Things You'll Need:
- Several telephones
- MagicJack
- Working cel phone
- Pen & paper
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Step 1
In order to evaluate the MagicJack, you must order one. Try connecting it using only the instructions printed on the packaging, which are very limited. If you have a single phone line, a fax/printer and answering machine on a DSL line, you are in for fun trying to get everything working. Your computer MUST BE ON and the software must have initiated in order for the MagicJack to work. You must also wait (about five minutes the first time) for the large advertisement blocking your screen telling you to "tell your friends" about MagicJack to go away, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CLICK OUT OF IT, minimize it to the tray or anything.
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Step 2
In order to register your device you must have two email accounts. They can't explain why this is necessary. After you have connected the device, try to make an outgoing call. Having a working cel phone will help greatly, since you can call someone and ask them to place a call to your MagicJack to verify that you can receive calls.
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Step 3
When you can't make or receive calls on it, you must try to log onto their website with a different email account and password than you used to purchase the thing, to get an update or fix and try again. There is no PHONE support. You can not talk to a live human and ask a specific question. You can search the site for the question that describes your issue, and click and click on links that don't work, and get redirected to pages that are no longer available. It offers you "Live Chat" but it takes clicking that three to four times before a chat window actually pops up, because they'd rather you solved your problem yourself by reading the frequently asked questions, so they keep redirecting you. Be prepared to wait 3 minutes for some one in India to type something into the chat window.
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Step 4
You will be asked to unplug the phone and test the softphone or keypad, then turn off the modem and reset it, then told that your phone is not compatible, and you must buy another phone, by this person in the chat box. Ask them what sort of phone to try and they will tell you it works with ANY phone. My store was out of ANYPhones, so I bought a cheap Vtech.
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Step 5
Repeat these steps only to find that it still doesn't make or receive calls. Their site said that my MagicJack was "blocked". They could not tell me what that meant, either, and kept insisting that I had to add another email address to my account. (there already were 2) I tried to add another unused email account I had, and it said my account already belonged to another user. Not much of a surprise, frankly.
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Step 6
If you decide angrily to get rid of MagicJack, and go to Add/Delete Programs in Control Panel, you will find that it's not among your programs. What the heck? Search and search. No MagicJack. Search hidden files and folders. Bingo! There in a secret stash are the files labeled MagicJack. If you delete all of them, yank it out of the tower and turn off the modem, the hated blue light will go out.
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Step 7
After three chat sessions, two phones and a lot of plugging and unplugging, waiting for advertisements to unblock my screen, and two "fix" downloads it finally did work. The echo is miserable, and it only works while the computer is booted, so I have to decide how much of a bargain it is. The other things that may help you decide are: The site is centered around relentless self-promotion, upselling and bragging about how they were "Product of the Year," not helping customers who have already bought resolve issues. They claim they will not charge your card until thirty days have passed, in case you want to return it, but guess what: they did. I hope this helps you evaluate MagicJack, and provide some insight, since very little is available on their site to help you make an impartial assessment. If you distrust programs that install secret files on your hard drive, assume control over your desktop while they bombard you with ads, this isn't for you. If the driving factor for you is saving money, try MagicJack.
Comments
wildmanmw said
on 10/9/2009 Wow! I have two magicjacks and love them. Even with the very few and far between issues I've had over the past two years, I am amazed by the trouble some have had with trying to install and/or use this simple device. I hate to say it but I'm willing to bet most problems that people are having are user error.
hikiate said
on 9/7/2009 cont. Worthless:
Background is favored (performance settings)
Switched UBS jacks
Tried different phones
Disconnected Virus (in most cases)
Made MagicJack.com a trusted site
Rebooted Router
Replaced physical Magic Jack at my expense (in most cases)
Write Dan an evil letter
Made MJ a high priority (slows do the computer and MJ boot)
Tried using extension cord; not using it
Tried using powered hub, and without
hikiate said
on 9/7/2009 cont...Reformatted MJ from My Computer (go to Task manager>services>end process for anything saying “MJ” or Magic Jack. My Computer and right click both Magic Jack Icons and Choose Format-NOT YOUR “C” DRIVE or EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES!!!!!)
Had MJ Customer Service reformat my drive remotely
Scan and Fix – Do this when it pops up
Vista Right-Click “My Computer”>advanced settings>Advanced>performance> settings>Advanced>virtual Memory>Custom Size>set both boxes to “recommended (see below boxes)”; Reboot
hikiate said
on 9/7/2009 Dear Dan:
Hi; this is my 20th time contacting MJ on similar issues. I have two different jacks/computers one is VISTA and one is XP SP2. I am going to need to speak to a sr. tech as I have never been able to plug and use MJ in some 6 months as advertised. I appreciate your cooperation.
I am experiencing poor phone quality (for 6 months) including static, distortion, and echo; and sometimes, unable to dial out. Dropped calls; as well as MJ does not load up (shows loading, but never loads.
What has been done so far with both phones (on different computers with different operating systems)
I have:
Works:
Upgraded Software http://upgrades.magicjack.com/upgrade/upgrade.exe
Hot Fix http://www.magicjack.com/site/downloads/mjrecover_setup.exe
Cut holes in your router firewall
Reformatted MJ from My Computer (go to Task manager>services>end process for anything saying “MJ” or Magic ...
noname1000 said
on 8/30/2009 I learned how to avoid all of this and publish how to do it on my article "How to use Magic Jack trouble free." It works great now, and has its own connection.