Skype is a great piece of free software that allows you to make free phone and video calls using "Voice over IP" (VoIP) to other Skype users.
This web page is provided as a community service to help unlock the secrets to free/cheap phone calls.
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What is "Skype"?
Skype also provides free Instant Messaging (IM) and file transfer. It also allows very low cost phone calls to normal
phones or cell/mobiles and SMS messages to mobiles. Many of us in the international HL7 standards Australia commitee use Skype VoIP. By
the way, it is not spelt Skyp,
Skypee,
Skypie,
Skpye,
Skyppe,
Skipe,
Skaip,
Scipe,
Skaipie,
VoIPDownloadSkype or
VIOP ...
You are now ready to make
free calls to other Skype users!
How to set up Video-calls:
5. If you want to do video calls, you will need a
webcam-
sometimes already built into your
laptop.
6. Your first 10-minute call to a normal phone or cell/mobile is free!!! But if you want to regularly make very low cost phone calls and
send SMSs to mobiles, put the minimum
$15 of "SkypeOut" creditinto your Skype account. This is not required if you only want to
call other Skype users.
7. Read Skype Books and Manuals to
learn the secrets of getting the most out of Skype.
Could not find what you were looking for? Google it!
WARNING - Before you install Skype, ensure you have removed any unsafe Viruses and speed-zapping Registry "gunk" from your PC:
To quickly and easily fix any Windows security and reliability problems before you install Skype, follow these two easy steps:
1. Do a free scan with
RegCure's Fix Windows Errors - Repair to repair and optimise your Windows PC.
2. Download and run
Windows AntiVirus Pro from Paretologic until it reports that your Windows PC is "clean".
These two programs will immediately speed-up and stabilise your Computer and ensure Skype runs successfully.
Skype allows you to
make and receive calls from your PC,
calls to other Skype users are free; calls and SMSs to phones are very cheap. Skype also
has free video, IM-style chat and file transfers. Check out this
LONG list of Skype features!!! Click here to get your own
local landline numberin 20 countries that will ring in on Skype on your PC.
OK, let's get started...
After you have installed Skype, type in the Skype-name "Echo123" into the Skype-name/phone-# field (see picture on left) and click on the green phone-button. An
automated system will answer your call, ask you to record a test message and replay that test message back to you. If you
appear to have problems with your microphone or speakers, go to Skype's
Sound Set Up Guidefor
instructions on how to set up and test your headset and microphone. If you send a "Call me" chat message to
"Echo123", the automated system will call you, ask you to record a 10-second test message and replay message back to you.
Step 3: Make calls to people who have Skype:
If you know their Skype-name, type it into the Skype-name/phone-# field and click on the green phone-button. If the other person
is at their computer, they will hear Skype ringing, can accept the call and you can talk for free as long as you like.
Step 4: Make calls to people who do not have a computer and/or Skype:
Skype can call any phone world-wide (including mobile/cell/hand-phones). Your first "SkypeOut" call is free, then you can
purchase some SkypeOut credit- starting with $15.
The call cost is typically $0.02 per minute.
Note: There is a problem with SkypeOut overcharging for calls to Australian 1300 xxx xxx numbers - we are
currently addressing this with Skype. We suggest you do NOT use Skype to call these numbers! Also, "Free SkypeOut Calls" plans are not entirely free as they include a $0.05 charge per call
You can use Skype to hold conference calls with up to 10 participants which may include participants on normal phones using
SkypeOut. From the Skype menu, go to Skype -> Call -> Start Conference Call...
If you want to use Skype to participate in conventional phone conferences, it is quite simple:
1. You will need to have some
SkypeOut credit
2. You call the conference call dial-in number
3. If requested, use Skype's keypad to mouse-click the PIN number 4.
The cost is ~$0.02 a minute
It is not widely known that Skype has provided video-conferencing from the desk-top since January 2006 and in
November 2007 released features similar to those found in professional systems. Desk-top video-conferencing can eliminate the need
for special video-conferencing equipment and rooms. For existing Skype users, the only additional technical requirement is a
Webcam.
The
call costs are the same as for Skype voice conferences, eg. free to other Skype users.
