Use Skype Without a Computer

NOTE: This article has nothing to do with genealogy, other than perhaps providing a cheap method for you to call your distant relatives. However, I have written before about Skype and thought I would offer one more article describing its uses.

I love Skype! Instead of placing calls over standard telephone lines, this VoIP (Voice over IP) telephone service works by placing the calls over almost any broadband Internet connection.

The best part of all is the price of calls: calling anyone else who uses Skype is always free of charge, even if that person is located in another part of the world. Unlimited calls to standard telephones anywhere in North America cost $3.00 a month. (Skype's competitors typically charge $15 to $30 a month for the same thing.) Overseas calls are also cheap: I can call telephones in England or New Zealand or even China for two cents a minute. Calls to Mexico are two or three cents a minute, depending upon the Mexican area code being called. Calls to other countries typically cost two to perhaps five cents per minute. Calls to some third-world countries or to tiny islands in the South Pacific can cost more. The rates are always a fraction of what traditional telephone companies charge. The complete list of call rates may be found at http://www.skype.com/prices/callrates.

I also appreciate the sound quality of Skype calls. Skype-to-Skype calls are almost high fidelity, whereas calls placed to traditional telephones are limited to the audio quality provided by the distant telephone company. You can listen to some of the podcasts that I recorded at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/podcasts. Many of them were recorded on Skype-to-telephone calls. In fact, you might want to listen to my conversation with Simon Orde at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2006/05/podcast_an_inte.html. I used a laptop computer in Massachusetts while he was in London, England. We talked Skype-to-Skype, and the audio sounds as if we were both in the same room, even though we were 3,000 miles apart. The audio in that recorded conversation was far better than that of standard telephones.

NOTE: Skype and most other VoIP services work well with DSL, cable modems, and fiber optic Internet connections. They typically do not work well with satellite Internet connections, however, because of the time delays involved. I have used Skype from cruise ships' satellite connections with variable results. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

When I first started using Skype, I used a headset plugged into my computer's soundboard. This worked well, but I didn't care to be “tethered” to the computer. Cordless phones and cell phones have spoiled me: I like to be able to get up and walk around while talking on the phone. The (wired) headset prevented that. I also did not appreciate the fact that I had to leave the computer running twenty-four hours a day, waiting for possible incoming calls. Luckily, there is an easy solution. In fact, there are multiple solutions.

I prefer to use a cordless phone that will reach anyplace in my house, including the backyard, while talking on Skype. When talking to someone, I want to be able to check items in the refrigerator, pull a document out of my filing cabinet, or simply relax in the backyard. A quick online search produced a dozen or so such devices. Almost all of them look and perform like a standard cordless phone. Unfortunately, most of them connect to a computer's USB port, meaning the computer must be left running all the time. A further search, however, found a few devices that do not require connection to a computer. You simply plug them into your existing broadband modem/router.

NOTE: While you can turn the computer off and continue to use any of the devices I am about to describe, you must leave your broadband modem/router running all the time if you wish to receive incoming calls. Luckily, all those devices consume very little electricity, typically about the same as a nightlight. The amount added to your monthly electrical bill will be trivial. These devices also have no moving parts to wear out.

Over the past three years, I have experimented with several such devices. I will start by describing my favorite.

The Philips VOIP841 has now served me well for more than six months. Upon opening the shipping box, you find what looks like a regular cordless phone (only it is smaller than most such phones), a charging cradle in which to place that phone when not in use, plus a “black box.” The black box serves as the cordless phone base station. It has three connectors on the back and not much else. The connectors are:

1. power
2. a standard network connector for a cable that goes to the broadband modem/router
3. a standard telephone connector for the (optional) cable that goes to a standard telephone line

The Philips VOIP841 is a two-line phone. You can use it both for Skype and for a traditional telephone line. If you keep your traditional phone line, you only need one cordless phone to use both Skype and the traditional telephone service. Keeping a standard phone also avoids all the issues about 911 emergency calls, directory assistance, and other such issues. However, I wasn't concerned with those items. I do not use a standard phone line at all, only my Skype connection.

