# Can I use a headset with Magic Jack?



## Mydogs2big (Jan 27, 2009)

I just got my Magic Jack thanks to some good tugger advice for cheap calls from Mexico to home.

I haven't tried to hook it up yet as I'm not sure about the whole telephone part.

I own a phone that is wireless.  I CAN'T JUST PLUG IN THE HANDSET.
What I would like to do is to be able to use blue tooth tech in my laptop to hook up a headset.

Can I do this or must I buy a new telephone for the plugable handset?

Anyone use a bluetooth headset with their Magic Jack?


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## Passepartout (Jan 27, 2009)

You have to plug in a complete phone to the MJ, not just the handset. The existing phone in the TS will plug in if it has the common modular plug. The last TS we stayed at in Mexico and in Portugal had these and worked fine. You can use a cordless phone, but will have to plug the base unit into the MJ, and the handset will work as usual.

Hope this info helps.

Jim Ricks


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## Kozman (Jan 28, 2009)

You can also use a mic and headset with MJ, but I've never tried that with mine.  I did try the cordless phone, but was not thrilled by the results.


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## laura1957 (Jan 28, 2009)

Another question about Magic Jack.  My daughter is moving this week to a mobile home that my husband owns until she can find something better  

She can almost do without a phone - but NOT the internet.  I know my husband used to have a separate phone line in our house just for the internet, not phone service - will this work with magic jack??    I really am clueless about how this works.


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## FlyerBobcat (Jan 28, 2009)

laura1957 said:


> Another question about Magic Jack.  My daughter is moving this week to a mobile home that my husband owns until she can find something better
> 
> She can almost do without a phone - but NOT the internet.  I know my husband used to have a separate phone line in our house just for the internet, not phone service - will this work with magic jack??    I really am clueless about how this works.


For Magic Jack to work, you need broadband (i.e. not dialup) internet service, the Magic Jack "device", and a USB port on the computer that will accept the Magic Jack.  Then a "regular" home phone plugs into the Magic Jack -- just like the home phone (or cordless base unit) plugs in to the phone outlet on your wall.

From the Magic Jack web site:


> Dial up internet service does not provide enough bandwidth for magicJack.
> 
> Note: magicJack-to-magicJack calls may work using Dial up internet service.



_*Does that help???*_


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## macingr (Jan 28, 2009)

I have discovered the quality of your ISP connection directly correlates to the quality of your Magic jack performance.  If you run a speed test on your computer connection you can tell what to expect from your Magic Jack.   We used our Magic Jack at the Grand Myan in Cancun.  We found both our Internet speed and Magic Jack performance to be marginal.  We use Magic Jack  all over the country and are usually very pleased.


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## FlyerBobcat (Jan 28, 2009)

macingr said:


> ... If you run a speed test on your computer connection you can tell what to expect from your Magic Jack...



Do you have a "speed test" web site that you recommend?  I'm sure there are lots, but maybe not all the same quality...   TIA


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## pjrose (Jan 28, 2009)

Kozman said:


> You can also use a mic and headset with MJ, but I've never tried that with mine.  I did try the cordless phone, but was not thrilled by the results.



We initially tried a new cordless phone with MJ - base unit plugged into MJ and then used the handset as usual - and we had static and other interference.  We almost returned the MJ, but tried an old corded phone instead and it worked perfectly.  

We're now using that same new cordless phone as a landline extension and it works great.  

The initial problem wasn't either the MJ or the new cordless phone, just some kind of interference between having cordless phones on two different systems (landline and MJ) ???

For travel with MJ we're going to look for a small corded phone.


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## laura1957 (Jan 28, 2009)

flyerbobcat said:


> For Magic Jack to work, you need broadband (i.e. not dialup) internet service, the Magic Jack "device", and a USB port on the computer that will accept the Magic Jack.  Then a "regular" home phone plugs into the Magic Jack -- just like the home phone (or cordless base unit) plugs in to the phone outlet on your wall.
> 
> From the Magic Jack web site:
> 
> ...




