Answering Machine and external caller ID????
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Answering Machine and external caller ID????
I just ordered magic jack and can't wait for it to arrive. Was wondering ...can I jack into the usb dingy with an answering machine...then this would go to duplex connector which I plug caller id and phone into. I use talking caller id's and will go get additional one now. How many "devices" will the usb connection support?????????How about cordless phones??? Currently have vonage..(which I'll keep until they go out of business lol) and a regular landline. I've done the above with vonage line ...6 devices. Magic jack will be wonderful cause I need a 3rd phone with an out of state area code.
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SpamBox
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Re: Answering Machine and external caller ID????
I think I understand what you want to do and I think you also have the correct forum...redlox wrote:I just ordered magic jack and can't wait for it to arrive. Was wondering ...can I jack into the usb dingy with an answering machine...then this would go to duplex connector which I plug caller id and phone into. I use talking caller id's and will go get additional one now. How many "devices" will the usb connection support?????????How about cordless phones??? Currently have vonage..(which I'll keep until they go out of business lol) and a regular landline. I've done the above with vonage line ...6 devices. Magic jack will be wonderful cause I need a 3rd phone with an out of state area code.
You want MJ to connect to a home answering machine, then a duplex and then connect a phone to the duplex:
MJ --> home answering machine --> duplex/splitter --> home phone & caller ID box.
Correct?
I see no reason why it wouldn't work. MJ pretty much acts like your normal landline. Your devices won't know the difference.
The only problem some people have is when hardwiring MJ into their house, sometimes not all the extensions ring due to the size of the house and also the number of extensions installed throughout the house (the ringers won't ring on all extensions, calls still go through just no ring). In your case, that shouldn't be an issue. Cordless phones are supported. I personally use a Panasonice DECT 6.0 expandable system with 3 handsets, expandable to 6 handsets. Works great.
I think in a month or two you'll probably drop the vonage line. Since you already are using both vonage & landline, I would keep the landline for reliability and use MJ for long distance. Personally i don't have a landline, I use my cell for backup, and MJ as a way to help keep my cell bill down.
Of course in your case, you could just get a Grand Central out of state phone number (instead of out of state MJ) which would be free and have it set to forward to both your vonage & landline or if you switch then to both your MJ & landline. I don't see why you're making things so much more complicated and expensive for yourself with so many different phone lines & devices, but also don't know the whole story/situation.
If you want, explain your situation and needs, there's plenty of us here who might be able to better help you out and save you a few bucks in the process.
Thank you for understanding my question and your well written reply. I use the vonage line for potential telemarketers. ie: my credit card cos.,businesses that want to call me back and sell more...etc I give them the vonage #.My land line # is ONLY given to people I want to hear from. All vonage incoming calls are instantly picked up by voicemail..the pests can talk to the internet all day. When I'm in the mood..I go to vonage site and view the pest-activity..and listen to msg. if I want to.
I also use vonage # for outgoing so my land line is clear. I refuse to use call waiting...would rather answer call if I want to speak to person calling me on landline (talking caller ID lets me know who it is) I need a phone # in the adjacent area code for business purposes...because that area code starts 1 mile away and people there think I'm further from them than I am. Intend to forward calls from MJ to land line...I want to speak to potential customer!! I managed to get a 14.99 unlimited vonage plan....just call customer service and threaten to cancel service...complain !!!! The CSR even threw in a free month. I was with vonage for 2 years before I tried to chisel them down. btw..no contract either. Cheap enough to keep the pests at bay. Bellsouth has a monopoly here (the landline #)and if there's a power outage..ie:hurricane...I need land line.Their rates for extras are very high. I just get minimum local service plus caller ID.
MJ will be useful in that event because I have inverter in car to charge up my laptops (3) which all have extra batteries. When WILMA blew in..some cell phone service went down because the towers got affected. MJ will permit me to get out and still use a phone. There was no electric for over a week...COMCAST took 3 weeks to repair their service which went down too. (no internet) I practically lived in Panera Bread with their free wi fi. Some close-by areas had electric restored before mine.
I also use vonage # for outgoing so my land line is clear. I refuse to use call waiting...would rather answer call if I want to speak to person calling me on landline (talking caller ID lets me know who it is) I need a phone # in the adjacent area code for business purposes...because that area code starts 1 mile away and people there think I'm further from them than I am. Intend to forward calls from MJ to land line...I want to speak to potential customer!! I managed to get a 14.99 unlimited vonage plan....just call customer service and threaten to cancel service...complain !!!! The CSR even threw in a free month. I was with vonage for 2 years before I tried to chisel them down. btw..no contract either. Cheap enough to keep the pests at bay. Bellsouth has a monopoly here (the landline #)and if there's a power outage..ie:hurricane...I need land line.Their rates for extras are very high. I just get minimum local service plus caller ID.
MJ will be useful in that event because I have inverter in car to charge up my laptops (3) which all have extra batteries. When WILMA blew in..some cell phone service went down because the towers got affected. MJ will permit me to get out and still use a phone. There was no electric for over a week...COMCAST took 3 weeks to repair their service which went down too. (no internet) I practically lived in Panera Bread with their free wi fi. Some close-by areas had electric restored before mine.
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SpamBox
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Ok so i think you can pretty much get rid of your vonage line as MJ should work pretty much just as well for you, and if the number is only given to telmarkers and such who cares if it has a different area code. You could just also get a Grand Central number to give out to telemarketers too, and just check the messages online whenever you felt like it (and it's free).
The only problem i can see, and it's very minor - you can't port your current vonage phone number over to MJ so the people who you call - you'll need to let them know you have a new phone number - pretty easy stuff.
As far as the devices you want to hook up, shouldn't be a problem.
So recommend to you:
The only problem i can see, and it's very minor - you can't port your current vonage phone number over to MJ so the people who you call - you'll need to let them know you have a new phone number - pretty easy stuff.
As far as the devices you want to hook up, shouldn't be a problem.
So recommend to you:
- 1) Drop Vonage
2) Get MagicJack (ok do this before dropping Vonage...) and use it for your outgoing, would recommend to get it in the area code next to yours since you're just using it for outgoing anyway and MJ doesn't care if the call is local or long distance.
3) Keep the landline for incoming & emergencies and because MJ does have it's ups & downs but so did Vonage when I used them when they first came out.
4) Get a Grand Central number to give to telemarketers because what's great about grand central, if there's a number that just keeps calling you - you can block that number (the telemarketer gets a message that the number they are trying is not in service)
Connecting an answering machine to MJ.
I have a GE 5.8MHZ wireless phone/answering machine and it doesn't pick-up. It also doesn't ring. Only the Panasonic 5.8MHZ wireless phones ring, I have 4 of them, none of the other 5 phones in my house ring including a non-powered non-wireless phone and a fax machine. I am thinking I may have to buy a Panasonic answering machine to solve the problem and I do not want to use MJ voicemail.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
John
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
John