In use, the Philips VOIP841 functions almost the same as any standard cordless phone you have ever used before. There are two minor exceptions I can think of:

1. When placing a call to a standard telephone, you must start off with a plus sign (+) to indicate this is a Skype call. Otherwise, the call will be placed over the traditional phone line. For instance, to call the National Genealogical Society via the Skype connection, I would dial: +1-703-525-0050. That plus sign is important.
2. The Philips VOIP841 will display your Skype Phonebook. That is, you can store your phonebook on Skype's servers and then access those listings wherever you are connected. Simply scroll down the list on the VOIP841's tiny screen until you find the one you want and then press TALK. The call is initiated immediately.

The range of the Philips VOIP841 is impressive. It uses DECT, the latest thing in cordless phone technology. (For an explanation of DECT, look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dect.) I have not tested the maximum range, but I can report that this phone is crystal clear anywhere in the house or outside on the lawn. It works better than any of the older cordless phones I have used in the past, although I suspect that modern DECT phones from other manufacturers probably can match its performance. In any case, the Philips VOIP841 works well, and I can turn my computer off without affecting incoming or outgoing phone calls. The battery in the cordless phone will last several days without recharging.

You can also add a standard headset to the Philips VOIP841. You can find these headsets at most any electronics store, office supply store, department store, or other retailer that sells cordless phones and accessories. The headset allows you to walk around the house, talking on the phone in a hands-free manner. That's great when you are cooking dinner, working in the yard, or performing other household chores.

The Philips VOIP841 is a bit expensive, however. The list price is $169 US although almost all the retailers sell it for $129 or less. You can find a long list of retailers at http://www.google.com/products?q=voip841&btnG=Search+Products or even purchase it directly from Skype at http://accessories.skype.com/store/skype/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.69958700.

NOTE: Do not confuse the Philips VOIP841 with the model VOIP321 from the same manufacturer. While much cheaper, the VOIP321 plugs into a computer's USB port and requires that you keep the computer on all the time in order to answer incoming calls.

Aside from my favorite, several companies manufacture “wi-fi” phones for use with Skype. These handheld units theoretically can connect directly to any wi-fi base station and do not require a separate base station. In theory, these handheld wi-fi phones can be used at home as well as at any wi-fi hotspot at coffee shops, hotels, airports, train stations and elsewhere. (See the note below that describes exceptions.)

I have used a Linksys iPhone WIP320 and have also seen similar units from Belkin, Netgear, and SMC. I have not been terribly impressed with any of these handheld wi-fi phones. First of all, these wi-fi handheld phones typically do not have a built-in web browser. If the wi-fi hotspot you use requires the entry of a user name or password, there is no means of entering that information from most handheld wi-fi phones. This seems to eliminate 90% of the coffee shops, airports, train stations, and similar wi-fi hotspots. Nevertheless, these wi-fi phones all should work well on your home wi-fi network. They operate with WEP and WPA encrypted networks as well as with unencrypted connections.

Next, all of these wi-fi cordless phones seem to have limited battery life. They typically last eight hours or less between charges. The exact amount of time depends upon how much you talk on the phone. In fact, the Linksys iPhone WIP320 I used actually got hot during telephone calls. You know it is consuming battery power quickly when it gets hot!

You can find a number of wi-fi cordless Skype phones at http://www.google.com/products?q=wi-fi+skype&btnG=Search&show=dd.

Finally, I will mention the Panasonic KXWP1050 Wi-Fi Phone for Skype. It works well but is expensive and is sort of a “special purpose” cordless wi-fi phone for use with Skype. It serves a rather narrow audience, and I doubt if many people will require its unique features. However, if your needs are like mine, you might find the Panasonic KXWP1050 to be a perfect solution.

The Panasonic KXWP1050 is designed for the frequent traveler who often finds himself/herself in hotel rooms. It is especially useful for traveling internationally when cell phone roaming rates are so high as to make phone calls home very expensive. Placing international calls on Skype is always much cheaper than placing the same calls on a cell phone. The Panasonic KXWP1050 works best with a wired (not wi-fi) Internet connection in the hotel room. However, it also works with wi-fi wireless if there is no requirement to open a webpage and log in.

The Panasonic KXWP1050 includes both a wi-fi handheld telephone and a very small wi-fi and wired router, all zipped up in a small leather case that fits easily into the smallest of suitcases. You unpack everything, plug the in-room Internet cable into the Panasonic router, and then plug your laptop into the router or else connect the laptop via wi-fi. Then you boot the laptop and open a web browser. The hotel may require you to log onto the Internet connection in some manner, probably by entering a user name and password assigned to your room. You can then use the laptop in the normal manner. This can be useful if the in-room Internet cable is not in a convenient location. You can use the laptop's wi-fi networking and the Panasonic router while using the laptop on the room's desk, on the bed, or perhaps on a nearby balcony.

