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Any Way to Use Google Voice and Avoid My Computer Ringing?

Started by rwsf, November 18, 2011, 11:13:06 AM

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rwsf

I think the answer on this is no - but, anyone figure out a way to use the Obi for incoming Google Voice calls, but not have it ring on the computer each time there is an incoming call?

In order to pre-empt some possible helpful work arounds:


  • I always have gmail open, and am not willing to change this behavior;
  • I use google chat to communicate in writing with others, so I can't disable chat.

Thanks.

Everton

You could setup another gmail account and use that for chatting, etc.  Or having setup the new account, move your existing GV number to the new account and not sign-in to the chat feature to avoid the incoming calls ringing your computer.  You can then continue using the old gmail account for your chat exchanges. 

Having said that, I know of no other way to get around this.

Stewart

Add another number to GV that rings your OBi, e.g. IPKall pointing to a free Callcentric account, registered to your OBi on SP2.  Then, you can turn off GV calls ringing to Google Chat.

DrJay

In my setup, the OBiHAI takes over all incoming voice calls and disables the ringing of my computer - which is exactly what you stated that you wanted to happen.

I'm still able to place calls from my computer using the Call Phone link in Gmail but all incoming calls to my GV number go to my OBiHAI + my forwarding phones but not to my computer. I hear and see nothing at all there when a call comes in. Like you, I have Gmail open pretty much continuously.

And that works very well the vast majority of the time. There are times, though, when I wish my computer would also ring, like when I'm on the road and I have Gmail open in my hotel room. It would be nice to be able to pick up the call in that scenario. But the benefits of having the OBiHAI work with GV far outweigh the loss of that feature. And since my mobile phones also ring, it ends up not being an issue - other than burning mobile phone minutes when I could be using VoIP on my computer for free. I could also have the OBiON app open on my iPhone and use VoIP but I don't typically run it unless I'm dialing out.

footprintx

man, I'm having the exact opposite problem. I have the Obi100 and it bugs me that my Gmail/Computer no longer rings!

Stewart

Quote from: footprintx on November 21, 2011, 11:44:00 AM
man, I'm having the exact opposite problem. I have the Obi100 and it bugs me that my Gmail/Computer no longer rings!
See my post above.  If you already tried that, please post specific details about the failure.

chetstone

Quote from: DrJay on November 18, 2011, 12:38:21 PM
In my setup, the OBiHAI takes over all incoming voice calls and disables the ringing of my computer - which is exactly what you stated that you wanted to happen.

I'm still able to place calls from my computer using the Call Phone link in Gmail but all incoming calls to my GV number go to my OBiHAI + my forwarding phones but not to my computer. I hear and see nothing at all there when a call comes in. Like you, I have Gmail open pretty much continuously.


So how did you set this up? I want the OBI to always ring and gmail to never ring -- I never use chat in email.

I just called my sister through GV on the OBI and when the call dropped and she called me back the computer rang but not the OBI. This is the first time this has happened. I was confused and tried to answer the call in gmail but she could not hear me.

I went into gmail settings to try to turn chat off as was suggested in an older thread, but I don't see a setting for that. There is a "Disable outbound voice calling" button but it says "To also disable incoming calls, go to your Google Voice settings." but if I uncheck that, it won't forward calls to the OBI!

The suggestion to have a different gmail account is a nonstarter for me. I recently went to great pains to get my google voice switched to my main gmail account, because having two google accounts is a big pain. Whenever you try to do anything with google, say open a google document, if you have cookies open on more than one account, google will invariably go to the wrong account. Sometimes it will ask you which account you want to use, then it will ignore your choice and try to open it in the wrong account anyway. I'm so happy I don't have that problem any more, so don't tell me to switch GV to another gmail account.

So @DrJay, what is your setup? I want it like that.

Thanks

doebtown

Quote from: footprintx on November 21, 2011, 11:44:00 AM
man, I'm having the exact opposite problem. I have the Obi100 and it bugs me that my Gmail/Computer no longer rings!
Did you figure out how to deal with this? I'm having this problem, too: at an incoming call, Obi rings, forwarding phones ring, too, but Gmail/computer does not ring.

Steward suggested seeing his earlier post, but I didn't see exactly what he was referring to.

Along these lines, what is the "Soft Phone" referred to in the Obi dashboard?

Thanks!

RonR

Quote from: doebtown on January 02, 2012, 04:09:03 PM
at an incoming call, Obi rings, forwarding phones ring, too, but Gmail/computer does not ring.

I don't use Gmail/computer with Google Voice, but I don't believe the OBi and Gmail/computer can co-exist.

Quote from: doebtown on January 02, 2012, 04:09:03 PM
Along these lines, what is the "Soft Phone" referred to in the Obi dashboard?

There are downloadable OBiON Apps for iPhone and Android smartphones and an App for the PC that can be used with the OBi.

doebtown

Quote from: RonR on January 02, 2012, 04:33:54 PM
There are downloadable OBiON Apps for iPhone and Android smartphones and an App for the PC that can be used with the OBi.
Perfect. Thank you. I don't really understand, but it's apparently not related to what I'm trying to do.

Quote from: RonR on January 02, 2012, 04:33:54 PMI don't believe the OBi and Gmail/computer can co-exist.
Well, I'm starting to form that same conclusion. But the OP's initial question seem to suggest an alternative conclusion, as he wouldn't need any workaround if the solution was that OBi and Gmail can't be used together. Further confounding my troubleshooting is Stewart's response to footprintx:
Quote from: Stewart on November 23, 2011, 07:33:04 AM
Quote from: footprintx on November 21, 2011, 11:44:00 AM
man, I'm having the exact opposite problem. I have the Obi100 and it bugs me that my Gmail/Computer no longer rings!
See my post above.  If you already tried that, please post specific details about the failure.

I mean, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. OBi is SO awesome that I would take it and forefeit having Gmail ring any day (and twice on Sundays!). There ARE times, though, where I'm sitting on the couch with my laptop ON my lap, the phone rings, and it would be nice if I didn't have to get off my lazy a$$ to go find a phone and could just answer the call on the computer.

Thanks for the help, anybody.