Did my magicjack burn out after 2 years of use?

[Atari Man]

Had a question for everybody..

This august it will be 2 years Ive had the MJ and up until the last couple months its worked flawlessly...

However starting with a couple months ago I noticed sometimes the MJ would just turn itself off and the MJ icon would disappear on the taskbar..

I could just reinstall it, and it would be okay.. I even used the 'downgrade' and hints here in the past to smoothly reinstall everything fine..

however the problem has gotten progressively worse. To the point that now when I plug in the MJ the blue light will go out after a few seconds and the computer will say there was an error with the USB device.. and because of this it doesnt let it install anymore..

Now If I go and put in a NEW MJ it will work just fine, but I dont want to use a new one, I want to just keep using the one I have.


Any ideas or help from anybody would be appreciated...

[bitstopjoe]

Sure does sound like your MJ dongle is going bad, since another one works fine. I "assume" you have tried it on another PC just for $hits and giggles?
Best you can do is bite the bullet and get a new one and BEFORE you plug it in and register it contact online "support" and they can transfer your orig # to the new unit. I am not sure if you can get your remaining time from your bad dongle as well as I have heard some people on here have and others have not. I guess it depends on who you get for chat.

Joe Sica

[Atari Man]

Sure does sound like your MJ dongle is going bad, since another one works fine. I "assume" you have tried it on another PC just for $hits and giggles?
Best you can do is bite the bullet and get a new one and BEFORE you plug it in and register it contact online "support" and they can transfer your orig # to the new unit. I am not sure if you can get your remaining time from your bad dongle as well as I have heard some people on here have and others have not. I guess it depends on who you get for chat.

Joe Sica

Actually you know what? I have not tried my MJ on a different PC.. I didnt even think of it. But I will go to my office today and do that.

I was perhaps thinking that maybe something in the USB drivers was corrupted or something.. but I guess if I get the same problem on another PC then its safe to say the dongle is going bad... okay.. thatll be a way to narrow it down..

thanks for the info on being able to transfer the number as well.

[bitstopjoe]

I had a problem recently where I could no longer write to a Thumb drive. It used to worked, but stopped. Soooooooo I went to device manager and deleted EVERYTHING under my USB section. Then I rebooted and all my USB drivers were reinstalled. Guess what? I am able to write again to my thumb drives. Worth a shot.. BUT since you said you have tried a new MJ on your PC and it worked I have to assume that wont fix it.
One other thing. You don't, per chance, use the extension cord that came with your MJ do you?? If so? Throw it away as it causes more problems than it is worth. Also have you tried a POWERED USB hub? Or a different USB port?? These are things I would try myself.

Joe Sica

[Atari Man]

I had a problem recently where I could no longer write to a Thumb drive. It used to worked, but stopped. Soooooooo I went to device manager and deleted EVERYTHING under my USB section. Then I rebooted and all my USB drivers were reinstalled. Guess what? I am able to write again to my thumb drives. Worth a shot.. BUT since you said you have tried a new MJ on your PC and it worked I have to assume that wont fix it.
One other thing. You don't, per chance, use the extension cord that came with your MJ do you?? If so? Throw it away as it causes more problems than it is worth. Also have you tried a POWERED USB hub? Or a different USB port?? These are things I would try myself.

Joe Sica

Yeah i do use the cord that came with the magicjack.. I think i need an extension cable to actually be able to fit it in the USB port...

Let me try making some room in back and replugging it in without the cord.. Im not sure if I can do it on here but ill give it a shot

[Atari Man]

I had a problem recently where I could no longer write to a Thumb drive. It used to worked, but stopped. Soooooooo I went to device manager and deleted EVERYTHING under my USB section. Then I rebooted and all my USB drivers were reinstalled. Guess what? I am able to write again to my thumb drives. Worth a shot.. BUT since you said you have tried a new MJ on your PC and it worked I have to assume that wont fix it.
One other thing. You don't, per chance, use the extension cord that came with your MJ do you?? If so? Throw it away as it causes more problems than it is worth. Also have you tried a POWERED USB hub? Or a different USB port?? These are things I would try myself.

Joe Sica

THAT was the problem.. The damned cable... Works fine without it.. Only problem now is I cant plug my monitor with the MJ installed... Well looks like Im off to get a high quality USB extension cable...

Much thanks Joe Sica... I was starting to comtemplate just paying the $15 a month for the cable VOIP if I had to replace the MJ every 18 months.

It works perfectly now.. damned cable. heh

[Atari Man]

And BTW,


DAN SHOULD PAY YOU

[bitstopjoe]

And BTW,


DAN SHOULD PAY YOU

HA, thank you... But I don't make up the headers here. I think they go by how many times one posts. I can only imagine what it will say when I hit 1000 posts!!
Glad it fixed your problem. Odd how something which has worked for you for 2 years craps out JUST sitting there huh?
I think a quality extension is an oxymoron. Any way you can rearange some of the cables in the rear of your PC to make it work? Rather than spend your $ on an extension I would spend a few bucks more and get a POWERED USB hub. This is the one I use. http://www.windmilltrading.com/USBProds ... 4U2ABK.htm

Joe Sica

[Atari Man]

And BTW,


DAN SHOULD PAY YOU

HA, thank you... But I don't make up the hearders here. I think they go by how many times one posts. I can only imagine what it will say when I hit 1000 posts!!
Glad it fixed your problem. Odd how something which has worked for you for 2 years craps out JUST sitting there huh?
I think a quality extension is an oxymoron. Any way you can rearange some of the cables in the rear of your PC to make it work? Rather than spend your $ on an extension I would spend a few bucks more and get a POWERED USB hub. This is the one I use. http://www.windmilltrading.com/USBProds ... 4U2ABK.htm

Joe Sica

The way this PC was designed all 4 USB ports are so close together (2 in front, 2 in back) and theyre put in what appears upside down to me, so none of them will allow the MJ to be plugged in free

[bitstopjoe]

Yep same here, that is why I went for the powered USB hub. I keep my MJ and external HD on it. Never have had a problem.

Joe Sica

[Atari Man]

Yep same here, that is why I went for the powered USB hub. I keep my MJ and external HD on it. Never have had a problem.

Joe Sica

I actually went to staples and found a good belkin extension cable and it doesnt work.. Im gonna hook up my old pc I think until I get the powered hub like you suggested.

[bitstopjoe]

Maybe the MJ dongle IS starting to go bad and the extra resistance of an extension cord is pushing it over the edge??

Just a thought.

Joe Sica

[Atari Man]

Maybe the MJ dongle IS starting to go bad and the extra resistance of an extension cord is pushing it over the edge??

Just a thought.

Joe Sica

It could be.. a new MJ works fine with the cable.. its so much better without the cable though.. much clearer IMO.