Other than the extended range, there is little advantage to using a laptop computer with the Panasonic KXWP1050. To be sure, it does add a great firewall and the ability to simultaneously connect multiple laptops to one wired connection, but those benefits by themselves do not seem to justify its price. However, when you add in the handheld wi-fi telephone, the advantages quickly mushroom. You now have a handheld phone that you can use to place inexpensive telephone calls over the Internet. It makes no difference if you are in a hotel room in Tucson, in Shanghai, or in Marrakech; the calls are always cheap. You do have to pay the hotel for the (one) in-room connection. However, you probably were going to pay for that just to check your e-mail. Adding in free or nearly free telephone calls on the same connection is simply an added bonus.

The Panasonic KXWP1050 is expensive with a retail price of about $300. However, you can purchase it from a number of retailers for $260 or so. You can find it at http://www.rootsbooks.com/shop.php?i=B000MTWVNS and at http://www.google.com/products?q=KXWP1050&btnG=Search+Products&show=dd. Again, I consider the Panasonic KXWP1050 to be a specialty item aimed for use by frequent travelers. For strictly in-home use, the Philips VOIP841 would appear to be a better choice.

All of these devices require a Skype account. The basic account is free and allows for unlimited free calls from one Skype-equipped computer to any other computer that is similarly configured. If you want to add in the ability to call standard telephones or to receive calls from standard telephones, this will require at least one of the extra-cost options. Unlimited outgoing calls to North American telephones costs $3.00 per month, much lower than any other telephone service I have found. For more information about Skype, go to http://www.skype.com.

Whatever device you choose, Skype is a great telephone service when you use a cordless phone for your connection. You do not need to leave the computer running all the time, and, even better, you can walk around the house while talking to your friends.

Comments

[Saul Issroff]

Another SKYPE use: I once heard a genetic genealogy paper presented by an Israeli academic who could not attend because his hospital was being shelled during the Lebanese war. He spoke over a SKYPE connection, amplified in the lecture theatre, and instructed the slide changes on a Powerpoint presentation. He handled questions easily. This was before SKYPE improved with video links .

[Ian Singer]

And also don't forget if you are running a Windows based smart phone you can run Skype on it too from anywhere where you can connect to a wifi connection.

[Barbara]

Might this also work with a fax machine? The only reason we keep our land line is for the occasional fax that we need to send or receive.

[Dick Eastman]

Skype by itself is not designed for use with a FAX machine. However, take a look at PAM at http://www.pamfax.biz and at PLUSFAX at http://www.plusfax.com/

Either of those will save you a lot of money as they are much cheaper than paying the phone company every month for another telephone line.

- Dick Eastman

[Hal Whitmore]

Dick,
I'm unwilling to give up my land line phone (may have something to do with the fact that I'm 75 and don't quite trust these "new fangled things") but the low cost long distance would be great. I think you have reported trying the MagicJack. This sounded perfect to me. At $20/year I'd just cancel my $10/mo long distance fee with the phone company. If you did try this, did you try it with your Mac?

[Dick Eastman]

---> I'm unwilling to give up my land line phone

OK, so keep your landline phone but use Skype or magicJack for OUTGOING long-distance calls. If you make quite a few calls, that will save you a lot of money.

I kept my landline telephone for a couple of years after signing up for Skype. I had both installed. Along the way, I also tried several other VoIP phone services.

Eventually, I realized that I wasn't using the landline phone for anything; nobody had called me on it for months. Everyone was calling on the Skype phone line instead. So, after about two years of simultaneous use, I had the phone company disconnect the landline phone. You could do the same: use both side-by-side for a while, then make up your own mind. There is no rush to cancel anything.

Skype and magicJack both work well on my Macintosh.

- Dick Eastman

[Doris]

Hi Dick,
I love my MagicJack and have cordless phones all over the house to use with it. Skype is restricted to Skypes users -- a major deterrent, I think. Any chance of a side by side comparison between the two?

Thanks,
Doris

[Dick Eastman]

---> Skype is restricted to Skypes users -- a major deterrent, I think.

Not true.

