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All Simply just about Computer VirusPC to Phone VoIP over Dial-Up
by:
Nathan Smith
So you've detected
that you can use your computer to do cheap long-distance calls over the Internet. Peradventure you've even as tried it. Chances are although that if you've unsuccessful
VoIP calls over a dial-up connection, you've intimate intermittent quality, 'call drop-outs' and annoying speech transmission delays. The nice news is that there are several quick, easy steps that you can take to dramatically improve the quality of your VoIP calls over dial-up connections.
There's a lot of packaging these days encompassing Internet-based voice communications (VoIP) exchange traditional telephone service. Most of this revolves about companies such as Vonage who coin themselves as the 'Broadband Phone Company'. So what just about those of us who don't have a broadband connection? Simply because you don't have high speed Internet, doesn't mean that you can't save a fortune by victimisation VoIP for your long-distance calls. Whilst a broadband connection wish ordinarily result in more consistent VoIP call quality, comparable results can be achieved victimisation a dial-up connection provided several simple guidelines are followed.
Shop About
Not all VoIP service providers keep dial-up users. Companies such as Vonage bill themselves as alternatives to traditional telephone service and shy away from the dial-up community (who are tied to those 'traditional' networks to access the Internet). Furthermore, several service providers only keep dial-up above a certain speed (e.g., 56Kbp). Two companies whose VoIP softphone applications activity well over low speed connections include Callserve and Go2Call.
'Free-up' your System Resources
In order to ensure the highest call quality, close programs that are running in the 'background'. For Windows users, these applications can be seen in the taskbar at the bottom right of your screen. 'Right-click' the icons and close those programs that aren't critical to system safety (e.g., don't close anti-virus software, firewall applications and the like).
If you're victimisation Windows XP with user shift
enabled, log off all users except the one that wish be used to do the call. This wish prevent the else user identities from running computer code and/or victimisation your information measure
spell you're production
calls.
'Free Up' your Net
Connection
Given the limited data capacity of dial-up connections, it's important that you devote as more of your information measure
as possible to the VoIP softphone application. To bring home the bacon maximum call quality, don't do thing
that uses your information measure
whilst production
calls. This includes instant messaging, checking email, victimisation a webcam, browsing the internet, downloading, etc. In Windows, you can look at the two little computers in the bottom right of your taskbar to see whether your connection is being used prior to job (the little computers illuminate once
data is being uploaded and/or downloaded).
Scan your System for Viruses, Spyware, Adware and Malware
Some of these malicious programs can hijack your browser, tie up your net
connection and slow down your system (not to mention seriously invade your privacy!). I recommend AdAware for free scanning and removal of Spyware/Adware. Once you've checked and cleaned your system of these nasty programs, your virus definition files should be updated to minimize the chances of re-infection.
Use a Telephone receiver with an Integrated Boom Mike
Last but not least, victimisation a telephone receiver with a boom mike should eliminate those annoying voice echoes often associated with PC to phone calls. Echoes are caused by your mike police investigation the voice coming from your computer speakers and re-transmitting that voice signal back to the person you're talking to. By victimisation a headset, the voice signals are limited in volume (due to the telephone receiver being directly adjacent to your ears) and thus the chances of your mike 're-transmitting' those voice signals is greatly reduced.
So there you have it. A lack of high speed Net
needn't mean a lack of PC to phone VoIP capability.
Simply just about the author:
Nathan is the owner of http://www.netphonedirectory.comwhich deals specifically with PC to Phone and PC to PC VoIP. The site includes a comprehensive directory of PC to Phone service providers as well as general information on VoIP and what you need to do bargain-priced long-distance telephone calls victimisation your computer
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