nksys CIT200 Skype phone review
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Linksys CIT 200 'Skype' Phone |
A USB base station acts as the "go between" communicating with both the PC (running Skype) via USB and with the CIT200 using the DECT standard. Linksys gave me an exclusive first look at the Linksys CIT200 and I have to say the Linksys CIT200 is probably one of the coolest if not the coolest product that works in conjunction with Skype. One of the coolest features is that you can scroll through your Skype contacts using the Linksys CIT200's color display and you can see their current Skype presence (online, offline, etc.). Then using the arrows on the phone you simply highlight the Skype contact and dial.
The CIT200 actually supports multiple handsets, up to a maximum of four and you simply use one base station to communicate with all 4 phones. Each handset can be assigned a unique extension thus enabling handset-to-handset dialing. Also, the base station has a single button which if you press will page the CIT200 handsets - perfect for when the phone slips down into the sofa and you can't seem to find it anywhere. The CIT200 recharges via a stand-up cradle and sports 120 hrs standby and 10 hrs of talk time using standard rechargeable AA batteries. I should also mention that the CIT200 sports a belt clip and a 2.5mm headset jack.
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Linksys CIT 200 on cradle, with USB base station and A/C adaptor |
The Linksys CIT200 currently only works with Windows (sorry Mac and Linux fans). I asked Linksys if a Mac or Linux version was in the works and they said that they don't have plans at this time to support either.
Installation
Installing the CIT200 was a breeze as are most USB products these days. You do need to install a bit of software which provides the integration with Skype and which runs in the background. The CIT200.exe process takes up 3296K of PC memory. The CD also includes the Skype client in case you didn't install Skype already, although it isn't the latest 1.4 version. One really nice feature is that the CIT200 comes with 60 free SkypeOut minutes using a coupon code that you enter on Skype's website to credit your Skype account. This is great for Skype users that typically only make Skype-to-Skype calls and
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Linksys CIT 200 Disassembled |
Here are some thumbnail images of the various menu screens on the Linksys CIT 200.
Documentation
The documentation was pretty good and includes a quick start guide. Additionally, on the CD you will find a 100 page PDF document. When I first opened it and saw it was 100 pages, I scoffed and thought to myself, "How could a product so small and so simple to use require 100 pages?" But actually, the documentation goes into great detail on some advanced features of the phone that users probably wouldn't be able to easily figure out on their own, such as how the private and shared phonebooks work. I decided to skip reading the manual for now and start playing with the phone.
So now the good stuff... testing the Linksys CIT200
After installing the software I then proceeded to make my first Skype call from the CIT200 - the warning to charge the CIT200 for 14 hours before use be damned! (see yellow sticker in photo above) I tried dialing 203-852-6800, TMC's corporate HQ but the call wouldn't go through. It was then that I remembered that Skype requires a "+" sign before a phone number followed by the country code.
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Skype main menu |
So then I looked at the phone to see if there was a "+" sign somewhere. Indeed, there was. You have to hold the 0 key down for about a second and a "+" sign will then appear on the phone's color screen. So I finished my dial string (+12038526800) and clicked the handset icon to initiate dialing. Immediately, I could hear simulated dialtone on the phone's handset receiver followed by a series of slow-playing DTMF digits, then a slight pause followed by a series of fast-playing DTMF digits. I'm assuming the digits are getting passed to the Skype client, but I would think that it only needs to be sent one time. Perhaps the digits only gets sent the second time around but the first time is designed to simulate a "real phone experience" by adding simulated dialtone followed by the dialing. Just a theory.
In any event, the call connected to our corporate PBX and I then entered in an extension of a co-worker who then answered and we proceeded to talk to test the voice quality. The voice quality was excellent and in fact when I walked around the entire office I couldn't get the sound quality to degrade. Apparently, the range on the CIT200 is so good I needed to walk outside just to reach its wireless range limit. Linksys claims a 300m outdoor range and a 50m indoor range. In other words, you probably won't have a distance issue even if you decide to lounge by your backyard pool with the CIT200. My first test SkypeOut phone call to a PSTN number via the Linksys CIT200 performed flawlessly and again, it bears repeating that the sound quality was excellent.
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Skype Contacts with Skype Presence status |
While I was on this call, I was able to make a second outgoing call by pressing the Talk & Recall button. A dial tone is heard and the first call is put on hold. You can dial either a normal phone number or a Skype contact. After the second call is connected, you can simply press the Talk & Recall button to return to the first call or to toggle between calls. Similarly, Call Waiting is supported to enable you to take an incoming call while you are on a call. A call-waiting tone is played and you can press the Talk & Recall button to take the second call, and once again you can press this button to toggle between the two calls.
Update: I just tested the conferencing capabilities, and unfortunately you can only conference with another Linksys CIT200 handset from the CIT200. You can of course initiate a conference call from the Skype client (clicking the Conference button) and it will work on the CIT200, but that defeats the whole purpose of being able to be away from your PC while dialing.
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Linksys CIT200 profile compared with a Motorolacell phone |
Additionally, you can assign a VIP melody, a "unique" ringtone for the record to help identify who is calling. One other notable feature is that you can convert any record in your Call Log into a Phonebook entry. On a related note you can have up to 10 speed-dials each linked to a specific contact by assigning them to the 1-9 keys. I was concerned that the phone book entries would be lost if I changed the batteries, so I took them out and left them out for 5 minutes just to test. When I re-inserted the batteries, all my phonebook entries and speed dials were still there. I asked Linksys about this and they confirmed they are using NVRAM (non-volatile RAM).
Room for Improvement
If you want the device to be your default USB audio device, you cannot listen to any music, sounds, etc. that the PC plays. Of course, you can set just the Skype client to use the phone and not be the default Windows audio device. However, it would be nice if from the phone you could listen to streaming radio, MP3 files, or any sounds played by your PC from the phone. A certain unique keypress or series of keypresses could indicate that instead of making a Skype call, you want to "tap into" the USB audio class for any PC application currently playing audio. Thus, the CIT200 will only work with the Skype client and in fact, it won't even work with other VoIP clients unless someone hacks the software.
