skype in the abacos?

[mcjabos]

wondering if any one has had any luck using skype on their computors to call back to the states? does it work with a low wireless connection?

[pelicanpete]

It works but you need a high-speed connection.

[Danali Star]

We use Skype all the time. Overall for us it is a good means of communication. But it is not going to work perfect all the time so you have to take the good with the bad. I do not understand why sometimes with a signal thru the roof it will be terrible and other times the signal will be very poor and it sounds great and vice versa. All I can tell you is that it is a very low cost way to communicate. When it is a bad connection with dropouts or echoing that we no longer want to tolerate we just switch to IM and chat that way.

[mcjabos]

thanx thats about what i expected!

[abacomah]

We use Skype all the time. Overall for us it is a good means of communication. But it is not going to work perfect all the time so you have to take the good with the bad. I do not understand why sometimes with a signal thru the roof it will be terrible and other times the signal will be very poor and it sounds great and vice versa. All I can tell you is that it is a very low cost way to communicate. When it is a bad connection with dropouts or echoing that we no longer want to tolerate we just switch to IM and chat that way. Danali Star, I am guessing since you are on the boat you are using it on wireless. Is that right?

[Octobersteve]

Isn't there a service you can arrange for before leaving home that uses an 800 number to dial into their system to make low cost calls back to the states? Comtel or something like that?

[pelicanpete]

Isn't there a service you can arrange for before leaving home that uses an 800 number to dial into their system to make low cost calls back to the states? Comtel or something like that?Yes, there is. The service I used to use (before skype) was Globaltel. Strangely enough if you put .com after the name you'll get their website but, shhh, I'm not allowed to tell you that. If you Google the name you'll get the full address. All I can say is, it's not expensive and it works well.

[Danali Star]

Danali Star, I am guessing since you are on the boat you are using it on wireless. Is that right?
Yes we are all wireless...

[SusieAndAl]

Hi Danali Star,

The signal strength you see is only between your computer and the Access Point (AP) antenna. You're not seeing all the networks, routers and servers beyond that antenna. So you could have a great signal but there could be many, many choke points past that. That's why Skype can sound terrible even if you see a strong signal.

Cheers -- Susie and Al