Free Local Phone calls from my computer

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SteveW1

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#107893 21-Aug-2012 20:06

Hi all

I want to make free local calls from my computer. Should be handy for answering the phone without leaving the PC too!! (Lazy bugger)

Is the best way to install a dialup PCI card in the PC and connect to the phone line then dial the number directly (Not sure how yet??).

Surely this has been done by someone else.

SteveW

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#675222 21-Aug-2012 20:14

Skype.. but you have to pay for them (at a cheap price) is what I would recommend.

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sbiddle

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#675227 21-Aug-2012 20:23

The simple solution is to spend $19 on a cordless phone.

The ideal solution is to spend $60 on a headset and $10 per month on a VoIP provider.

sidefx

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#675243 21-Aug-2012 20:45

Just to clarify what you want... do you already have a POTS line but want to use your computer to make (local) calls over it? Or you want to make calls over your broadband\internet connection?

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sbiddle

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#675299 22-Aug-2012 06:13

sidefx: Just to clarify what you want... do you already have a POTS line but want to use your computer to make (local) calls over it? Or you want to make calls over your broadband\internet connection?

My feeling is the OP wants to make calls via the PSTN with a modem with voice support. This was the in thing to try and make work 15 years ago, but really is just a lost cause.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#675309 22-Aug-2012 06:58

sbiddle:
sidefx: Just to clarify what you want... do you already have a POTS line but want to use your computer to make (local) calls over it? Or you want to make calls over your broadband\internet connection?

My feeling is the OP wants to make calls via the PSTN with a modem with voice support. This was the in thing to try and make work 15 years ago, but really is just a lost cause.

yeah. not worth the hassle unless you have some desperate need to log and record all your calls for some reason.

just buy a cordless phone Mr OP

RamyElbeltagi

95 posts

Master Geek

#675343 22-Aug-2012 09:23

I assume you want VOIP (as the topic is under voip). Download a softphone (e.g X-lite) and get a digital number to use on it (inbound and outbound).

sidefx

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#675348 22-Aug-2012 09:40

sbiddle:

My feeling is the OP wants to make calls via the PSTN with a modem with voice support. This was the in thing to try and make work 15 years ago, but really is just a lost cause.

Yeah that's the impression I get too; As suggested above, if this is the case, save yourself some hassle and just get a cordless phone. If you want to get more fancy, look into voip proper.

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gzt

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#675409 22-Aug-2012 11:27

SteveW1: Is the best way to install a dialup PCI card in the PC and connect to the phone line then dial the number directly (Not sure how yet??).

Yes that works. Almost anyone with a small collection of older computer parts will be able to give you an old modem to do that.

One common type designed for is designated "VFD". Voice / Fax / Data. This type is easily spotted in a collection because these cards have mic and speaker sockets.

I cannot recall if these cards or others also allow the use of the computer's mic and speakers for input output. From memory they all required a separate speaker and mic rather than using the existing speakers and mic but experimentation will provide answers to that one.

Party like it's 1999!

wellygary

8325 posts

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#675422 22-Aug-2012 11:48

gzt:
SteveW1: Is the best way to install a dialup PCI card in the PC and connect to the phone line then dial the number directly (Not sure how yet??).

Yes that works. Almost anyone with a small collection of older computer parts will be able to give you an old modem to do that.
Party like it's 1999!

Not sure what the driver support in Win 7 is like for such devices is like thou??? :),
and you might need to find a machine with a 5 1/4" FDD to read some of the install disks....

gzt

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#675429 22-Aug-2012 12:03

wellygary: Not sure what the driver support in Win 7 is like for such devices is like thou??? :)

Good point. What is the OS?

I see there are much later cards with this functionality which allow use of the computer's sound and mic hardware.

Perhaps many modem devices have this feature but nobody notices anymore. My guess is cards which do not advertise this feature might support it but implementation may be problematic.

This one chosen at random says the voice software is ok for XP and earlier:

http://www.dlink.co.nz/products/?pid=761

There is lots of 3rd party voice software available anyway.

oxnsox

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#675437 22-Aug-2012 12:16

sbiddle: This was the in thing to try and make work 15 years ago......

Yeah baby, yeah....

robjg63

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#675458 22-Aug-2012 13:06

Are you in fact after something like 2talk.co.nz ?

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SteveW1

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#675595 22-Aug-2012 19:06

Thanks guys,

This all started when I missed a call from the wife cos I was busy trying to get something to work on an old PC. I have a couple of old modems in a box somewhere so I might load up the old computer and give it go, just cos I can. Might learn something??? Just to really screw things up the old girl is running ubuntu so that might really be interesting.

SteveW

cyril7

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#675603 22-Aug-2012 19:22

Hi, as others have mentioned give the old modem trick the flick, so last century, if you want to invest in learning stuff then get a 2talk or similar account, setup a soft phone (X-lite is available on nix aswell as Windoze) and get a USB headset. I use this very setup (on Windows and Linux) to work with some guys in Singapore on a project that wont go away :). Works a treat.

Obviously making calls to the network has a cost but to other PCs with VOIP connections its free.

Cyril

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#675642 22-Aug-2012 20:51

SteveW1: Thanks guys,

This all started when I missed a call from the wife cos I was busy trying to get something to work on an old PC. I have a couple of old modems in a box somewhere so I might load up the old computer and give it go, just cos I can. Might learn something??? Just to really screw things up the old girl is running ubuntu so that might really be interesting.

Just use your provider's voice mail then. Seriously, if you run an old card like this you will have to find software, it will be old stuff, and you can only get one call at a time. Use the telco's voice mail and that's it.

As for calls from your PC - your PC won't be always on. Just use a cordless phone.

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