Inbound CID ...Possible fix.
Moderators: Pilot, Bill Smith
Well I've tried everyway I can on the resistor fix and I end up with the same result.
I can make calls, but I can't recieve any calls. When the MJ number is called it disconnects after 1 ring.
I've read and re-read the fix but, I have to be missing something.
I'm trying to do a whole house fix..I've put it in the coupler, I've cut 4 inches off a phone line and used a 1 into 2 jack, and I've put it in the box outside.
I'm going across the green and red wires right????
Any help please!!!!!!!
I can make calls, but I can't recieve any calls. When the MJ number is called it disconnects after 1 ring.
I've read and re-read the fix but, I have to be missing something.
I'm trying to do a whole house fix..I've put it in the coupler, I've cut 4 inches off a phone line and used a 1 into 2 jack, and I've put it in the box outside.
I'm going across the green and red wires right????
Any help please!!!!!!!
Does it disconnect with nothing plugged into the mj phone jack? If it does, I would suspect a bad mj. If it does not disconnect, I would try adding one phone at a time and testing with each addition. If you have added the 100,000 ohm resistor, I would verify that it is the correct value. Too low a resistance could also cause your problem. Good luck.
OK kumar, this my take on the CID issue.
Ideally, from a DC standpoint, one would want a telephone device to look like an open circuit to the line. This would allow an infinite number of devices in parallel without swamping the line to the point of drawing dial tone...off hook condition. One would normally want to avoid low resistance across any device connected to the phone line.
In the real world you can get by with a little resistance if it is well above the point of drawing dial tone. CID information in the form of data pulses can be distorted by capacitance of some phone devices and by long phone lines. If the CID circuitry is not designed to handle this, errors occur preventing proper CID display. The resistor dampens the voltage overshoots caused by the capacity, thus making it easer for CID decoding.
Hopefully, MJ has corrected this in the units the are now shipping.
I am probably totally wrong about all of the above, but this is IMHO what's going on.
Ideally, from a DC standpoint, one would want a telephone device to look like an open circuit to the line. This would allow an infinite number of devices in parallel without swamping the line to the point of drawing dial tone...off hook condition. One would normally want to avoid low resistance across any device connected to the phone line.
In the real world you can get by with a little resistance if it is well above the point of drawing dial tone. CID information in the form of data pulses can be distorted by capacitance of some phone devices and by long phone lines. If the CID circuitry is not designed to handle this, errors occur preventing proper CID display. The resistor dampens the voltage overshoots caused by the capacity, thus making it easer for CID decoding.
Hopefully, MJ has corrected this in the units the are now shipping.
I am probably totally wrong about all of the above, but this is IMHO what's going on.
- trailblazer
- magicJack Apprentice
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Another satisfied user of the 100k-Ohm resister fix!!!!
Some additional help for those wanting to try this fix...
I used a 100k-Ohm Resistor (1/4 watt 5% tolerance) from Radio Shack. The catalog number is 271-1347. You get a package of 5 for 99 cents.
Instead of sodering, I used a surface-mount telephone jack that has two places to plug in a phone. I connected each of the 2 red wires and one lead from the resistor under one screw and the 2 green wires and the other end of the reisistor under another screw. Then I run a phone cord from my magicJack to one port on this phone jack and then run another cord from the other port on this jack to my phone.
Some additional help for those wanting to try this fix...
I used a 100k-Ohm Resistor (1/4 watt 5% tolerance) from Radio Shack. The catalog number is 271-1347. You get a package of 5 for 99 cents.
Instead of sodering, I used a surface-mount telephone jack that has two places to plug in a phone. I connected each of the 2 red wires and one lead from the resistor under one screw and the 2 green wires and the other end of the reisistor under another screw. Then I run a phone cord from my magicJack to one port on this phone jack and then run another cord from the other port on this jack to my phone.
Hi trailblazer. I hate soldering...Did you get that surface mount telephone jack from Radio Shack also?...If so, do you have the catalogue number on that also? I got the 5 pack of resistors already. The same as you 5% tolerance from Radio Shack. Any info that you can give me on the surface mount phone jack would be appreciated...Thanx! 

Another good solderless fix
Hey people! I was checking out some other threads on this site & found another solderless version of snafu2's 100k ohm resistor fix. For those of you that hate soldering small parts like me....Here is the link
http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/inbo ... t1096.html

http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/inbo ... t1096.html
- trailblazer
- magicJack Apprentice
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Please...don't credit me with the idea of placing the resistor inside the small modular plug...I just happened to find it in another thread & figured I'd link it to here. It sounds like a good idea to me. It was actually posted by an MJ reseller. He found that snafu2's idea worked pretty good & was looking for a cheap & easy way to resolve the Caller ID problem. So, he or she came up with that idea & says that it works well. Thanx for responding... 

Oh well...I guess that Caller ID & Call Waiting don't work with the Intel Mac Mini 1.83 Ghz. Core 2 Duo. Although MJ tech support claims it does. They told me it was a USB power issue & told me to try a powered Hub. I tried 2 different Powered Hubs. The one that's built into my NewerTech V2 back up drive with 3 USB 2.0 & 3 FireWire 400 ports. The whole unit is supplied by AC power. I also tried my Belkin 7 port Powered USB Hub. Still no go. I tried trailblazer's version of the 100 ohm resistor trick & still doesn't work. I hook up the same MJ with the same phone cord & same phone to my mom's HP Windows XP computer. Both Caller ID & Call Waiting work without the use of a Powered USB Hub or Resistor setup. All 6 USB ports work with her computer, including the 2 in the front & 4 in the rear. I tried all ports on the Mac Mini & Powered Hubs but, still no go...Anyone have any ideas? I am using OS X 105.2 Leopard...Thanx




Oh yeah..btw...I forgot to add that the Caller ID DOES display on my monitor but, not the phone. No Call Waiting. Hooks me up straight to my VoiceMail when on the phone with someone else & I call my MJ number with my cell phone or house phone. Phone makes & receive calls just great! The light on the base of the cordless phone flashes when it rings. Caller ID & Waiting work as normal on the phone when I connect to my mother's HP Windows XP computer without any other aid or help. I use the same phone, MJ, & cord I'm using on the Mac. I did add an extra short phone cord when I tried the Resistor trick...I am also on Wireless on the Mac. I don't use the Built in Airport though. I have that shut off & am using a Belkin Wireless Ethernet Bridge. I find it gets a better range & I can move it if I happen to experience problems, which hasn't happened yet. I always get a good & fast connection. Other that the CID & CW, the MJ works great!...Again...Any ideas???...Mac Mini 1.83 Ghz. Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 1 Gig of RAM...OS X Leopard 10.5.2...Thanx Again...sorry for the second posting...I wanted to add some info....





Ok here is my result. I soldered the red and green wires to both ends of the resister and I do get caller ID to work, however everyother call I make to the magic jack phone gets a fax machine squeel. I hang up and call again and it works, hang up call again, fax squeel. What do you think could be the cause of this.
I have the magic jack to the coupler to the phone line into the wall jack. I wonder if that makes a diff. I am not going straight into the phone, but through a wall jack.
I have the magic jack to the coupler to the phone line into the wall jack. I wonder if that makes a diff. I am not going straight into the phone, but through a wall jack.
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- Dan Should Pay Me
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I'm not quite sure what you're talking about hereredram38 wrote:Ok here is my result. I soldered the red and green wires to both ends of the resister and I do get caller ID to work, however everyother call I make to the magic jack phone gets a fax machine squeel. I hang up and call again and it works, hang up call again, fax squeel. What do you think could be the cause of this.
I have the magic jack to the coupler to the phone line into the wall jack. I wonder if that makes a diff. I am not going straight into the phone, but through a wall jack.


What's a fax squeal? As if you're calling a fax machine and the fax machine answers?
If so, do you have a fax machine connected to your home telephone line? Since you connect MJ --> wall jack, did you disconnect the old phone service wiring at the main telephone junction box?
I have comcast digital voice. I unplugged the phone line from the modem so the Comcast Digital Voice is no longer active. I tried the wall jack that Comcast used to run the phone line to the modem and it worked as did all the phone jacks in the house. Now I am using a phone jack that is next to the computer that I have the Magic Jack hooked to. I do not have a fax machine hooked up, and yes it is the sound you hear when a fax machine answers a call. I will try it bypassing the wall jack and just hook into the phone and see what happens. Oh and if I wait about 20 seconds and call the number it does not make the fax noise. It only does it if I redial the number right away. And it only does it everyother time. Call 1 is ok, call 2 fax noise, call 3 ok and so on
Thx for the help
Thx for the help
I was having trouble with the CID on my house long wired multi-phone setup, and the 100k-Ohm resister fix works fine for me.
I was just wondering if anyone was having any problems or side effects with the call quality from a resister across the lines that way?
I haven't had any problems with mine so far.
I was just wondering if anyone was having any problems or side effects with the call quality from a resister across the lines that way?
I haven't had any problems with mine so far.
100k mod worked
works great thanks.... I moded a dsl filter
Well, the thing is far from perfect but it's improving more all the time. I figure by this time next year it should sound every bit as good as a Tijuana tele or maybe as clear as a Virgin mobile cell phone-lol-seriously, Dans crew is working hard to get this phone working right all the time. I have faith in the guy. His pride and tons of money are on the line.
This post was created on "Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:01 pm", MJ has known of this fix for how long?
Kind of pisses me off that I bought the MJ about 3 weeks ago with this problem still existing!
Not to mention the phone no longer even rings on incoming calls.
MJ, some quality advice, The Seven P's!
Prior Propper Planning Prevents a Piss Poor Product!