The transmitter is powered via USB, but the phone itself uses an A/C adaptor for recharging on its stand-up cradle. I'd like to see the phone recharge via USB, but I suppose utilizing two USB ports for one product may be a bit too much.
One other minor feature request would be if the USB base station had an analog FXO port for connecting to your home analog phone line so you could make/receive phone calls on that phone line as well. The analog phone line could even be the analog output coming from your ATA (analog telephone adaptor) which terminates with a VoIP broadband provider such as Vonage.
Conclusion
Overall, the Linksys CIT200 is a great wireless Skype solution that is a perfect alternative to your typical Skype headset solution. It has excellent range, very good battery life, and most importantly you can access your Skype contacts from the phone itself so you're not chained to the PC for dialing or taking calls. It's worth mentioning that most people are not using Skype as a landline replacement though many are using broadband VoIP providers such as Vonage to replace their landline. Part of the reason is that Skype requires your PC to be on all the time and you have to be at your PC to initiate dialing. However, if you take the Linksys CIT200 and add in a SkypeIn PSTN number along with pay-as-you-go SkypeOut minutes, and the ability to make outbound dialing away from the PC, then the CIT200 could be the perfect home landline replacement.
The Linksys CIT200 Cordless Internet Telephony kit has a suggested retail of $129.99 but you can probably find one for $49.99 Retailers carrying the product include Radio Shack, Staples, Amazon, Fry's, Newegg.com, and others. Amazon has the best price I have seen - only $49.99 on Amazon.com.
Update!
Linksys now has a similar product that instead of Skype works with Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Check out my full review of the Linksys CIT310
Categories:
- Gadgets » Mobile Phones » Linksys CIT200 Skype phone review
- VoIP » Skype » Linksys CIT200 Skype phone review
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Listed below are links to sites that reference Linksys CIT200 Skype phone review:
Linksys CIT200 Skype phone review TrackBack URL : http://blog.tmcnet.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/16850
As I predicted, Linksys and Skype would be announcing their new partnership in conjunction with the launch of the Linksys CIT200. I already reviewed the Linksys CIT200 yesterday, but figured I'd share the release in case you missed it. I... Read More
A cordless Skype-based VoIP handset will hit stores next week. According to Linksys, the CIT200 handset will allow users to make VoIP phone calls as easily as today’s cordless handsets make conventional land line calls. Features • Comp... Read More
It seems to be a busy week for Skype phones coming to market. First, was my exclusive review of the Linksys CIT200 Skype phone and now as of Monday, USRobotics is offering a Skype-compatible phone. I should point out that... Read More
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IPEVO, a US subsidiary of PChome Online, makers if the first Skype certified USB phone for both the Windows and Mac platforms, will launch two new devices at the International CES show in Las Vegas, January 5-8. The new products,... Read More
According to NETGEAR, this is the first mobile WiFi internet calling phone announced on the market - unlike other internet calling devices, you do not need to connect to a PC. Unlike the Linksys CIT 200 Skype phone that I... Read More
I found out more details on the specs for the NETGEAR Skype phone I blogged yesterday and I have some thoughts on the "Skype economy". First, the NETGEAR phone supports both 802.11b and 802.11g supporting wireless connectivity of 1, 2,... Read More
CNet has an interesting Skype vs. Vonage comparison article. The graphic above is a six round battle between Skype and Vonage. Apparently, Vonage wins the battle. Personally, I think Skype and Vonage are two different animals with vastly different targ... Read More
USRobotics just launched a new cordless phone for Skype called the USR9630 Cordless Phone for Skype and the USR9631 Accessory Handset. The USR9630 base station connects to both a traditional phone line and an available USB port on a PC... Read More
Linksys has partnered with Yahoo to offer a new dual-mode cordless phone called the Linksys Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice (CIT310). Linksys sent me a review unit to check out and put through the paces. Similar to... Read More
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Is the SkypeOut credit for 60 minutes (meaning calls to any place for 60 mins) or approximately $1.20? The former is interesting and the latter, well ...
It's the thought that matters. :-)
It is the latter - $1.20 credit. The coupon code does say "Calling to ordinary phones (and mobiles) is called SkypeOut. It's not free, but it's pretty cheap. We've included 60 minutes of SkypeOut calls to get you started."
But they must go by the current U.S. per minute rate since when I logged on, I had a $1.20 credit - certainly not enough to make 60 minutes of calling to Afghanistan or Antarctica.
But hey, $1.20 is better than nada, right?
Let's you get your feet wet using SkypeOut and then maybe you'll become addicted and pay for the service. Everything can't be free in life. : )
Really too bad about the lack of Mac or Linux (or BSD) support. I won't be getting this phone then, despite the otherwise desirable feature set.
Is it the new exciting VoIP product you talked about earlier?
Why is Skype partnering with a hardware supplier that states that it has no plans to support Mac or Linux?
Check out the Claritel-i750 instead
I would have to say that this is the best featured Skype phone, bar the fact you can't use it as a normal phone, but otherwise is great.
RE: linux and mac support, linksys is known to release the code to thier software under GPL, so you may find someone programs a linux compatible version of the drivers and software.
Would recommend this phone if your not concerned about the fact it can't be used as a normal phone.
Looks like you can now purchase this prodoct from Amazon for just $76.99
2 Questions / suggestions:
1. Why do you have to plug the phone into a computer. Can't you make it wlan compatible so it can be used on any wlan without a computer being switched on? Other competitors do it already!
2. To sell a lot of this units you need convince skype to come up with a flat rate skype out in the US. Now it is 2 cents a minute, which is great for international but local it is too expensive. If they had a $10 or $15 /month flat rate everybody would use it and Vonage would be out of business!
Hope you can make both happen!
Greetings Thomas Neudenberger
>>1. Why do you have to plug the phone into a computer.
Answer: The Skype client has of right now never been embedded into a phone. The software requires the Windows, Macintosh or Linux operating system. Now in theory, someone COULD embed the Linux O/S into a phone and the Skype client. It just hasn't happened yet
>>Can't you make it wlan compatible so it can be used on any wlan without a computer being switched on?
