notes on GVdialer and sipdroid for free calling to US from abroad

[fporter]

Below is a private thread discussing configuration of GV dialer and Sipdroid to make free calls to US from abroad (I was in France) over wifi.

Hi,
I read your post and bought GV Dialer,
installed it and SipDroid on my phone,
acquired a SIP phone number from SipGate
added the SipGate # to my google voice account, verified it and set google voice to forward to the SIP #
and finally setup GV Dialer and SipDroid based on the GV Dialer website instructions.

When I attempt to make a call from GV Dialer (with the SIM card removed from my mobile) the call goes through to the phone I'm calling (my wife's mobile in this case) and CallerID on her phone shows my name and google voice phone number. I pickup the call on her phone and hear dead air.

However i'm not getting the call back on my android phone.

where might i have gotten off track?

thanks,
Fred

Hmm ....sounds like you are on the right track. As trouble shooting steps you might do the following:

1) From any other phone besides your Android, call your new sipgate number. Make sure sipdroid on your phone rings. If not, you have a problem there. Make sure sipdroid is configured correctly. It will have a green light on the notification bar if it is signed in properly

2) Assuming that works, from any other phone try calling your Google Voice number and see if sipdroid rings. If this works, then you have the Google Voice and Sipdroid configured correctly

3) If all that works, then it is something wrong with the dialer program I guess. I never used the one I posted about. However, I have been using a free program called GVoice Callback. It is very simple and really the only purpose is to initiate call backs (via your data connection). There is another program called GV Call Free that I have installed, but not used.

4) If that fails, I'm not sure. Go carefully through the menus of sipdroid. There are some settings to only enable it over WiFi or 3G or EDGE etc.

Hope that helps

Hi Clobber,
Thanks! I figured out my problems:
1. i used my user ID and pwd for the SIPDROID settings instead of the SIP credentials from SipGate for my number. I corrected the entries then it all worked.
2. I also setup a static IP for my phone in my router so I could configure port forwarding and forwarded port 5060.
3. Having added Sipgate # to google voice created alot of confusion for myself and friends so i disabled call forwarding in GV for the Sipgate #. Now it works only if sip # dialed specifically. Which is fine when i'm in USA. But when I go overseas i'll enable forwarding as I won't have phone or data plan.

Mind if I post this exchange to the forum? It might be helpful to others?

thanks,
Fred

Fred,

Absolutely, post away.

I'm not sure I understand your last point? Why does that cause confusion? With your sipgate number added to Google Voice, your friends can call you either on the sipgate number or google voice number. No matter, just wondering.

Hi Clobber,
was in europe and able to successfully use Sipdroid/Sipgate/GVdialer to make free calls to US (as long as I had good wifi)! thanks for your help.

The confusion was that when I was in US and using my phone with sim card and forwarding to sip # enabled a call to my GV number would result in both my phone ringing and sipdroid ringing. so when in europe i disabled forwarding to all but sip #. Now back in US i have disabled forwarding to SIP #.
cheers,
Fred