Kind of pisses me off that I bought the MJ about 3 weeks ago with this problem still existing!
Not to mention the phone no longer even rings on incoming calls.
MJ, some quality advice, The Seven P's!
Prior Propper Planning Prevents a Piss Poor Product!

- trailblazer
- magicJack Apprentice
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- Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:48 am
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MJ needs to fix this issue in some way other than simply adding a 100K Resistor to the product. In one of my posts in the topic http://www.phoneservicesupport.com/usin ... -t698.html I mention how me having the 100K resistor across the line "broke" my xLink device. Removing the resistor made things work again.
BigRick, you may want to consider getting an xLink since it may fix both your CID and ringer issues, not to mention the convenience of also being able to answer your cell phone calls on the same phone you use with your magicJack.
BigRick, you may want to consider getting an xLink since it may fix both your CID and ringer issues, not to mention the convenience of also being able to answer your cell phone calls on the same phone you use with your magicJack.
It worked!
Thanks a billion! It took me about 10 minutes to make the coupler...works like a charm! 

hey all, i recently have started using the magicjack after switching from vonage, and I haven't been having a lot of luck with incoming Caller ID.
currently, I have my MJ plugged directly into my Sony Vaio Desktop, and then have a Panasonic 3 handset phone hooked up to that directly from the magicjack, and so far, everything has been workin' well (other than incoming CID). The caller ID sometimes shows up, but maybe 5% of the time. So I wanted to know if someone can put up the required tools and objects I would need as well as some step by step instructions as to what needs to be done, b/c I really like having caller ID. Thanks!
currently, I have my MJ plugged directly into my Sony Vaio Desktop, and then have a Panasonic 3 handset phone hooked up to that directly from the magicjack, and so far, everything has been workin' well (other than incoming CID). The caller ID sometimes shows up, but maybe 5% of the time. So I wanted to know if someone can put up the required tools and objects I would need as well as some step by step instructions as to what needs to be done, b/c I really like having caller ID. Thanks!
Check the first page of this topic, vipadawg, it's all there including a picture of the finished product (thanks again) Cost to make...1.99 for way too many resistors and about the same for the phone coupler (thanks, Fry's). Had to buy a soldering iron for 6 bucks too. So for under 10 dollars and about 10 minutes, I had CID working. Now, it does NOT pick up the names..just the numbers. If you put contacts into the soft phone with names and numbers it WILL pick those up...maybe that will be upgraded at some point. Still need to play with making MJ a service since my wife and I constatly change out screens.
okay, so I will need that resistor, a phone coupler, and a soldering iron. i was trying to figure out the solderless method, but I couldn't figure that out, can anyone clarify? I guess I'll head to radio shack to see if I can pick these things up. thanks.quetzal wrote:Check the first page of this topic, vipadawg, it's all there including a picture of the finished product (thanks again) Cost to make...1.99 for way too many resistors and about the same for the phone coupler (thanks, Fry's). Had to buy a soldering iron for 6 bucks too. So for under 10 dollars and about 10 minutes, I had CID working. Now, it does NOT pick up the names..just the numbers. If you put contacts into the soft phone with names and numbers it WILL pick those up...maybe that will be upgraded at some point. Still need to play with making MJ a service since my wife and I constatly change out screens.
Depending on the length of the leads of the resistor there are several ways to do it w/o solder, if you have the right kind of connector. All you have to do is "short" the two active jack wires with the resistor. I have a several year old dollar store connector with screw terminals that would lend itself nicely to this application if the resistor leads are long enough.vipadawg wrote: okay, so I will need that resistor, a phone coupler, and a soldering iron. i was trying to figure out the solderless method, but I couldn't figure that out, can anyone clarify? I guess I'll head to radio shack to see if I can pick these things up. thanks.
Bottom line though, is do not fear the solder. Soldering irons are cheap enough, and while it takes a little time to perfect your technique, with a little practice you will be OK. I've always been an exponent of the "bigger the gob, the better the job" school of soldering