Nope. Same answer as above. Skype is proprietary - it requires its software client to be running. Now if Skype were SIP-based, then yes, you could use a standard WiFi SIP phone - there are quite a few on the market. But alas the big dog (Skype) is proprietary for several reasons - some good, some bad. But that's a whole other debate.
>>Now it is 2 cents a minute, which is great for international but local it is too expensive
Guess it depends how much volume of calls you do. At 2 center per minute that's 1500 minutes per month before you reach $30. But you're right, a flat-rate plan might be a good option for Skype to offer. I wouldn't be surprised if they offer that soon.
>>Hope you can make both happen!
I just report the news, I don't make the news happen! ; )
The Skype + Analog Cordless DualPhone has been available in Europe for about a year and is now shipping in the US:
http://www.dualphone.net/
Hi
Where do you buy these phones in New Zealand and how much are they.
Brent
i've already got one to try.. Linksys's dect phone seriously downgrade the Skpye voice quality to landline voice quality and which to a existing skype user is UNACCEPTABLE!!! still don't understand why skype proved this phone!
>>Linksys's dect phone seriously downgrade the Skpye voice quality to landline voice quality and which to a existing skype user is UNACCEPTABLE!!!
I don't believe you.
Either you are a competitor just trolling and knocking the competition or you just got a bad model.
I had no problems with the quality of the phone.
I suppose it's possible you are telling the truth. If so, you must be one of those people that encode their MP3s at 320kbps and swear they can hear the different between 320kbps, 160kpbs or even 128kbps. C'mon!
How bout posting a picture of your phone on a website as proof you own one?
Every new technology takes time and efford to "evolve" and "commercialize" before becoming a "hot-sale" and "user friendly" product. For Linksys CIT200, I personally think it's already a good product for some Skype folks who use Skype very often at home or office within DECT reception range. (50M up to 300M)
Right now, there're vendors developing Skype phones based on other technologies such as VoWLAN in order to leverage the power of Skpye applications, neverthelesss, obstacles such as voice quality over WLAN, availability of public WLAN, and licensing make such development become more difficult and hesitate to vendors as well as service providers.
However, by looking at the history of commmunication industry, as long as an application hit the needs for consumers, engineers could always find ways to overcome technology hurdles. 10 yrs ago, can you image the cellphone sized like Moto V3 can play video streaming or TV broadcasting as we saw in movie? but now those are already a part of some people's life. Of course there're rooms for CIT200 to get improved, and that simply makes new technology an exciting thing; of course, with the trade-off of taking some money from our pocket.......Let's see how the Skype-like(VoIP)product/service to change the ecosystem of telecom and to make our phone bills cheaper.
hi Tom,
take a look at this from skype.skype.com "As what goes to 16k voice sampling rate... Yes that is a goal! To bring Skype quality to users without significant loss. Reality dough is that most of solutions are not there yet and we cannot ignore current "de facto" standards within devices. So we certified CIT-200."
It is very obvious that Skype also admits that CIT-200 is not their perfect choice because it can not deliver Skype proud voice quality, only they can not ignore current "de facto" and also can not ignore the brand power of Linksys... And I also don't believe that you can not tell CIT-200 sound quality from that of using headset accessing Skype, it's so obvious the quality has been downgraded !!!
>>As what goes to 16k voice sampling rate... Yes that is a goal! To bring Skype quality to users without significant loss.
Actually, I saw that post over the weekend, but thanks for sharing. I guess in the short time I tested the CIT200 it seemed pretty good to me. Sure, the sound of the CIT200 wasn't as great as the quality of my stereo Plantronics CS-50 USB headset, but it was definitely better than cellphone quality and seemed just as good as the PSTN.
Most phone users are not "audiophiles" and will not notice much of a difference in audio quality on the CIT200 versus wearing a Skype headset. And to me, the wireless "headset-less" convenience factor outweighs any negligible sound quality performance hit.
I did some more tests and I do hear a bit of a difference, but certainly not enough to make me want to switch to a headset.
We all want the "perfect" Skype device. We all want a standalone Skype box with no PC needed and perfect sound quality. But let's stick with the here and now and not some futuristic product that doesn't exist yet. So let's judge and compare the Linksys CIT200 against other products that exist today. The way I see it, the CIT200 is one of the best Skype solutions out there today - not 1 year from now or 5 years from now.
Hi Tom,
I love Skype from the first time I tried it and it hit me most is the sound quality and no delay at all, i'm chatting with my friend in Asia just sitting side-by-side... and i believe some skype users will agree with me of this successful factor. sure, the convenience does matter, but for Linksys, it's such a big brand and tech leader, i just think skype should be more strict on the tech issue, not the marketing impact!
Hey Tom,
If I have this phone hooked up to my computer and when someone calls me, will the phone (cit200) AND the computer ring or just the phone? I suspect that it's just the phone. And I suspect that you can't really use the headset on the computer to call and stuff unless you disconnect the cit200 USB transmitter. Am I correct?
>>If I have this phone hooked up to my computer and when someone calls me, will the phone (cit200) AND the computer ring or just the phone?
I believe just the phone, but I'd have to double-check. But that's true of any Skype audio device. I don't believe you can have multiple devices make sounds within the Skype client. A great suggestion for the Skype client I might add.
You can set Skype to use the CIT200 device and then leave your Windows Audio device default to be your headset. This way you can listen to music, PC sounds (chimes on incoming email), etc. either on your PC speakers or headset - whichever is your default and receive Skype calls on the CIT200.
Hi All,
A strange thing! I can use this Linksys CIT200, I can talk and hear, but it does not ring. What did I wrong? Please help me.
Rigo.
Just curious if the need to input "+12038526800" is still the final way of doing things. It seems to me that the phone would have a setting so it would simply prepend the +1 and area code so you can simply call a person like normal.
I see the being a really sever usability drawback that will prevent a lot of "Mom & Dad" type people from purchasing it.
It wouldn't do well to prepend a "+1" because not everyone who's going to purchase this product are from the United States. Furthermore, how would you be able to tell whether the number you dialed is a Skype handle or a regular PSTN number?
>>It wouldn't do well to prepend a "+1" because not everyone who's going to purchase this product are from the United States
I thought I explained this when I wrote "Linksys software would detect my PC’s local region and area code set within the Windows XP operating system and then automatically add the “+” sign for me and perhaps even pre-pend my country code to the dial string (1 for U.S.)"
