Anyone use Skype successfully?

[Jim_C]

Hi All,

I just received a USB memory phone in the mail and signed up for skype in/out service.

Basically, it doesn't work properly. Regardless of whether I use the phone or the onboard audio of the machine, my audio cuts in and out on regular 2 sec intervals. If I make a continuos 'dooooooooooo' sound, on the other end it sounds like a busy signal... dooo ooo ooo ooo ooo'. And vice versa.

I've opened ports and followed other advice in their help/forums and am awaiting a direct reply to my trouble shooting post.

Anyway, just wondering if Skype has worked right away for anybody? I am swamped with work and don't really have time to troubleshoot and fix something that should work on it's own.


Thanks all
Jim

[bluerider]

Thats wierd. Generally anywhere I am and have access to the computer, skype downloads and activates immediately with no trouble.

Its about a 3 minute process. It sounds like you need to unistall and then reinstall.

[Jim_C]

Thanks for the reply.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled a couple of times. I have also tried it on 3 different computers here within my home network.

Also the USB phone has an internal flash memory with Skype loaded on it so I can just plug it into a machine and use it without actually installing Skype on that machine.

All configurations and computers give the same on/off/on/off symptom


Even without saying anything if you listen on thephone you can hear the audio turning on and off. The background noise appears/disappears at a consistent interval. About every 2 seconds.

Anyway...... Blargh!!!!!


thanks again
Jim

[Jarno]

What's your internet connection like? If it is really slow (like dial-up), Skype can take a bit of time to stabilize at a sustainable bitrate.

---JvdL---

[Jim_C]

Hi,

Thanks for the info, but no I am on a higher tier cable hook up. I average about 6 Mb/s down.

I 'kinda' got a response from Skype tech support in their forum. An admin asked if I was wireless or wired (I'm wired), and that's been it so far.

Thanks again
Jim

[Bog]

Sounds like you've got something else on the network hosing your bandwidth. I've *cough* heard from friends *cough* that if you're using BitTorrent to get an episode of Dr. Who down or something then that kind of application can really hose Skype comms - which is usually pretty smashing.

That's what I've been told, by people in the pub. Not really friends. Hardly know 'em at all, to be honest... (etc).

[Jim_C]

Hey Bog,

Thanks for the reply. Tell your 'friends' down at the pub that they can come out from hiding now. Bottorrent.com(which is what I am sure they were speaking of) is now one of the largest sites of LEGAL downloads. ;)

But back on track, no bittorrent currently running here, although I do have my fair share of internet appliances going. Couple of widgets, a rss news crawl, Trillian,Outlook Express, 3 computers with BeyondTV that are always updating program guides etc...

I will try turning some of them off and see what happens..
Although I am paying an extra 10 bucks a month to raise my download speed form 3-4 Mb/s to 6 to 8, and upload from 200-300 Kb/s to 400-500 I was hoping that would cover everything.

Thanks for the tip, I have a feeling you are on to something...

Jim

[Jim_C]

Well if anybody is keeping score, it turns out my Skype problem is my Belkin router. And more specifically the internal firewall in the router.

If I bypass the router or turn off the internal firewall, Skype works beautifully. Even with all the other programs and computers hogging my bandwidth.

Still mucking with Firewall/Skype settings,ports, ip addys etc., but I think I have tried them all.
No go...


blargh!

Jim

[Bog]

For years I had one of four routers that Simply Would Not Work with XBox Live.

It was a chore. New routers are cheap. Life's too short. CompUSA in the mornin'. Happily ever after.

[bluerider]

Your Router and the firewall, glad you figured it out. :thumbsup: