getting the echo back.

I find that turning the volume down helps a lot. I get much more pronounced echo with the volume high.

BTW: It's been said that using the * trick reduces echo too. See http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/MagicJack/ ... roblems.3F

Mark

randyth · Post by **randyth** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:21 pm

Does anyone have any idea why the * trick works? What is it doing?

It appears to work for me most of the time and it sure would be nice to find a hack of some sort that automatically inserts the * into any number dialed via a connected telephone handset.

-Randy

rodak · Post by **rodak** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:46 pm

The DSL filter did nothing for me, neither did the TJ echo canceller (I have what I presume is the newer MJ device - just got it last month). Turning down the mic volume on the softphone didn't help either (but would that even have had any effect anyway?- I use a cordless multi-handset phone, never use the mic/speaker on the PC)

The * trick is the only thing that works for me, but I have to dial it from the softphone - dialing from the handset, the softphone drops the last digit. grrrrrr!

I have no idea what the * does, though. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone does.

hsweiss · Post by **hsweiss** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:48 am

rodak wrote:The DSL filter did nothing for me, neither did the TJ echo canceller (I have what I presume is the newer MJ device - just got it last month). Turning down the mic volume on the softphone didn't help either (but would that even have had any effect anyway?- I use a cordless multi-handset phone, never use the mic/speaker on the PC)

The * trick is the only thing that works for me, but I have to dial it from the softphone - dialing from the handset, the softphone drops the last digit. grrrrrr!

I have no idea what the * does, though. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone does.

From what I've been able to gather, the * trick causes a route change internal to YMAX (the phone company behind the MJ curtain).