Linux magicJack Usage -- Is it Even Possible?
Why are there No magicJack Linux Drivers Yet?
You can save money on your phone bill by using magicJack. Linux users may be out of luck, however. A hacker can get the phone working by violating the terms of the NetTALK service agreement. For now, the best bet for Linux users who want to run magicJack is to run it on a dual-boot system or have a Windows machine dedicated to a VoIP phone line
The latest versions of Ubuntu can recognize the magicJack device handset as a modem, but the current makers of the handset have not written native Linux code to support the device. Advanced users have gotten the service to work through Ekiga. People who do not want to violate the contract should probably use the handset on a Windows PC for now.
Linux, Magicjack and WINE – A Far from Heavenly Combination
Wine, the Windows emulator for Linux, can run many native Windows programs, but WINE cannot load Windows device drivers into memory and make the Linux operating system use them. 9Only the ndiswrapper program currently works this way.) The software that lets Linux use Windows wireless drivers faces legal challenges which may make the package unavailable in the future. A person may get the file to run through a Windows virtual box program, but many people who have tried it have not found a way to use magicJack, Linux, and the VoIP services that the company offers reliably.
The Imperfect Solution for Linux Magicjack Users: Ekiga
Ekiga users may find a way to use their MagicJack service easily that does require WINE. NetTALK does not like customers using this method because it bypasses the advertising the company sells to make turn a profit. The Kubuntu forums give readers these instructions for Linux magicJack users:
- Download Ekiga from the Synaptic Package manager if the program is not already installed.
- Start Ekiga and select the option that lets you edit accounts.
- Select ‘add account’ from the pull-down menu. Pick a name for it.
- Choose SIP when asked about the protocol for the account.
- Enter your proxy address in the registrar information box.
- The user name is your MagicJack number with an E appended to the beginning and 01 added at the end.
- Enter your user name and password and select OK.
- Select the edit tab and go to preferences. Choose the audio options button.
The best way to avoid trouble is to run the device under Windows or to use a service like Skype instead until magicJack Linux support materializes. The company that offered the service suffered from many complaints about its customer service when it began, but it has striven to improve the service that it offers and has done much to fix the way it handles customer complaints.
