How to make phone calls using a PC, modem, headphone and no actual phone instrument

I have a phone landline connection and I DO NOT have a phone instrument. I connect the cable into my laptop, and want to make calls using my laptop. I have an HDA CX20561 modem. I seem to be able to dial number using dialer.exe, though nothing seems to happen. From Microsoft kb http://support.Microsoft.com/kb/958143, it looks like dialer.exe alone is not enough for the call.

Can somebody tell me how to make and receive phone call with whatever hardware I have, I.e. what software will I need.

Solution 1:

Software products for making land-line calls over modem have almost all disappeared from the world.

A remnant from these days may be NCH Software. However, it is quite unclear whether your modem will support such a feature. And in any case, all these products cost money to start and more to use.

You might as well go ahead and use Skype for your calls, as being one of the cheapest VOIP solutions around.

Solution 2:

You can listen to the line using Hayes A.T. commands:

1. Open up Hyperterminal (if running Windows) and connect to your modem's COM port (usually COM3).
2. Type ATM2 and hit enter. This will enable the speaker.
3. Enter ATH0 and hit enter to 'take the phone off the hook'. You should hear a dial-tone.

This should work if you are being called. I know how to dial numbers using this method, but I'm not sure about talking over the line after dialing.

Solution 3:

I have Windows 7 64-bit and a USB modem (no speaker or mic). I use the built-in dialer.exe to dial the number when I want to make phone calls: -- using the telephone/handset that is attached to the phone -- using a phone headset attached to the speaker and mic ports on my laptop -- using the speaker and built-in mic on my laptop (not good quality).

You could probably use built-in speaker and external mic, or built-in mic and external "speaker" (aka headphones), but I think you'll run into interference, causing poor quality (as I experience when I use the speaker and built-in mic on my laptop).

Problem I have is that "tel:" and "callto:" links both open up dialer.exe, but they don't fill in the phone number (which kind of misses the point of having "tel:" and "callto:" links.....).

-- mdeck