It is estimated that one in four calls already involve video - both for professional collaborations across the globe and for
staying in touch with family and friends. Click here for more information on Video Conference!
Use the Skype Call-Forward function:
Very useful when you are not at your computer. Your calls are forwarded to any phone number, local or overseas. Note that
you will need SkypeOut credit for the forwarded calls. Undocumented Feature: You can forward your calls for free to another Skype name, eg. from your home PC to your work PC.
Use the Skype Instant Messaging (IM) function:
Very useful, especially during phone conferences or if the voice line breaks - you can still communicate via a IM-style "chat".
Use the Skype file-transfer function:
Very useful, especially during phone conferences - you can exchange files in the background.
Send SMS Texts to any cell/mobile/hand phone - but at half-price or less! "Verify" your mobile phone number at Skype ->
Tools -> Options -> Chats & SMS -> SMS Settings and the messages will look as if they came from your cell phone. The replies
of course will go to your cell/mobile. The cost ~$0.12 per SMS and uses your
SkypeOut credit.
Click here for more Skype SMS Texting info. Note that if Skype goes off-line (which may not be immediately shown in the task-bar icon), clicking "Send SMS" does nothing - no error message is given!
The "Sent: dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm" record in the "History" tab is the only reliable confirmation that the SMS was sent.
While broadband is always better (although there are sometimes problems using a WiFi connection), we have found Skype to work
quite well on 56k modem lines (even as low as 33.6k, especially since V2.5.0.122). If you are using a slow line, the sound
quality will be marginal at first - wait for
20-30 seconds until Skype switches to lower bandwidth.
The Skype EasyGuide Booklet:
This FREE comprehensive booklet covers all aspects of installing and using Skype. A special section shows how to get the
most out of Skype.
Ch. 1: Introduction
Ch. 2: What is "Voice over IP" (VoIP)?
Ch. 3: Why use VoIP? (Real-life user stories)
Ch. 4: What is "Skype"?
Ch. 5: What do I need to use "Skype"? (PC compatibility)
Ch. 6: What type of Internet connection is required to use Skype? (incl. list of compatible internet services)
Ch. 7: I don't have a PC / Internet. What do I do?
Ch. 8: How do I install Skype? A step-by-step pictured guide
Ch. 9: OK, now let's test Skype!
Ch. 10: It's WORKING! So let's call someone!
Ch. 11: What do my calls cost?
Ch. 12: How do I send less-than-half-price SMSs?
Ch. 13: Using the Skype Instant Messaging (IM) chat function
Ch. 14: Getting the most out of Skype: Sending files, voice-mail, security, etc.
Ch. 15: TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Each chapter explains the functions and set-up of Skype in step-by-step detail. Pictures show how it is done. Each chapter
has a "What if..." trouble-shooting section! The authors of the "Skype EasyGuide" booklet, Sandra Thompson and Robert Northman, are
non-technical users like you who have learnt the hard way and are now sharing their experiences with us...
It is preferable to exclude your personal data (birthdate, gender, home number, etc.) from your personal profile as it is visible and searchable for>100 million Skype users:
To prevent getting rogue calls, go to Skype -> Tools> Options -> Privacy and click the two "Only people from my Contacts can ..." options!
Do the same in the Tools> Options -> Video to prevent rogue video connections.
You may also want to "neutralise" your profile (File -> Edit your Profile) by removing your gender and birth date - this will discourage rogue requests based on your gender and age.
To prevent constant taskbar notifications as people go online/offline, go to Skype -> Tools -> Options -> Notifications -> "Display Notification in the Windows tray when someone..." and unclick "comes online"!
Beware of Skype "phishing" e-mails. Similar to the well-known banking scams, these e-mails look as if they come from Skype and ask
you to click a link to "validate" or "re-activate" your account on a Skype-look-alike web page. The aim of these fraudulent e-mails
is to get access to your Skype account and any credit you may have. DO NOT respond to these e-mails and delete them immediately! Skype does not ask for your password via E-mail. Skype only asks you for your password when you log into the Skype program or directly log onto their website at
http://Secure.Skype.com. For
more information on how to verify that an e-mail is from Skype, see
http://Support.Skype.com.
