From the beginning I loved the idea of Skype...
Guest post by Bill Young.
From the beginning I loved the idea of Skype and wanted to be in on it but something on my PC wouldn't allow the microphone to work. No probs, move to the laptop and, bingo, I'm in. Fantastic! I'm working away from home and calls to Switzerland on my mobile would be pricey. With Skype, I'm in touch with my wife most evenings and she hears me tolerably clearly - so long as I am quick. It tends to lock up and won't even let you cancel and restart the call until the computer is rebooted. I can put up with the gurgles on the line when it seems to be buffering; but lock-ups are real tiresome.
Nevertheless, I try to tell my son about this telephony revolution. He already knows. "Oh, yes, he says, I always know when Natasha is on Skype in her office - she's shouting 'Can you hear me?' at whomever she's calling!'. I've decided to give it a miss"
But I still love the idea so I was overjoyed to learn about WiFi phones and put my €150 down for an SMC. Out of the box, everything seems great. Then it gets stuck searching for a WiFi network. Funny, 'cause I'm using it with my laptop. Back a screen and try again, find it at last - but the network signal capture is very low - when it's there at all. Much of the time it doesn't exist. I have to get within 3m of the wireless router to get 100% signal whereas the three laptops operate anywhere in the house and get a strong signal in most rooms. So that's a bugger!
Next, I get a message telling me that my network is not connected to the Internet. 'So how am I using this computer then?', I shout at this upstart piece of technology.
More jiggling, try a reset, switch it off, and restart it a few times. No Internet. No Skype. And no response from SMC's e-mail support.
Google "smc skypephone chat" to try and find a chatroom where a Dilbert will help. Read a glowing review from an Australian telling me how well this thing works in Oz; and note that I am in the pages of Skype Journal. Call a Skype number that seems to invite contact and get a very nice man who says he's the editor and is full of sympathy. He suggests I e-mail my experiences to him - how will that help?
But the nice editor is right. I feel better already.
Thanks, Ed.
Best regards,
Bill
