What has helped a lot

[hikiate]

There is a big difference when you get to level 2 support as they actual know more than reading a tele-prompt.

I have ATT Fib Op. After 20 calls, MJ finally helped me carve a "hole" in the router's firewall (which took about an hour) and refreshed the settings (about 2 hours-I was not involved-they did it). Although I still dial and get a dial tone, the call quality is much better.

The amount of work required to get the MJ to work is amazing. The product is not market ready nor is it a bargain. Dan is a conman.

Can it work okay? Yes.

Insist on speaking with level II support is the point of this blog.

Adam
www.adamjlevine.com

[az2008]

MJ finally helped me carve a "hole" in the router's firewall (which took about an hour)

Can you describe the "hole?" MagicJack's servers don't initiate opening any ports on the customer's system. The softphone initiates opening all the connections to the MJ servers.

However, there appears to be a problem with some newer Linksys router firmware which can be fixed by using port forwarding. Something about the firmware gets confused. That's the only time I've heard of port forwarding doing anything.

Mark

[hikiate]

What we did is open up ports (I think 580-610) on the router's firewall as well as on Windows Firewall. This really helped in conjunction with the other 9000 things we did. See Below:

Upgraded Software
Hot fix link is dead
Background is favored
Switched UBS jacks
Tried different phones
Cut holes in the firewall
Disconnected Virus
Made MagicJack.com a trusted site
Rebooted Router
Replaced physical jacks at my expense
Made MJ a high priority
Ran MJ “Fix”
Tried using extension cord; not using it
Tried using powered hub, and without
Scan and Fix keeps popping up when I plug it in (new)

Thanks-Adam
www.adamjlevine.com

[az2008]

What we did is open up ports (I think 580-610) on the router's firewall as well as on Windows Firewall.

That doesn't make any sense.

Do you use a Linksys router? Which model?

Mark

[hikiate]

The Magic about Magic Jack is the Marketing...

[hikiate]

No. ATT provided me a router-3800 HGV B. I am not a Network Guy; just a PC fixit guy.

[az2008]

The Magic about Magic Jack is the Marketing...

If you have an emotional rant/rave to make, you might try the "rants and raves" forum. I'd probably even agree with you.

But, I'm just trying to help others, and opening firewall ports is never necessary except for some users of newer Linksys routers which have buggy firmware.

It would help others if you could answer the questions:

1. Are you using a Linksys router, and which model is it?
2. Can you look in your router and tell us more specifically about the "hole" you opened in your firewall? Something more definitive than "something like..?"

Mark

[marinemaster]

I work in software support as a senior tech, supporting Cisco VOIP. There is NO software application that works perfect. NONE. There is a lot of support/patches/fixes that needs to be done on any platform no matter what it is, in order to run correctly. You don't have a clue what it takes to run VOIP, network design, routers, etc. xyz is a con man. Why is that? This is a technical forums not a complain forum.

[Mr_Dasher]

What I find helps a lot is to type out the my CHAT a head of time in notepad. I've been through this a few times. When they ask me what my problem is I just cut and paste the answer. I have to laugh because when I log on to CHAT for the first time. I ask to be passed to the next level of support automatically. They always say that I should tell them what my problem is first. I cut and paste a huge paragraph. There's always a pause and then I'm passed to the next level.

I know this isn't the rant and rave section but what bugs me is the promises they make that their engineers are going to look into it and get back to me via email. I have yet to hear from anyone. I ask for a tracking / reference number and they just tell me to contact them through CHAT. So Monday I've set aside a couple of hours to go through the CHAT process all over again.

Mr_D

[dougweiser]

Hey... you are on the right track... keep after them... MAKE them give you the ticket number and keep throwing it back at them when you chat... Keep copies of your chats, and paste the last chat back to them showing them that they promised "X days ago to have an engineer look at it and get back to you in 48 hours" or whatever.

It took several 1 hour chats for me, but I got through to an engineer finally, and he helped me solve a problem that had been a problem for several people in the 216 area code (he had to work with the TELCO to apply a fix to the connection between MJs VOIP server and the PSTN equipment at the Cleveland CO).

It took a lot of work to get to him, but he was VERY technical, and helpful resolving the issue.

Don't let them off the hook.

Doug

[mberlant]

az2008 hit it again. There are only two situations that have ever required opening inbound ports on a NAT router in order to make a SIP client start being able to receive calls.

1. The router is a Symmetric NAT router. This type of router, which had a penetration peaking at almost 2% 5 years ago, has all but disappeared from the market in favor of Full Cone NAT routers.

2. The router is cascaded behind another NAT router. Many hotels, apartment complexes, office suites, etc., that package internet service with their rent (as well as some not-ready-for-prime-time ISPs) will purchase one service from the ISP and distribute private IP addresses to their clients. If this is your situation, you will need to put your client device in your router's DMZ or forward ports to it, so that STUN (or any equivalent NAT mapping service) can successfully negotiate the NAT boundary that you can't control.