How does Skype protect my privacy?
Skype is encrypted end-to-end because it uses the internet to transport your voice calls and text messages and sometimes these calls
are routed through other peers. Skype encryption ensures that no-one can eavesdrop on your call or read your instant messages.
Skype uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES, also known as Rijndael) which is used by U.S. Government organizations to
protect sensitive information. AES uses 256-bit encryption, which has a total of 1.1 x 1077 possible keys, in order
to actively encrypt the data in each Skype call or instant message. Skype uses 1024-bit RSA to negotiate symmetric AES keys.
User public keys are certified by the Skype server at login using 1536-bit or 2048-bit RSA certificates.
While Skype uses the TCP/IP internet standards to communicate and AES encryption (see above) standard, the actual communication
mechanism uses proprietary peer-to-peer VoIP technology (see
www.joltid.com and
www.GIPSCorp.com).
When your are in a Skype chat window, there are a number of useful hidden commands. The command is typed into the lower chat window, preceded by a forward-slash "/":
/add "Skype-name"
/topic "newtopic"
/leave
/history
/htmlhistory
/find "text"
/
/alertsoff
/alertson
/alertson "text"
/help
Add the user with the specified "Skype-name" to this chat (example: /add pamela)
Change chat topic to "newtopic" (Example: /topic Holiday Planning)
Leave the chat (does the same as clicking the "Leave" button on toolbar)
Show full history for the chat in the chat window; you can then search and review it
Show full history for the chat in your internet browser; you can then print or save it
Find messages containing "text" in the chat window (Example: /find Sydney)
Repeat last search
Disable new message alerts for this chat. Useful if you don't want the chat window to pop up or the taskbar entry to blink for
this chat, but would still like to be "connected" to it. If a chat is in this mode, it will be in the "Unread chats" section on
Start Tab after new messages arrive
Restore default behaviour = notify when a new chat message arrives
You are notified only when a message arrives that contains "text" (Example: /alertson hallo)
Checking if your internet connection is "live" is not so easy. Because the pages you browse could be coming from a cache or your
connection may be having DNS problems, experts use "ping" for this. But the green/grey Skype indicator
in
the Windows taskbar gives a reliable display if your connection is "up": Internet connected =
Offline =
Running Skype from a
USB stick-
rather than installing it - can be very useful, because this "portable" version allows you to run
Skype on any computer. If you are away from your home or office PC, you can plug your USB stick with portable Skype into any
computer (internet cafe, office, friends, etc.) without needing to install Skype and use Skype as normal. Being portable, Skype
runs independently without requiring or leaving any information on the host PC.
1. Make a folder named "Skype" and create a "Data" subdirectory
2. Copy the file "skype.exe" into the "Skype" directory
(download the latest version for free)
3. In the "Data" subdirectory, create a text file "Skype.bat" containing: skype.exe /datapath:"Data" /removable 4.
Run the program from your USB stick...
To remotely keep an eye on your home or office while you are away, Skype can be set up as a video monitoring system:
1. In the home or office to monitor you will need a computer with internet and a webcam.
2. Create an additional Skype account HERE and log into that account on the monitor computer's Skype.
3. Setup the the monitor computer's Skype to enable the web-cam and auto-answer calls. 4.
To monitor you home or office, call the monitor computer's Skype with your normal Skype - easy!
Skype relies on using users' computers as "SuperNodes" to operate its peer-to-peer network, so consuming users' bandwidth.
You can prevent Skype from using your Windows PC as a "SuperNode" by the following procedure:
1. Disable Skype from starting when Windows starts.
2. Disallow Skype modifying your Firewall settings (Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Connections).
3. Enable the Windows XP Firewall and un-check Skype on the "Exceptions" tab. See
also https://netweb.fnal.gov/skype/skype.htm
Providers of VoIP and/or Skype-related products and services,
on this site!
We are not part of or associated with Skype.
Skype™, SkypeOut™, SkypeIn™, Skype Me, the "Skype" and "S" logos are trademarks of Skype Limited.
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unlock the secrets of Voice-over-IP
