whole house MagicJack _AND_ keep POTS service?

[rtphokie]

My wife isn't quite ready to give up POTS service but I'd like to make MagicJack available to multiple phones for long distance, any suggestions.

Are there any boxes that will allow me to select an RJ11 line by some button sequence? Maybe something intended to allow single line phones access to a 2nd line?

[kumar]

outside where your phone connects....there may be some inlet for a line 2....i THINK that if you connect the magicjack to that then you can use a line splitter with it....but i am not sure if that will work since the landline doesnt get along with the voip....anyone wanna clarify?
Kumar

[LikeMagic]

The simplest way is to connect a multi-handset, single base phone system to the MagicJack, no wiring required. I use Panasonic KX-TG3034 4-handset, single base cordless phone system which works great.




If you want to add MagicJack as Line 2 into your existing house wiring, it could be done as well:

1. first check to make sure that the telephone junction box (where the existing POTS (line 1) wiring first enters your house wiring) to make sure that only 1 pair (2 wires) is connected to your your house telephone wiring as line 1. And line 2 and line 3 wirings on your house wiring side are not connected to the outside (network side) wiring.
2. check your house telephone wiring to make sure that at least an extra pair (2 wires) of wiring are running/connecting to all the phone jacks that you want to use for MagicJack.
3. buy yourself a bunch of L1, L2, L1+L2 adapters like this one:

4. L1 will be your existing POTS line. L2 will be for MagicJack, L1+L2 is for 2-line phone (L1=POTS, L2=MagicJack)
5. plug the Magicjack's phone cord to L2 of the "L1, L2, L1+L2" adapter and plug the adapter into the wall's phone jack. Now L2 (MagicJack) should be available to all wall's phone jacks (providing that extra wiring (L2) are connecting all wall's phone jacks).
6. Use the L1, L2, L1+L2 adapters throughout your house to connect all the phones to eiher L1 (POTS) or L2 (Magicjack) as needed. Or use 2-line phone in L1+L2 jack.

[SpamBox]

One should note that if connecting to your housewiring, might be a good idea to get a surge protector that can protect a phone line too. I hope everyone already has their computer connected to a surge protector!

[rtphokie]

These are all good solutions but I'm hoping for something a little more seamless. Something where I could plug in POTS service and Magic Jack and be able to select MagicJack by pressing '*' on the phone or something along those lines.

I've seen something like it somewhere, I just cant remember where.

This is how VoiceStick's MG-3 device works. You plug your phone into the MG-3 and the MG-3 into the wall (aka POTS) and it normally passes through to POTS until you press '*' then you get the VOIP dialtone and can dial out that way.

[techno-pagan]

These are all good solutions but I'm hoping for something a little more seamless. Something where I could plug in POTS service and Magic Jack and be able to select MagicJack by pressing '*' on the phone or something along those lines.

I've seen something like it somewhere, I just cant remember where.

This is how VoiceStick's MG-3 device works. You plug your phone into the MG-3 and the MG-3 into the wall (aka POTS) and it normally passes through to POTS until you press '*' then you get the VOIP dialtone and can dial out that way.

What you describe is a two line phone (press the "line 1" button for your POTS and "line 2" for your MJ).

Of course you'll need to examine some of the above solutions on getting the wiring correct...

[livedog]

The simplest way is to connect a multi-handset, single base phone system to the MagicJack, no wiring required. I use Panasonic KX-TG3034 4-handset, single base cordless phone system which works great.

Are you running a wireless network at your house (2.4Ghz 802.11)? Do the phones interfere with the wireless network at all?

[LikeMagic]

The simplest way is to connect a multi-handset, single base phone system to the MagicJack, no wiring required. I use Panasonic KX-TG3034 4-handset, single base cordless phone system which works great.

Are you running a wireless network at your house (2.4Ghz 802.11)? Do the phones interfere with the wireless network at all?

I have 2 wireless-G (2.4Ghz) routers within 6 & 10 ft of the Panasonic 2.4Ghz base, no interference!

[HolmanGT]

rtphokie,

I don't believe it gets any more seamless than LikeMagic's solution "Store bought & Plug-n-Play"

I was going to offer the same solution the other day, but to make it understandable I would have had put the effort into it that "LikeMagic" did and frankly I was just to damn lazy to put out that much effort.

But now that Magic has done all the work I would suggest his solution but just to stay away from Bluetooth and Routers I would try to find a SPEC-6 phone or a 5.8 gHz phone package.

One Caveat is D-link and Netgear are reviving the 5.8 band again with dual radio 802.11-N systems.


PS - @LikeMagic, Panasonic's 2.4 phones are in the minority (IMHO) when it comes to not whacking 2.4 routers. I don't know what they do different than lets say V-Tech but they are definitely much better at "Playing well together" with 2.4 routers.

[LikeMagic]

PS - @LikeMagic, Panasonic's 2.4 phones are in the minority (IMHO) when it comes to not whacking 2.4 routers. I don't know what they do different than lets say V-Tech but they are definitely much better at "Playing well together" with 2.4 routers.

There are two types of 2.4Ghz cordless phone technologies: Analog & Digital Spread Spectrum (DSS).

Analog 2.4Ghz cordless phone set uses only 1 pair of XMIT/RECV frequencies (out of approx 50 available channels). If the channel pair causes or experiences interference, you gets drifts & noise. You could manually switch to a different channel pair to avoid interference. Drifts & noise are anything but annoying

DSS 2.4Ghz cordless phone set is also using one pair of XMIT/RECV frequencies, however, the main difference is that DSS transmitter & receiver keep (synchronized) switching to a new frequency pair rapidly to avoid interference. They switch so fast that other (WiFi, analog & DSS) 2.4Ghz systems out there get no chance of detecting them thus there is virtually no interference.