I use Skype daily to call regular telephones all over North America as well as to telephones in England, Australia and New Zealand. In fact, Skype can call any regular telephone anywhere in the world.

Calls to other Skype users are always free while unlimited calls to North American telephones cost $3.00 a month. Calls to overseas locations typically cost two or three cents per minute while higher charges apply to calls placed so some of the third world countries.

http://www.Skype.com

- Dick Eastman

[Ruth]

Question from a non-tech type: Does the VOIP 841 have a speaker phone? And can you have more than one phone attached through the router?

[Dick Eastman]

---> Does the VOIP 841 have a speaker phone?

Yes.

---> And can you have more than one phone attached through the router?

Multiple answers:

1. With the VoIP841, you can have more than two phones connected to the router althogh each will have its own (separate) phone number.

2. With the VoIP841, you can add extension phones that are the same phone number. It is called the Philips DECT/VOIP Additional Handset for VOIP841 Series. They are made only by Philips and work only with the VoIP841. You can add up to three of them onto one VoIP841 making a total of four telephones on one phone number.

3. I have discovered that two or more simultaneous connections to Skype work just fine. I often leave the VoIP841 running at home and then log onto Skype using a PC at the office. If I receive a call, both phones ring at the same time and I can answer from either.

4. Skip the VoIP841 and look at other hardware adapters from other manufacturers. There are dozens of Skype phone adapters available and several of them allow for extra extensions for one phone number. I haven't tried all of them but I know there are many different ones available. Here are a few of them (but I haven't tried any of these):

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=skype+adapter&btnG=Search+Products&cid=14664678677989420597

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=skype+adapter&btnG=Search+Products&cid=14202735849771047791

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=skype+adapter&btnG=Search+Products&cid=416577639165691502

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=skype+adapter&btnG=Search+Products&cid=6198670319074072683

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=skype+adapter&btnG=Search+Products&cid=6169601760539785392

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=skype+adapter&btnG=Search+Products&cid=9600837607594625824

There are more. Those are just the ones I found on quick searches. I believe that all of them can handle multiple extensions but you need to read the descriptions carefully to make sure. Note that most of them are priced $50 to $60.

- Dick Eastman

[Raj]

I've been using a company called WQN for years now to call to both India and UAE. There are no taxes, fees, or equipment to set up. The quality is great and the rates are very competitive. They give FREE minutes to their customers all the time with special bonus offers. They also have a loyalty program that gives their customers up to 3000 FREE minutes every 6 months. I'm able to get lots of free minutes to call my destinations with great quality.

Check them out at www.WQN.com

[Richard]

On this side of the Atlantic, we have an extra Skype option. One of our cell phone networks called '3' (part of the Hutchinson Whampoa group) offers handsets with built-in Skype functionality as well as the usual cell phone use (or 'mobile' as we call them).

'3' also operate networks in other countries and the Skype handset is available in some of them. For details see http://www.three.co.uk/personal/mobiles_/skype_/index.omp and http://www.three.com

[Mary Anne Drobnak]

I've used Skype thanks to my son who lives out west in SD. With the help of a video cam we can talk and see each other at the same time. (We live in Ohio.) I've also used the phone to make long distance calls rather than on my land phone....using my MAC. Best invention of the new century.

[Stuart Holmes]

Hello - I was wondering if someone can help me please. I am very interestd in getting this Philips VOIP841 Skype phone, I just wanted a couple of questions answered before I purchase.

- If I dont have a landline does this still work OK through Skype alone?

- If so, when the computer is off will the phone still ring etc?

Thanks for your help in advance!

Stuart :)

[sp]

Hi
Im curious, can I connect the VOIP841 to my router and then attach the regular landline port to my magicjack? This way if someone calls me on my magicjack number or my skype number the same phone will ring?

[Dick Eastman]

---> can I connect the VOIP841 to my router and then attach the regular landline port to my magicjack?

Yes.

---> if someone calls me on my magicjack number or my skype number the same phone will ring?

Yes.

[Ohiogirl]

Dear Dick,

Wow, you are the skype guru! As such, I'd love to add my question to the list.

My husband and I work at home, and would like to use Skype for outgoing calls. We've done the one headset plugged into our mac and it works well but - we'd like to have both of us on the call. And we've tried attaching microphones/speakers to our computer to use it like a speakerphone but the quality has been iffy.