Basically, I suggested the software retrieve your area code and other regional settings from the Windows XP Regional Settings. Thus, it would automatically pre-pend your country's country code as well. Shouldn't be that difficult to code. I talked with Linksys and they told me that they are working on this suggestion and others I made.
hello,
i have using skype for a long time and its wonderful , and i would like to know
if the mobile works in africa or in the middle east, and can i have the list of price.
thank you.
@Tom Keating: That might work for you, since it sounds like you don't change your regional settings often, unlike me. But even if you didn't, what happens when you want to dial outside of your country? The regional code will change and your call will not go through as you intended. Also, you didn't answer my other question: "how would [Skype] be able to tell whether the number you dialed is aSkype handle or a regular PSTN number?" You do know that Skype will also accept alpha characters as numeric input for PSTN numbers, don't you?
Just wanted to let you all know that this phone is available through your local Radioshack, though you will not find it on the web site. Most stores do not have this in inventory yet and very few know this product even exists. However, you are in luck. Just tell the sales associate you wish to place a "direct to you" order for SKU 430-3614. The product will ship right to your door (free shipping) and you'll have it in about 5 business days.
>>Really too bad about the lack of Mac or Linux (or BSD) support. I won't be getting this phone then, despite the otherwise desirable feature set.
I'm sure they're really disapointed at losing the .01 market share...
Fact is, like it or not, except Mac cult members and BSD activists most everyone uses Windows.
If you were interested in making money you'd be developing for Windows too... Cisco Systems isn't a charity.
1. As the CIT200 has "GAP" (Generic Access Protocol") capability, can it be linked to one’s analog Dect phone base as well? Then be used for both conventional Pots calls and Skype – as the DualPhone allows? Unlike in the US (I guess) we all have lots of Dect phones around here, for normal use. Can another Dect phone be linked to CIT200’s base? Obviously with loss of some Skype features.
2. Frequency range. I was told that the competing DualPhone has no GAP feature, as it were to use two Dect channles in parallel, to give the good frequency range Skype expects. Personally I don’t beleive this. Normal one channel Dect speech is just fine.
P.S. Jörn is Jay, o-umlaut, ar, enn = Joern
Does the CIT200 have a power button to turn the unit off so it doesn't loose power while traveling?
Yes, Jared, the CIT200 does have a power button. Click the topmost picture of this page and you’ll see that the red hang-up button in the middle at right has an added I in a circle. Just as with Ericsson mobile phones, pressing here long turns the handset on or off. (For storage I always suggest to take out the batteries physically or with a strip of paper between contacts.)
Linksys CIT200 phone's system menu has a very dangerous option!
System menu has the following:
register
base select
delete HS
change PIN
reset
selecting delete HS brings up another menu
handset 1
handset 2
handset 3
handset 4
If you delete handset 1, you will ruin your phone!
it will not communicate with the base station anymore
there is no way to reset the phone to the original settings..IT IS TOAST
The reason I did this was to try to work around a a different problem I had with the phone.
additional comment
I am outside of th country
I will be living in India for an extended period of time
Linksys is not a global company that will support their products world wide. In other words they will not do a warranty exchange outside of the country you bought the product from. The money I spent on the phone and the money I spent getting it into India has been wasted since even though their are two Linksys affliates in Bangalore, they are unwilling to help me out.
Phone was able to recover even after deleting handset
important to register base while the blue light is flashing on the base station
bring up register, put in pin number..but do not hit ok
press button on base station till blue light flashes
then press ok to accept pin number on the handset
all handsets are restored
However, the original problem is still there.
The reason for deleting handset and re-installing it was so that I could change the base station from one lap top to another
the problem is that the phone is unable to communicate to the base station
I believe the handset might have to be re-registered if the handset changes from one laptop to another
I Have had no problems switching my base station from my computer at home to my computer at work.
I Have noticed that I'm not getting the battery life mentioned above. I did charge it for over 14 hours prior to use. Maybe, I need new ones. Also, can I use non - rechargable batteries?
I'm a little leary of it being a Linksys product.
It seems like when they venture outside the NIC and basic broadband gateway market things start to get a little flaky. The case looks cheap too.
I'm heading to CES in January and will check it out.
What are the best voip phone alternatives for Mac users? I would have liked to have used the DualPhone but it seems that is not available for Macs.
Nice phone, but the drivers are horrible.
The CIT200 uses an executable of some type thrown into your Startup folder. The CIT200.exe locks up on my Win2K IBM.
Support in India is not helpful. No way to reach the developers to report the bug. No drivers available to download at linksys, so I am screwed. Phone is as good as a rock to me.
Mike, Skype plugins are not without potential side effects, as to my experience. I have both a Skype Dualphone by Olympia and a CIT200 by Linksys here with all their software. Let me know if I can be of help. Fritz@Joern.De
hi i hav just bought the phone but cant instal-i hav windows millenium edition.is this the reason i cannot instal?tnx, jane
hi.is it possible to buy an "adaptor"that is compatible with windows millenium for my computer so that i can make skype out calls from my dect phone?
I got skype phone from linksys on christmas, after installation I got it worked, I could see all the contacts onmy phone screen and talked to my friends within US or overseas, it was GREAT! but suddently (approx. a weeks after christmas) suddenly I saw on my skype phone screen "Skype offline" and all my contacts are gone!
No wonder I do not get any call!
Tried to search answer from skyped website forum/troubleshooter/knowledge based, don;t have any luck.
Is there someone from this forum willing to help?
Does your Skype still run in the PC? Have a look there: contacts etc. I’m sure you’ll get it all working again ... Fritz@Joern.De
Yes, on PC seems OK, still have the contacts but the phne doesn't work anymore
Even better...
I have the phone but no cd in the package so if one of you could mail CIT200.exe to me... i would really appreciate!
Charles
Charles, I’ve opened up my CD copy for you. But it’s 74 MByte. You are welcome to try to ftp it. Give me a direct mail, if you need it (any more), and I’ll let you know the password, as I don’t want to – you know, Copyright etc.