After perusing this thread, I learned that disconnecting a laptop from it's AC adapter can cause the CID to start working, as is the case in my situation, but didn't see any explanation as to why this might be. I am going to try the resistor solution as soon as I can get to Radio Shack, but I am curious as to why unplugging the adapter works??
I tried it just like this and my phone dont ring anymore and the cid still dont work ;/LikeMagic wrote:Here's the picture of my 100K resistor mod in a standard phone jack coupler (MagicJack <---> Coupler <---> Telephone):
Note: if you perform this mod, don't forget to use electrical tape to cover the resistor's exposed wires to prevent short
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- Dan isn't smart enough to hire me
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okay, so I finally had time to goto radioshack today and pick up some resistors, got a pack of 5 for 99 cents. anyways, i wasn't sure about the coupler, so i decided to bypass it completely, and just cut a phone wire in half, strip the ends, and then just take the resistor and wrap the ends around it, essentially doing what the coupler does, but just in line, and walah, incoming CID now works! thanks for the info and the fix! you guys are great!
caller id fix
i tried your fix and it worked great thanks
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- MagicJack Newbie
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I stopped into Radio Shack and picked up the resistor and went ahead and got the phone jack to save soldering...owner of the store said they didn't sell many resistors and was curious....asked him if he ever heard of Magic Jack....said he had his store linked up with one in the back....said he has had CID since day one (didn't ask what phones he was using). Came home and had CID up in running in 30 min. Kudos to whoever came up with this idea. Btw, CID worked vtech 5.8 phone right away, but I had to reboot before my Uniden 5.8 would show it.
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CID
Have not seen this mentioned. I am using CallStation by Imptec on my P.C. for my voicemail. Current Vonage user switching to MagicJack. I have not had any problems with caller I.D. in the past with Vonage. Switched to the MagicJack and now the software will not pickup the CID. However, the caller I.D will showup on everything else cordless phones, fax machine etc. Tried disconnecting everything else and just hooking up the MagicJack direct from USB port to P.C. Modem and still no caller I.D. on Call Station Software. I know it is just the modem not sensing the CID for some reason. Made sure all drivers were updated etc. Dell Dimension 4600 P4 2.6 Ghz with 3GB Memory XP. Anyone tried the resistor fix for a P.C. modem CID fix?????
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Re: CID
I have PC CID to broadcast CID to my desktop systems, Squeezebox, and TiVo (YAC software), and after installing the 100k ohm resistor it is working. I believe I've seen it stated here that CID can be intermittent without the resistor (I actually was surprised to see a CID # in my phone's call log today before installing the resistor), so I suppose it's not too far fetched to think that some devices might be able to read the CID signals while others can't. So try out the resistor - I'd guess it will fix your problem.Enforcer302 wrote:Have not seen this mentioned. I am using CallStation by Imptec on my P.C. for my voicemail. Current Vonage user switching to MagicJack. I have not had any problems with caller I.D. in the past with Vonage. Switched to the MagicJack and now the software will not pickup the CID. However, the caller I.D will showup on everything else cordless phones, fax machine etc. Tried disconnecting everything else and just hooking up the MagicJack direct from USB port to P.C. Modem and still no caller I.D. on Call Station Software. I know it is just the modem not sensing the CID for some reason. Made sure all drivers were updated etc. Dell Dimension 4600 P4 2.6 Ghz with 3GB Memory XP. Anyone tried the resistor fix for a P.C. modem CID fix?????
It will show the caller ID name if and only if you have it entered into your telephones phone book.TheShanMan wrote:Got my magicjack a month or so ago and am having this problem. Will be trying the fix soon, and will report back on results, but I'm expecting success based on the high success rate I'm seeing in this thread! Thanks all!
Bummer about the CID name though.
I have heard the are some carriers that send both name and number but it is also my understanding that some just send the number and expect your phone to pickup and add the name.
- George -
HolmanGT - St. George, UT MJ-Area/Prefix 435-275
ooma-Area/Prefix 435-579
Baja Broadband, up-1mb dn-10mb, on days with a good tail wind.
MJ on HP T5730 2GBF/2GBR Thin Client XPe SP2 Router Dlink Dir-655
HolmanGT - St. George, UT MJ-Area/Prefix 435-275
ooma-Area/Prefix 435-579
Baja Broadband, up-1mb dn-10mb, on days with a good tail wind.
MJ on HP T5730 2GBF/2GBR Thin Client XPe SP2 Router Dlink Dir-655
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