Those of you who are not familiar with Skype should really have a look at this application. This post is about how Skype can help you when you have a weak wireless signal in your home. However there are many more benefits to Skype than this specific application we will look at during this post. Many people are using high speed internet in their homes. More and more are also connecting a wireless router to the high speed modem supplied by the cable company or the telephone company. This way they can connect to the internet from their PC’s from anywhere in the home. They do not need to have wires running around everywhere. This is by far the best way to use the internet and the most convenient for the family. Just make sure that you are properly password protected with a strong secure password.
A Solution to Indoor Coverage
Skype is an application that you download onto your PC and use as a VOIP phone on your PC. It works great as long as you have a connection to the internet and a PC to run the application. You can make calls all over the world to other Skype users as well as to any cellular and land based phone.
While you may have excellent wireless coverage from your wireless router for connection to the internet, you may have really poor coverage from your cellular phone because the cellular signal is either too weak or cannot penetrate the walls of your home. You may find that you are dropping calls in the middle of a call or cannot even initiate a call with your cellular phone.
Now this is were Skype comes in, providing that you have a smart phone that can access the internet via your wireless router. I know for a fact that an Apple Ipod touch can do this because I do this every day, however not all phones can connect via WiFi due to restraints or controls that the telephone companies place on their phones.
The trick here is to be able to download and install Skype on your smart phone, establish a Skype account and then use Skype instead of the cellular service to make your phone calls. If you can do this you are away to the races, since not only will you be able to make good quality phone calls from your home using your cell phone, it will be much cheaper as well.
Skype to Skype Calls are Free
If you pay as you go, Skype calls to other Skype users are free. If you make calls to regular phones Skype charges around 2 cents per minute for many calls. Some are more, but way cheaper than any cell phone.
Alternatively you can also arrange to have Skype phones installed in your home. So that they always use Skype when you are making calls. If you follow this example, you may want to purchase a calling plan. For example the $3.00 a month plan for free monthly calling across North America.
You can also purchase a telephone number that people can call and it will find you anywhere you are when you are connected to the internet. Voice mail can also answer when you are not available. so how does this all work into a solution for poor indoor coverage at home.
Once you have Skype installed and working, forward your cell phone calls to your Skype number and answer all of your calls on your Skype phones. When you leave, remove the call forwarding and use your cell phone as you would normally. If your phone has the capability to download applications use your cellular phone with the Skype application activated while you are at home so you never miss a call again or drop calls while carrying on a conversation.
The Ipod touch is a perfect example of how anyone can use a smart computer as a phone. Once you download Skype from the iTunes store for free, install it and you are ready to go. There are many free WiFi sites around which you can use to make phone calls. Your home can become a free wi-fi site or you can password restrict it with a password. Either way you can make phones calls from your smart phone as soon as you connect.
If anyone knows of other approaches for fixing poor indoor coverage, please leave your comments to this blog. For more wireless internet details and info, click here.