Would you suggest getting two cordless skype phones? And then we'd conference in? Or can two phones both be on the same skype account at the same time - like having two extensions?

Or, should we "tether" ourselves with headsets for better audio quality? And if so, can we have two headsets both plugged into one computer? Or, do we have two computers both signed on to the same account?

Sorry to ask so many quesitons, but I haven't found much on the challange of having multiple folks on at once, on macs - and reading through your pages it sounds like you've tackled this and more!

Many many thanks for your help,

Ohiogirl

[Dick Eastman]

I'd suggest getting rid of the headsets and going to a speakerphone that is made for Skype. There are several available and the prices vary.

As described in the above article, I use a Philips VOIP841 (which I think is no longer manufactured). It is a cordless phone and also has a built-in speakerphone that suffices. It isn't the best speakerphone I have heard, however. I see several other dedicated speakerphones advertised for Skype but I haven't had a reason to try one. However, they should work well.

Go to Google or any other search engine and search for: skype speakerphone. I bet you'll find a bunch of them.

Good luck!

- Dick Eastman

[Ohiogirl]

Dear Dick,

Thank you so much for your fast and helpful reply.

I'm off to hunt for Skype speakerphones!

With best wishes for the new year,

Ohiogirl

[Gail Lawton]

We live in central Mexico and use a Magic Jack for calls to the U.S. and when travelling.

The problem is that it's usually connected to a wireless notebook computer and we cannot hear the MagicJack phone ring if we are in another room. We want to be able to hear and answer the call on any phone in the house.

The idea of leaving only the broadband router on and not the computer is very appealing. We also have a hard-wired computer in another room. so.... do we need a VOIP system as described above? A "geek" at Best Buy said the plug one end of the MagicJack into the wall telephone outlet and the other into the wireless computer. that doesn't work.

So, how do we get a ring on all phones and be able to answer on all phones?

[Dick Eastman]

I think there are several solutions for the situation you described. Since you already have magicJack and I assume you are happy with it, I'd suggest keeping it. Obtain a normal cordless phone that has multiple handsets (those are becoming quite common these days). Plug the cordless phone's base station into the magicJack device, not into the wall outlet.

I like the solution I use: the Philips VOIP841. It looks like and acts like a standard cordless phone and there is no need to leave the computer running all the time. It works with Skype. However, I think Philips has stopped manufacturing the unit. It also has only one handset although Philips did sell additional handsets as an option.

There are several companies that manufacture Wi-Fi cordless phones that work with your wireless wi-fi router. Take a look at http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q=skype+wifi&btnG=Google+Search but I haven't used them enough to tell you which is the "best one." Again, you wouldn't need to leave your computer running all the time.

Finally, probably the best but also the most expensive solution is to use the new ooma devices. I haven't used one yet but I hear great things about them. The initial price is quite high but then they provide free phone calls forever so the long-term price might work out to be the cheapest solution possible. Again, you do not need to leave your computer running. That a look at http://www.ooma.com/

Good luck!

- Dick Eastman

[Icabod]

Why isn't there a device that plugs one end into the Ethernet router (RJ45) and the other into the internal house wiring to provide dialtone and ring signal to all in-house extensions the same as a Vonage DTA? The device would be a drop-in replacement for people who currently use Vonage. This is my situation and I do not want to use new phones.. I just want to switch to Skype and save money without having to have a PC running the Skype software 24/7. If Skype had this device, they could totally wipe out Vonage.. not that I wish that upon Vonage, but $20 per year is what I'd like to pay instead of $30 per month. All that is needed is a drop-in replacement for the Vonage adapter. Why doesn't this exist?

[Dick Eastman]

---> Why doesn't this exist?

It does. Several companies produce devices like that.

Ooma makes a similar device that does not use Skype but uses Ooma's own service instead: http://www.ooma.com

You can also find all sorts of devices like what you describe that use SIP protocol in place of Skype's protocol. Most of them will work as well as Skype, if not better. Try this: http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q=SIP+ATA&btnG=Google+Search

Finally, there is magicJack at http://www.magicjack.com

- Dick Eastman

[cheap computers]

Its great that the Skype is always free of charge, even if that person is located in another part of the world.

[cheap computers]

It is especially useful for traveling internationally when cell phone roaming rates are so high as to make phone calls home very expensive. Placing international calls on Skype is always much cheaper than placing the same calls on a cell phone.