Using PC as a landline phone

[Ian Feldmann]

Hi, to put it simply I want to be able to make phone calls using my PC as the microphone and speaker. I already have a landline cable and a landline phone but I think that it would be really cool to be able to do this. Please dont question the idiocy of it as I know it sounds rediculous but it just sounds fun! Thanks
By the way I have a new computer so it most definitely does not have anything like a modem jack

 

[ss202sl]

You would need a modem. There was software at one time, it may still be around, but I used my PC like this in the late 90's.

 

[mcnumpty23]

so use a free voip then

 

[Ok Go]

i'ts called a 56k dial-up modem, but i dont know if it's still being sold today, and the driver availability for win7/8 must've been low.

 

[mcnumpty23]

why would you want to mess with a 56k modem?

there are tons of free voip services

 

[Wolfshadw]

This type of application was sketchy back when I bought my first Windows PC in the early 90's. My AST 486 DX2-50 had a program that you could use to make phone calls over the 9600baud modem (56K modems were still a dream back then). You could set it up so each account on the computer had it's own voicemail box.

It was never really popular back then and no programs like that would be in wide use today. As mcnumpty23 states, you'd probably have better luck with a free VOIP service or a pay for service like MagicJack.

-Wolf sends

 

[Ok Go]

why would you want to mess with a 56k modem?

there are tons of free voip services

sentimental value? that dial-up tone bring back memory to me, albeit nightmarish.

 

[mcnumpty23]

why would you want to mess with a 56k modem?

there are tons of free voip services

sentimental value? that dial-up tone bring back memory to me, albeit nightmarish.

yeah it brings back memories of 4/5 kbs download speed

nightmarish doesnt even begin to describe that

 

[reedo_43]

Download the ringtone!