Fritz@Joern.De
Just wanted to say to Heru that I had the same problem, very frustrating and just reinstalled the whole thing which thankfully did the trick. I bought 3 of them for Christmas (have my sister in Ireland, myself in Arizona and my parents in Belgium) and well I thought evertyhing would work fine (but my sis has a mac) and just today I was trying to help my dad out with a problem he has been mentioning to me.
Apparently when he clicks on the bottom Skype button that brings up your contacts, he gets a "Disconnected" message (where normally it shows your status. Obviously I'm thinking he is doing somethin wrong but we uninstalled and reinstalled the software, installed Skype 2 as well and restarted the whole pc..but yet still no phone lists appears? Is it mainly an issue with the Linksysphone? Thanks.
Hi i hav some questions bout this kind of phone.
1)Is the phone just a like a more advanced headset that u use 2 make voice conversations?
2)Ifur a Skype user with a phone like this one, and call another Skype user also with a phone like this one, do u have 2 pay anything for this call or its just like a voice conversation?
Plz reply.Thx
I bought this phone about a month ago and it worked well at first -- although I'm not happy with the voice quality, but I would put up with that for the sake of the cheap calls. However, for the last few weeks it rarely works.
Sometimes when I boot my computer I get an EAccessvioalation error message on startup and like Youri's dad, when I hit the Skype button I get a "disconnected" message.
Sometimes rebooting helps or sometimes if I unplug the base unit and USB cord and reconnect them, the phone works. But it's hit or miss and I wish I could get it to work all the time.
I tried calling Linksys tech support and all they could suggest was unplugging the base unit for a few minutes and then plugging it back in. I mentioned the EAccessviolation message and tech could shed no light on that. She said mine must be a windows or firewall problem. I'm tried shutting down my firewall (ZoneAlarm) but it does't help.
Anyone have any suggestions?
External phones always need plugins into the Skype software. This sometimes does not work in harmony, Mary. Perhaps you try to re-install the phone, possibly de-installing it before; and use a recent or the newest Skype software.—Sorry, some work and still just a guess. Fritz@Joern.De
Same problem - sometimes doesn't work and I get eaccessviolation error window, although my CIT200 is sold as compatible with Skype...
Got it - my pb was due to the fact that the skype toolbar was open in outlook
Close outlook (and therefore the toolbar) and launch again cit200 and skype, that'll work fine.
Hello Tom,
I'm actually looking for a VOIP cordless solution, in order for my family members to use Skype in a simple way, just as if it was a conventional landline phone.
Your product review is very detailed and covers practical aspects I was not able to find elsewhere on the net. In add, readers comments are, in the same way, very interesting.
Thanks for all this work.
I learnt a lot reading this page.
SB.
Me again
I just found this on the net : http://www.telestore.dk/shop/default.asp
They are saying: Move up to 300m away from your PC and make Skype™ and SkypeOut calls. See who’s online with one push of a button on the handset. It’s a cordless Skype™ phone and ordinary landline phone in one. >>>
Sounds to be a very interesting product. Cheap and well done.
Anybody had a review on it ?
SB.
Stef, the Linksys Du@lphone (Dualphone) is a great product! You get both a Dect cordless phone for your conventional analog line (hooked up to the Western plug) and a Skype phone (hooked up to the PC USB plug, PC must be running). It shows (and signals) Skype presence (contacts). It’s a well sized product (in comparison to the little Linksys), has good display, is handy. I find the outgoing sound quality for Skype calls not very good lately, however. My review’s in German (http://www.joern.de/IPTelefone.pdf), sorry.
Joern,
Thanks for this answer.
Don't be sorry for the english version only. I'll try to translate your review with some of these translators on the net. At least, if I don't understand something in it, I may have a good laugh!
SB
I actually have the DualPhone. Got it 2 weeks ago. Been meaning to review it but have been busy. Stay tuned for an English version...
Joern:
I had already reinstalled the software a couple of times but it didn't help. I think I have the latest version of the software (v.1.4.0.84).
Anyway, a couple of days ago I was having problems with my scanner which, like the Linksys, was connected via a USB hub. I decided to connect the scanner directly to the computer and that issue sorted itself out. Then I decided to do the same with the Linksys and it has remained connected (no disconnected signal) ALL day! I hope this is sorted out and it's not just having one of its good days.
However, the reason I was connecting via the USB hub was so I could easiy disconnect the phone when I needed to use the computer speakers as they won't work at same time as phone, since it monopolizes the sound card. Now I would have to root around under the desk at the back of the computer to disconnect the USB cord each time.
Is there a solution for the speakers vs. Linksys issue?
I am a soldier currently deployed to Iraq. Myself and many of my felloe soldiers use Skype daily as a means of staying in touch with our loved ones back home. I read about this phone and decided to give it a try as it would free me to be able to take my phone away from the noise of the computer centers. I have been very pleased with this decision. The range is outstanding, the sound quality is great, even if to some people a headset sounds better. I can honestly say that I can not tell much difference between this phone and a regular POTS line. In addition, I think I must say that our internet service is not the highest quality. We use a civilian satellite service 2Mb down and 1 Mb uplink. This connection is shared with 70 people. Considering this, my current location in the Middle East in a War Zone, and the fact that I have an internet connection at all; I cannot begin to explain how wonderful I think this product is. There are some minor fixes that I feel would make it better, such as quicker response time in the skype contacts list, but other than that, this is a wonderful product for the price. I recommend it to all my friends.
Scott - glad you are pleased with your Skype phone and are using it to call friends/family while serving in Iraq. I too thought the quality was pretty good even though some audiophiles complained it wasn't as good as a headset.
More importantly, thank you for your service. I sincerely admire all the young men and women that chose to serve - especially post-9/11 when even joining the National Guard means you still have a good chance of deployment in dangerous parts of the world.
Stay safe and Skype away on your Linksys CIT200 phone!