Helps very much, thank you.  Actually I think I was having what my husband refers to as a "blond" moment.  Magic Jack just seems to be too good to pass up - and my daughter would NOT be happy with dialup up after being used to Verizon DSL, anyway.  SO the cheaper, just for computer, hookup would not work for her anyway.  I am ordering one for her and one for us, will definately come in handy!!


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## M. Henley (Jan 29, 2009)

*Speedtest Site*

The one I use for speed test:

http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/


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## FlyerBobcat (Jan 29, 2009)

M. Henley said:


> The one I use for speed test:
> http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/



Thanks....   And any feedback on what is considered "decent" speed results????


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## pwrshift (Mar 21, 2009)

pjrose said:


> ....For travel with MJ we're going to look for a small corded phone.


 
I wasn't aware you had to take a phone with you to use MJ ... did you find one that works, small enough for easy packing with the laptop?

How does MJ work with a cordless phone?

Brian


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 21, 2009)

Magic Jack is Blue Tooth compatible.  For more info and to learn about small phones that will work with Magic Jack see How to Make Magic Jack Portable


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 21, 2009)

More info on using Magic Jack with Blue Tooth:

Question and Answers

crobs808 Magic Jack Wireless Headseat? - crobs808 I just got a MagicJack (this is a USB device with a phone jack on one end, that lets you call anywhere in the USA or Canada from anywhere in the world). For example, when I am overseas, I just plug this device into my USB port, then plug the hotel phone into the phone jack. Instantly that hotel phone is now assigned my home area code phone number, so even when I am overseas in the middle east, I can call home as if I am local. Anyway, so instead of hooking up the hotel phone to the MagicJack, I would like to use a wireless headset with it so I don't have to rely on a physical phone being present. So can I get a small phone-jack to bluetooth adapter to plug into the end of the MagicJack, then pair that with a bluetooth headset/earbud? so I can use my MagicJack unteathered?

    Best Answer: You can use bluetooht or regular mic and speaker to make and receive calls. Btw you connect to other USB port and not to the port in the magicjac. Magaicjack port is only for the phone. - rajas203 
    the MJ does support BT headsets, but you would not connect the BT adapter to the MJ, you would need a USB BT dongle or integrated BT on your laptop or PC you would have to change your settings for the MJ to use your PC sound settings, not the phone jack on the device to route the audio of the calls, and set up the BT with your PC... - joe r 


Richard


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## Passepartout (Mar 21, 2009)

You can use MJ WITH whatever phone you can plug into it's modular socket. I just use the hotel/TS one. In order to use it with a cordless handset, you'd have to bring the base unit and the handset and the gizmo that charges them along on your travels. I see there are Bluetooth cordless phones. I guess you'd have to bring along the base unit, charger and the bluetooth thingie and it's charger or cable. 

Seems like a lot of stuff to tote along when the MJ is all you need and it's about the size of a hotel soap.

Jim Ricks


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## cerralee (Mar 21, 2009)

I bought a goofy little headset phone with a dialer about the size of  a compact at the flea market for $3.  Its not the best telephone on the market but it packs up in the purse nicely along with the magic jack.  Works fine in a pinch.


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## pwrshift (Mar 23, 2009)

Passepartout said:


> ...I just use the hotel/TS one. In order to use it with a cordless handset, you'd have to bring the base unit and the handset and the gizmo that charges them along on your travels.
> Jim Ricks


 
I'm not clear how you can use the hotel phone on MJ?  Doesn't the phone have to be used through the hotel rather than on your laptop/internet?  Might you run into a problem that could be solved better by just carrying a small phone that you just plug in to MJ ... that's if you can find one these days.

Brian


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## pjrose (Mar 23, 2009)

pwrshift said:


> I'm not clear how you can use the hotel phone on MJ?  Doesn't the phone have to be used through the hotel rather than on your laptop/internet?  Might you run into a problem that could be solved better by just carrying a small phone that you just plug in to MJ ... that's if you can find one these days.
> 
> Brian



Unplug it from the wall jack and plug it into the magic jack.

To avoid that, we're looking for a small corded phone to travel with instead.


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