DSS (AKA Frequency Hopping) was first invented for the military during WWII to avoid intercepted by the enemy and eventually DSS was made available to cordless phone technology. Here's an article describing how DSS works.

As you could tell by now, I chose my Panasonic KX-TG3034B cordless phone system with DSS for a reason

[ZeroGG]

If you want to add MagicJack as Line 2 into your existing house wiring, it could be done as well:

1. first check to make sure that the telephone junction box (where the existing POTS (line 1) wiring first enters your house wiring) to make sure that only 1 pair (2 wires) is connected to your your house telephone wiring as line 1. And line 2 and line 3 wirings on your house wiring side are not connected to the outside (network side) wiring.
2. check your house telephone wiring to make sure that at least an extra pair (2 wires) of wiring are running/connecting to all the phone jacks that you want to use for MagicJack.
3. buy yourself a bunch of L1, L2, L1+L2 adapters like this one:

4. L1 will be your existing POTS line. L2 will be for MagicJack, L1+L2 is for 2-line phone (L1=POTS, L2=MagicJack)
5. plug the Magicjack's phone cord to L2 of the "L1, L2, L1+L2" adapter and plug the adapter into the wall's phone jack. Now L2 (MagicJack) should be available to all wall's phone jacks (providing that extra wiring (L2) are connecting all wall's phone jacks).
6. Use the L1, L2, L1+L2 adapters throughout your house to connect all the phones to eiher L1 (POTS) or L2 (Magicjack) as needed. Or use 2-line phone in L1+L2 jack.

That's a great idea using a L1 L2 phone jack! I didn't think of doing it that way. Thanks for the tip!

[LikeMagic]

You're certainly welcome

[ruggb]

I used the black/yellow wires to route the voip service to phones in the hose before I dropped my land line.

All houses are wired differently so YMMV.

U need to verify the second pair is connected to all jacks u want to use and not cross connected. electricians get sloppy.

the best way is to take a pots with a second line adapter thru the house to verify none are connected to your landline, the connect the incoming landline to the 2nd line - u can usually do this at the outside box pretty eaisily - and verify the 2nd line is connected thru the house.

switch it back - use and adapter to plug the MJ into the 2nd line and and adapter to connect your remote phone

[gooney]

I have comcast digital voice so my landline phone jack is connected to my comcast high speed modem( a voip broadband modem that has a phone jack )... i just unplug that phone jack and plug it in my MJ... my whole house is now connected to MJ

[redram38]

PS - @LikeMagic, Panasonic's 2.4 phones are in the minority (IMHO) when it comes to not whacking 2.4 routers. I don't know what they do different than lets say V-Tech but they are definitely much better at "Playing well together" with 2.4 routers.

There are two types of 2.4Ghz cordless phone technologies: Analog & Digital Spread Spectrum (DSS).

Analog 2.4Ghz cordless phone set uses only 1 pair of XMIT/RECV frequencies (out of approx 50 available channels). If the channel pair causes or experiences interference, you gets drifts & noise. You could manually switch to a different channel pair to avoid interference. Drifts & noise are anything but annoying

DSS 2.4Ghz cordless phone set is also using one pair of XMIT/RECV frequencies, however, the main difference is that DSS transmitter & receiver keep (synchronized) switching to a new frequency pair rapidly to avoid interference. They switch so fast that other (WiFi, analog & DSS) 2.4Ghz systems out there get no chance of detecting them thus there is virtually no interference.

DSS (AKA Frequency Hopping) was first invented for the military during WWII to avoid intercepted by the enemy and eventually DSS was made available to cordless phone technology. Here's an article describing how DSS works.

As you could tell by now, I chose my Panasonic KX-TG3034B cordless phone system with DSS for a reason

Does Caller ID work on these phones ? I have the Panasonic 6.0 and it does not work.

[redram38]

I have comcast digital voice so my landline phone jack is connected to my comcast high speed modem( a voip broadband modem that has a phone jack )... i just unplug that phone jack and plug it in my MJ... my whole house is now connected to MJ

I assume you mean to unplug the phone line from the modem that comcast provides. I have Comcast as well and will try this later thx for the tip .

[redram38]

I have a question for anyone with Comcast Digital Voice. When I ran the MJ through the wall outlet that Comcast used to connect to their modem, I would get a noise like a fax machine was answering the phone on every other phone call I made. Is this happening to anyone else. If I wait about 30 seconds it does not seem to happen.

[saukriver]

>>I am having trouble understanding how you implement LikeMagic's instruction. "plug the Magicjack's phone cord " What is the "MagicJack phone cord"? There is a phone cord that runs from my MagicJack to a handset? If I plug it into a L1/L2/L1+L@ jack, what do I plug the handset into?

Sorry for being dense, and I will appreciate any help you offer.

[sizwizz]

I don't have Magic Jack yet. I'm waiting until I can port my number, which the website says will happen some time in '09. My question is, if I purchase the L1, L2, L1+L2 plug-in adapters, and I use Magic Jack as my only line, can I use the adapters to plug in my other cordless phones (with their own individual bases), and say, use L1 to connect all of my phones to Magic Jack? Will it connect my corded phone too? Otherwise, I COULD use my V-tech cordless phone with two extra handsets that work off a common base. (Couldn't I? It's model # LS6125-3)

Sorry, I'm not too technical so these questions may sound lame.

Siz