I just found out that my mother, who just had knee-replacement surgery, is going to take me up on my offer to come and stay with her for a few days after she gets out of the hospital. (Stupid insurance won’t cover her for any longer . . .) I’m self-employed and will need to take work along to do when I’m not helping her, and I need to be online a good part of the day. I’ll be dialing in to my ISP on their only phone line.
Is there any sort of quickie software I can put on my computer to let phone calls through, or to notify me that they have a call coming? Or some cheapo hardware I can pick up? I don’t want to tie up the phone line, but I do need to get this work done.
If you have call waiting, many newer modems have that ability built right in to its drivers–my Motorola SM56, for example. If you don’t have call waiting, you’ll need to get it. If your modem doesn’t know about call waiting, there are various applications (some free) which can do what you want. More details about your system would be helpful in making recommendations.
I don’t have call waiting, and neither does my mom. (She doesn’t even have an answering machine!)
I’m running WinXP SP2. Device Manager says tha my modem is an Aztech HSP56 Micromodem using Microsoft driver version 8.0.11.3. Not sure what other info would be helpful – let me know if you need more.
Free and quick would be great; I have enough to do to get my office transferred over there as it is. Anything that will simplify the process = good.
FormerMarineGuy, I’m checking out your links right now while I work. Mom’s doing OK – she just needs an able body around for a few days to help with physical stuff, as my dad’s disabled (rheumatoid arthritis; he’s mobile, just wouldn’t be able to help her stand/sit, do stuff involving manual dexterity, etc.). Thanks for asking.
Without the call waiting service, the modem will have no idea another call is coming in - as it stands, any incoming calls while you’re online will be blocked with a busy signal by the phone company.
Yup, I’m seeing that now. Can’t really see making my folks get call waiting just for a few days, even if I paid for it. Guess I’ll have to just hop online quick periodically to check e-mail and do my online research/fact-checking at night. Dammit.
All solutions, including Catch-a-Call require call waiting service with your telco to work. There’s no way around that, as far as I’m aware. According to Google, your HSP56 Micromodem does support call waiting notification, so you should be fine with it.
Some phone companies do offer call forwarding, which would allow you to have the call directed to, say, your cell phone when the line is busy. You may even be able to use it on a per-call basis, like some other services. This would cost a set fee per use, but wouldn’t cost anything if you don’t use it. Call up your folks’ phone company and ask them about it.
I use Callwave. I think it’s free just as a caller ID type service while you’re online, but I think for a little extra you can choose the “take the call” option.
While I hesitate to mentioned the much-bashed (on these boards and everywhere else) AOL…
They have a service called AOL Call Alert - it doesn’t require call waiting, but I believe it requires a similarly-priced option used by many voice mail applications (call forward on busy/no answer)
Here’s the description:
Stay online and control all incoming calls right from your PC. When a call comes in, a call alert window appears on your computer screen. You decide how to handle the call!
* See who's calling instantly with online caller ID.
* Answer calls, transfer calls, ignore calls, play a greeting or take a message.
* Listen to messages from your computer with online voicemail.
I’ll second the suggestion of AOL Call Alert. I have an unhealthy fear of missing a call telling me that a family member is ill or has passed. This due to a call a few years ago from my aunt asking where my mom was since Grandma was at Death’s door.
I used it for about six months prior to getting DSL. Get DSL instead! No extra phone line, no missed calls, no having to log off to make a call - it’s just great!
Call your phone company, well your parents phone company, most will allow a short term use of call waiting, call forwarding (on busy) or call answering - Either of these 3 services can solve your problem, or at least let you try them to see if you like them and cancel (sometimes w/o charge).
And for short term they are cheap, all the above each are under $10/month, though call forwarding will incure the cost of a call from the fowarded phone to the number it is forwarded to.
Another option is a second line with the ability to roll over, but it cost more.
Also consider cellular internet, you may be able to sign up for a month, though this will be more expensive for you, it will leave your parents out of it. Or see if their neighbors have high speed wireless internet, perhaps you can offer them some $ for you to use their service while you are there.
Ha ha ha, that’s a good one! <wiping tears from eyes> The neighbors are all older than dirt – I doubt any of them would even want to try to turn a computer ON.
Thanks for all your varied suggestions, but they all involved way too much time and effort. I was hoping for some simple software or gizmo. I’m only here for a few days, so getting all entangled in some kind of plan, even if only for a month or so = too much bother. I’m doing fine just checking e-mail every so often and doing my research surfing after the folks have gone to bed. (That is, after borrowing an adapter from my dad because none of the outlets upstairs, which is the only place I had room to set up, are grounded. It’s an old old house.)
But perhaps someone else will glean some info from this thread that they can use.
Dammit.