MY LINKSYS MODEL-WRTP54G VOIP INSTRUMENT IS NOT WORKING.MY BROTHER PURCHASED IT AT USA THROUGH VONAGE, NOW I AM OWING IT AT INDIA(BANGALORE)IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY,IT SWITCH OFF ON ITS OWN AFTER 11/2MINUTES OF SWITCHING ON. CAN I REPLACE THE VOIP HERE AT BANGALORE OR ELSE CAN I GET IT REPAIRED PLZ DO HELP ME AS MY WORK IS HELD UP DUE TO THIS PROBLEM U CAN REAC ME AT 9844363674.IMMIDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY APPRETIATED.
THANKING YOU,
WITH REGARDS,
SAJID.
Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your very informative and worthwhile site...thank you. I live overseas and often want to talk to my bedridden father in the States, but my mother has to constantly move the computer to the bed when I call with Skype. Your site has convinced me that I now have a great present to send my father (better than the standby socks).
in your story "You can of course initiate a conference call from the Skype client (clicking the Conference button) and it will work on the CIT200"
I cannot work out how to take over the skype call with the handset ONCE the call has been initiated from the PC - is their a magic button?
What solutions are there for a person using Mac and would like the hands free or similar phone? Have business in Mexico and home in the US as well as Mexico. Is Skype the answer or are there other solutions. Have broadband at all three locations. Another caveat One Mac and two PC's.?
Is there any way to configure the CIT200 and/or Windows so that it will also work with Yahoo!Messenger, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, etc? Supposedly Zonet ZYS5105 & Hawking HNT1 have this capability.
For those having problems with the CIT 200 showing as 'unregistered' and not wanting to recognize a base - I have the following suggestion: I was just on the internet with Linksys chat support, and they suggested that I hold down for about 10 seconds the main button on the base - the botton that you use to page the phone. After about 10 seconds the light on the base will begin flashing quickly. Once it is flashing, try to register your phone, using your registration code. The default code is '0000,' so if you haven't changed it, that should work.
This worked great for me - I was about to give up and send the damn thing back, but it's working great now!
I should also mention that I am VERY happy with this phone. I have excellent sound quality, excellent reception, and I find that it is reasonably easy to use. Hope this is helpful,
Eric
After six months of ownership and so so experience with it, I can not recommend this to anyone!
Making calls outward is fine, but the sucess rate of picking up the phone to answer an incoming call and actually having the phone connect to Skype to begin a conversation is 30%. This is a first generation phone and not a very good one!
Friends of mobile Skype telephony,
allow me to point you to an alternative to Linksys’ CIT200: the European "Dualphone": www.Dualphone.Be (developed by RTX: http://www.rtx.dk/Default.aspx?ID=119). It has both a high quality Skype part (uses two dect channels for better sound quality) plus it is a regular analogue pots cordless dect phone. So you can use it for your old-fashioned calls as well, hooked up to the Western plug type regular phone service, and for Skype.
It (still) needs the PC to run when used for Skype, as the Skype part is connected via USB (Has to do with the fact that Skype does not use sip.)
My phone constantly disconnects and the only way I can keep it connected is to use Skype v.1.3!!! oh well.
My problem is that if i make a call from the handset it is fine. If i make a call from my computer the handset does nothing and I cannot hear or talk to the contact i called.
Any advice?
I get the Access Violation too like Mary and the others. I will maybe try reinstalling the cIT software.
But I wanted to report that I suspect it might be related to Shareaza or perhaps my Microsoft Live betas such as OneCare Live or Messenger Live.
I figure only techies and geeks would have a linksys skype phone, so maybe you other also have such beta or other p2p programs installed. Just a tip in case we're on the verge of a new problem.
This just started happening today after owning this for a few months.
I uninstalled the software, went to linksys.com, downloaded the cit200 driver and then reinstalled the software. (Skip the CD; it's easier and best to just install the latest version from the linksys website.)
the phone immediately works. be sure to allow the cit200 to always talk with skype. (it'll prompt you.)
so far so good. everything worked immediately without even rebooting. so if the error returns, i'll let you know. but for now, if you get this error, reinstall the software. it takes one minute and you'll be much happier!
I'm using the Linksys CIT200 for about 4 weeks now. When I'm making my first call after a few hours of not using the phone, the person i'm calling can not hear me. The status on the display is "ONLINE". Trying it again, a few minutes later, everything is OK. Any advice?
Daniel,
go to tools -- options -- sound devices and report back what your settings are. The problem lies in those three settings.
Secondly, the box to let Skype manage your sound should be checked.
Finally, call echo. If echo can hear ya just fine, then the problem lies not with Skype but with your hardware/headset/mic setup or simple network congestion.
call echo: http://www.skype.com/help/guides/soundsetup.html
Cee,
The settings on skype are
- incoming Linksys CIT200
- out: Linksys CIT200
- Using: Windows default.
The box to let skype manage the sound is unchecked.
I'll change that setting.
Cool...
Make that change and then restart Skype to ensure that your change is "sticky" meaning that it's still checked afterwards.
Call echo to test and you should be fine after that!
Hope that helped!
Cee,
I made a call to echo and i can hear me just fine.
If I initiate the call from my PC how do I transfer the sounds to the handset?
i'm getting a lot of questions and i'm happy to help, but i can't handle the volume.
go to http://www.experts-exchange.com/ and post your questions there in the VOIP section. it's free to sign up. i'm an expert there and will be happy to answer everyone's questions there.
i get points for the questions answered. if i can't help you, surely someone else will be happy to resolve your question. but if you let me know in advance of your question, i'll be happy to be the one to respond to your question.
thanks!
cee
If I initiate the call from my PC how do I transfer the sounds to the handset?
Has anyone used the phone with various Outlook add-ins for dialling Skype or SkypeOut contacts? I've got the phone and it's fine for dialling through the Skye client, but when I use Look2Skype or the Skype Outlook Toolbar to dial a contact it doesn't place the call through my Linksys handset.
Skype is setup to use the Linksys in the sound devices....
Any ideas....?
Has anyone hacked the CIT200 firmware to work with any other services? I love Skype, but Yahoo! has just under cut the competition on most international rate with the new Yahoo Messenger with Voice 7.5 Beta and seems to work just as well as Skype, I just wish I could use by CIT200 handset.
I really love the article it was a great read, the phone is good as well i have actullay heard alot about this phone and have many people say that it works well.
