Topic 'Intermittent Caller ID Issue' in forum 'MagicJack' - dslreports.com

Re: Intermittent Caller ID Issue

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 22:40:52 EDT

Jim Gurd posted :

To each his own...but...

Even though I have been using the GVJack App for the last few months, I used the MJ with the 100k ohm solution to fix my caller ID issue almost 3 years ago, and have had 2-3 phones hooked into the system the whole time with no ill effects.

I'm going to Radio Shack tomorrow and pick up the resistor. Even if it doesn't work, it won't be that expensive to try. I figure I have a total of 2.4 REN at the moment. All the lines ring and seem to handle calls OK.

Thanks for the advice.

Re: Intermittent Caller ID Issue

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:39:26 EDT

Nailgunner posted : To each his own...but...

Even though I have been using the GVJack App for the last few months, I used the MJ with the 100k ohm solution to fix my caller ID issue almost 3 years ago, and have had 2-3 phones hooked into the system the whole time with no ill effects.

Re: Intermittent Caller ID Issue

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:47:04 EDT

vintagewino posted : The REN (Ringer Equivalence Number) is the maximum ringer load that the phone line (POTS) can supply. The old K500 phone has a REN=1. Maximum REN a POTS can allow is a total of 5.

That # of phones would be no problem for POTS, but I think you're really pushing it for an MJ. The MJ cannot supply much power.

The CID sensitivity would more than likely be inherent with the characteristic of the phones. Some would "need more signal" than others.

I would be cautious about paralleling a resistor. This could give the equivalent of a partial "off-hook" condition.

You're better off with a multi-handset wireless phone, rather than running multiple phones off the MJ.

Intermittent Caller ID Issue

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:32:38 EDT

Jim Gurd posted : I am using a Magicjack Plus device for all of my extensions. The caller ID is hit or miss on some of my phones. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Here is my setup:

Living room - Cordless phone REN 0.0B. This one works all the time.
Office - Fax/phone combo REN 0.6B. This one seems to work all the time, but I am not always there to check it and it doesn't have a memory of incoming calls I can review.
Bedroom - Corded phone REN 0.9B. This one is hit or miss.
Kitchen - Corded phone REN 0.9B. This one is also hit or miss.

I have heard that there is a possible fix by connecting a 100K ohm resistor between the red and green wires. Will this work or is my REN simply too high? The phones all ring and handle calls properly, but the caller ID doesn't always work.