Has anybody tried VoIP software Skype?!

[nicolodeon]

Skype is no longer in beta. It's a full functioning product. Their latest version has video capabilities.

I've been a Skype user for three years. So far, I like their service. You can do a PC to Phone call using skype but you need to subscribe to their PC2Phone service.

As far as the quality of the audio, it's subjective. I mean, there are places where I call or receive calls where the audio is either choppy or not clear. Same goes for YM with Voice).

As for security, Skype is less secure compared to NetMeeting or Cisco's VoIP solution since you need to have a number of ports open. So, for example you are running under a restrictive firewall, say Microsoft's ISA Server, then chances are Skype won't work - unless you ask your administrator to open the necessary ports. NetMeeting and Cisco, on the other hand, can work well with restrictive firewalls. We use NetMeeting at Cisco at the office, running behind a really restrictive ISA Firewall. So far, no problems.

For lags, like I said, it would be subjective. If you're gonna Skype somebody in North America or somebody in Western Europe, for example, there would be no problems since Internet lines are fast and clean. However, it's different from Skype-ing somebody from, say, places in Africa or Indonesia. I've tried Skype-ing to and from those places - very frustrating.

[mikey177]

Thanks for the assessment on Skype, nicolodeon. It was very informative.

Do you mean that the ports that Skype uses will remain open even if you are not using the service or the program isn't running? Is there any way to make Skype more secure, or is it okay for a home user to keep these ports open?

[madzie71]

I even saw a device at a computer store which you connect to your pc and phone line so that calls from Skype can be tranferred to a regular phone and even be forwarded to another phone line (daw)... forgot the brand and name of that device... check ko uli next time madaan ako... price was at P2,500 only... wanted to try it sana kaso out of budget and besides wala naman ako tinatawagan sa Skype... hehehe

[rider]

ic paano ang set up paano ang pagdial ng numero ??? paano pc 2 pc

pls shed some light on the matter if you dont mind ...

[nicolodeon]

Do you mean that the ports that Skype uses will remain open even if you are not using the service or the program isn't running?

Yes, the ports would remain open since these would be opened server side. Once you open "unsecure" (highly subjective term) ports on your server, say port 110, this would remain open until your administrator closes it. While the net admin can open and close ports easily or everytime you would need to use skype over your network, it is not advisable. Just remember that Skype is not an enterprise-grade VoIP tool. I would not recommend Skype for enterprise-wide deployment.

Is there any way to make Skype more secure, or is it okay for a home user to keep these ports open?

Well, unless you would close all the "unsecure" ports, there's really no fool-proof way to secure Skype. However, you can checkout this Skype link to see if you can make Skype more secure.

Free VoIP solutions are recently taking a bashing because allegedly they are not secure. Microsucks, eheste, Microsoft is in the forefront of the bashing because they are making a very hard push into the VoIP space with it's Live Communication Server (codename "Istanbul") and they want their product to be the VoIP tool of choice - much like they bashed Netscape so that their IE could take-off the way they want it.

Anyways, if you want to read more about Skype and how you can make it work for you, you can download this free document:

http://www.tacticaltech.org/files/Skype_Security.pdf

[nicolodeon]

ic paano ang set up paano ang pagdial ng numero ??? paano pc 2 pc

pls shed some light on the matter if you dont mind ...

Sa Skype, madali lang. All you have to do is download Skype, install it and create a Skype account - much like what you would do when you're setting up a...say...Yahoo! email for the first time. Yung tatawagan mo sa Skype eh dapat may Skype account din. Kung naka ibang VoIP service 'sya, say Firefly, hinde mag-work. To dial, just select the person you want to call dun sa contact list mo sa Skype and double-click the mouse. Ayun, mag-ri-ring na yun sa kabila.

[mikey177]

Thanks again, nicolodeon. I've already read the links you provided, and I'll probably implement the suggestions in the Tacticaltech study if I decide to use Skype.

I wonder how EBay's acquisition of Skype will impact on the product's security and privacy features... given that Americans are often very particular about these concerns.

[need4speed]

I even saw a device at a computer store which you connect to your pc and phone line so that calls from Skype can be tranferred to a regular phone and even be forwarded to another phone line (daw)... forgot the brand and name of that device... check ko uli next time madaan ako... price was at P2,500 only... wanted to try it sana kaso out of budget and besides wala naman ako tinatawagan sa Skype... hehehe

me and a friend are using this device back in manila. we use a skype out account with a hk number and call it and it will connect to manila and give us a dial tone if we choose to do so or forward us to a specific number or dedicated number.

for more info, check out my site here.
(pics and diagrams are in the first post, just click on the link)

http://pinoyexpat.omigosh.net/viewtopic.php?t=26

[madzie71]

ic paano ang set up paano ang pagdial ng numero ??? paano pc 2 pc

pls shed some light on the matter if you dont mind ...

Bro, if you were referring to my post, my answer is I don't know how the device works. I just read the packaging of that device and when I saw the price eh di ko na pinakuha sa salesperson... Baka ma-tempt lang ako eh... hehehehe... impulse buyer pa naman ako pagdating sa electronics...

But I think some Internet Cafes use this to offer VoIP services... nice sana kse if it works as the packaging says eh pwede ka mag-offer sa mga kapitbahay with relatives working abroad ng long distance services.

Ewan ko lang kung legal to... it used to be the PLDT and NBI runs after those offering long distance services without congressional franchise, pero lately dami ko nakikitang mga cafe na may mga malalaking banner pa offering VoIP services.