There is a skype cordless phone here:
It Supports "3 parties conference call conversation for Handset, PSTN and Skype" and Supports "multiple handsets in a system.(Up to 6 handsets can be registered)".
oops, the link is not shown, it is : http://www.echostore.com/skype-cordless-phone.html
I purchased one of these phones a few months ago, it is always switched on and always connected to skype, i have never had any problems with it, i just finished talking to one of my mates in another country, i was on a call with him for over 4 hours and my phones battery is still full, more than i could expect from my cell phone. I even accidently deleted the handset from its base while i was messing around and managed to get it back. this phone is easy to use and is really awesome. if you are having problems with it, i don't think its the phones fault, i think its your stupidity. This phone is a really great piece of equipment, i recoment it to everyone who's computer meets the requirements on the box.
I have no installation CD with my Linksys phoine and their support does not provide a download (God knows why).
Does anyone know where I can obtain the software for running this phone with my Skype installation?
Any help anyone can provide is deeply appreciated.
I bought my Linksys CIT200 3 months ago and I still can't use it. I've been dickering with Linksys support all this time and generally don't get any quick responses. Sometimes it take resendining the message several time, then maybe in a few days I'll get a message from them. But so far to date, no solution to my problem. My problem is that my CIT200 always says disconnected. If I unplug my usb plug to the base, wait about a minute, then plug it back in, It comes up and says Skype online and I can even see my contacts. But between 10-15 seconds later it reverts back to disconnected again. Now if I do this whole proceedure over again, I can connect for another 10-15 seconds. Can anyone steer me into the right direction to cure this? Seems like Linksys Support can't. You would figure that they have had this problem before and know whats going on. But, after 3 months, I'm still fighting with this problem. Anyone else have simular problems as I have?
To Vardsy,
on linksys.com you have to change to United States as country. On Support - download you have to select the CIT200. There you can find the driver & setup software.
my linksys cit 200 announce on pressing on contacts "unavailable"
on the computer I can see the contacts online, it was perfectly ok and now I got a message cit200
Soory, the comp announcment is cit 200 EAccessViolation
Hey,
I've just bought this phone from SKYPEstyle.co.uk and it's working perfectly. I'm really pleased. What;s the problem with yours?
Di.
Hey Di,
the problem is that, after not using the phone for several hours, making a call is not possible. The person that i'm talking to cannot hear me. The status on the display is "on line" . I checked the sound settings on skype & my pc. Everything seems ok. Even calling "echo" is working. Can the router in my network provoke such a problem?
hmm...not sure I'm afraid.
I'm not that technical - I got all the info from the website I bought it off.
Let's hope it keeps working!?..
I was asked to figure out the "Unavailable" problem on a LinkSys CIT-200. After the recommended uninstall, reboot, reinstall cycle failed, I tried installing on my PC. No joy. LinkSys support asked me to power cycle the device. Hmph! So, I removed and replaced the batteries. And it worked; it saw the contacts. I took it back to the original PC, plugged in the base, and all was well.
You mean you actually got support from Linksys? Thats a miricle, I'm still waiting to hear from them. I just tried what you did and it still has the same problems. Heres the latest reply I just recieved and still wonder how long this crap is going to take so I can get my problem resolved and I can use this damb thing. I recieved this reply 2 days ago.
Is he the only tech support tech that helps people?
Thank you for contacting Linksys Technical Support.
Sorry to informed you that Melquiades S. Castillo Jr. is not available at the moment. We will inform him the problem you are experiencing at the moment.
We appreciate your time in giving us your feedback. Please accept our apology for the inconvenience you have experienced. Rest assured that we will take action to improve our products and services to better meet your needs.
Don't flip phones break quite easily though...??
Will my US purchased charging base work outside the US? The spec says 120v, 60hz, but I wonder if it will actually work on 220 / 50? If not, where can I get another charger? And if not, why do they make it for the US only?
Thanks.
I think its a great product but I am highly frustrated by the slow response tme when navigating the skype contact list. It feels like there is a layer of treacle in the way.. lets hope they do an updated firmware soon!
My biggest missing feature... I want to be able to buy more skype credit FROM THE PHONE. I'm in the US using it to call UK, often cell phones and the credit runs out very quickly! You cannot buy credit from the phone which means you have to go back to your computer to do it when it runs out. Very silly, surely this is a major thing they should correct?
Just why is it so damn slow? Is is downloading my contact list EVERY time? If so, why doesn't it store them in the phones memory the first time and just check for updates?
Also noticed it sometimes gets 'unavaliable' when navigating the skype list so I have to try again, also annoying but I get there eventually.
It seems like they rushed the software out, overall its good but it could be so much better, I wish they had also put a higher resolution screen on the display! And allowing you to associate a picture with the caller would be very useful too, virtually every cell phone can do this now! Also can you change the background image to one of your own choice? Havent figured that out...
For all the gripes I'm happy enough with the sound quality, its ok. Overall its the best skype wireless phone Ive used and its enhanced the usability of Skype 10 fold.
I was miffed the the power adaptor for the base (I bought mine in the US) is only 110 volts, even cheap $50 pay as you talk cells come with dual 110-240V switching these days! since the base unit is wired directly I had no choice but to buy a 240V-110V voltage changer so I can use this product when I get back to england. Come on Linksys, it cannot save THAT many cents to have a us only plug !
Sigh...
I really want to love this product, in the end I just like it, its definately a 1st generation product. Cannot wait to see a full linux embedded with the full skype client, as having to have my pc or laptop on all the time is a pain. Still overall I would give it 70%. Final verdict: Loads of room for improvement but still worth buying..
Trevor
hey, i got a skype phone for me and my mate, and now every time i look at it theres some bloomin problem. Its disconnected, its offline, its generally in trouble. NOW,,, the phone says its online, it says my contacts are online, and so does my lap top,, i call and it says its ringing, but i cant hear anything, i wait,, nothing, they answer, and cant hear me, now his phones got the same problem. £160 i shelled for these,, V frustrated. I think ive found the CIT200 guru in you, please help me!
I had to remove the batteries of my CIT200, and after I reintalled them, the monitor indicates " disconnected" and the phone no longer communicates with the computer. Any suggestions on what is wrong?
Oscar
Do as I did. Get rid of the phone! I never could get mine working and Linksys has such lousy support, I felt it was futile to keep it so I resold it on E-bay. Now my Linksys CIT200 and my headache are gone. Believe me, this is very good advice.
I use the following cordless phone, it works great,
http://www.echostore.com/usb-cordless-phone.html ;
And it is the first cordless phone that works with MAC. And it supports Skype, VoipBuster, VoipStunt, VoipDiscount, internetcalls, VoipCheap, NetAppel, SparVoip etc. Fantastic!!
The Linksys does not operate on 2.4GHz for a reason... it interferes with your wireless! So David I'm not so sure how good that phone could be as it works on 2.4GHz.
after searching for probleme of connection (disconnected base :in fact you have to look in your audio devices in the configuration pannel and switch off one of these and reboot)
so after find this solution now phone connect but no sound with : CAN'T FIND LINKSYST CIT200 IN THE SKYPE OPTIONS.
Need help for this
thanks:)
for skypeout free
CIT200 Skype phone
Is it possible to buy another Base Unit station by its self without the handset? We are interested in switching Skype user accounts on the handset as we live in a sheared house, so switching between different user accounts on separate computers would be really useful. Am I Right in thinking this is possible to do with the Base select option? Has anyone else used this product in this way?
Hi All,
If your Linksys Skype phone CIT 200 is showing UNREGISTERED do these steps:
1. Press and hold the button on the base station until the blue light starts blinking.
2. In handset go to SYSTEM menu and select REGISTER. Default pin is 0000
Have a good time.
Binooplal P.I
Email: Binooplal@hotmail.com
Country: India
I had this problem a while ago, but when i call people on my cit 200 i cant hear it ring and i cant hear them speak, they can hear me though. I dont know what the hell is wrong with it, the last time this happened i just turned off skype for ages and then i turned it on about a month later and it worked, i can wait a month this time and my computer should just do things when i tell it to! how do i fix this?!?!?!
I had the same problem. I changed to the Linksys driver Ver 3.7.0 (You can find it on the US website).
I was also using Sygate Personal Firewall, but now i moved to the MS firewall on WIN XP Prof. SP2.
For the moment everything is working well.
Good luck.
Regarding the "EAccessvioalation error" that a few people reported here:
in my case, it turned out that NETGEAR Storage Central SC101 is not compatible with the CIT200. I was only able to install the SC101 after disabling the CIT200 and now I receive the "EAccessvioalation error" each time I try to load the CIT200.
As a side note, I was surprised to see my name in the Skype Contacts list in one of the screenshots (the one before last).
:-)
I quite enjoyed your review, Tom. I was inspired to include an entry on my own site
You just landed another regular reader, mate!
Support for this phone is the only reason I run windows.
If I could run this phone under Linux or Mac I would dump Windows in a flash!!
thanks Eric Anderson i just get my phone back to work after following your instruction it take only 10 sec.. to work
Sam
With the Linksys Skype phone: Has anyone figured out how to make the tones function to operate automated systems, for example, when you want to check your bank balance?
I'm glad you can't use this phone for anything but skype.
Think about it. This makes the phone cheaper. they do a deal, and make the phone so that it only works with skype, skype knows that this will tie people in to using skype, which will make them more profit, which means they can sell the phone cheaper.
Its like when you buy a computer from dell and complain about the crappy software that comes with it. Someone has paid for the crap to be there, so you get your PC cheaper, you then uninstall the crap in 5minutes.
If you don't mind being tied into skype, then you have a right to buy a cheaper phone because of that. As for Room for improvement, wanting to listen to the Radio with your cordless phone, don't be ridicolous! I want it to be cheap, I want a cheap cordless skype phone. If I want speakers for MP3's, I'll go buy some.
What the hell, next time ask for a DAB digital radio, CD walkman, cellphone, toaster and television all integrated into a £24 device.
hi,
i was in the middle of a call, when suddenly the other person's voice disppeared. so i started to press the red button to disconnect and must have pressed somehting else because it suddenly showed me 2 options:TR5 and (i think) TR6. I HAD to select one or the other since that screen wouldn't go away unless i said ok, and so i did.
I discovered (to my utter horror) that what I had apparently done was to tell my linksys skype phone to hang and stay that way till the end of days.
Somebody help!!!!!
dont ask me to reboot, because i already did!
would REALLY appreciate some help on this, guys!
waiting for help with bated breath
Kripa
hi,
i was in the middle of a call, when suddenly the other person's voice disppeared. so i started to press the red button to disconnect and must have pressed somehting else because it suddenly showed me 2 options:TR5 and (i think) TR6. I HAD to select one or the other since that screen wouldn't go away unless i said ok, and so i did.
I discovered (to my utter horror) that what I had apparently done was to tell my linksys skype phone to hang and stay that way till the end of days.
Somebody help!!!!!
dont ask me to reboot, because i already did!
would REALLY appreciate some help on this, guys!
waiting for help with bated breath
Kripa
If only the phone looked nicer...
Yeah, that thing is uuuuhgly. Is there a new model out?
Don't know if a new model is out but it definitely look ugly.
Yeah, very ugly.
Great review! I think the CIT200 was a great phone at the time it was created. It did have some problems, including the design :-), but Linksys did a great job ironing out all the bugs with it's new model, the CT310. That one's now available everywhere, so I recommend going with that over the old model, regardless of price.
I bought this CIT200 a month ago... like many here, it worked perfectly during the first 4 weeks... my problem now is: it just didn't ring anymore when there's an incoming call. Is anyone here can help me solve the problem?
I have had the CIT 200 for a fair while & like it a lot. My PC crashed & I couldn't find the installation disc so I went & bought a WiFi model Belkin. It only works off my home WiFi & doesn't allow me to be logged in for Skype chat on the pc.
Short answer, I want my CIT 200 back. Where can I download the software please?
I have tried Singapore & Hong Kong, didn't see a CIT 310
Is the phone connected to the base station?
Is it online?
on the phone, click menu
scroll down and select system
select register or base select (can't remember which?)
press the centre button on the base station so that the blue light flashes.
Phone will find base station.