My DECT cordless phone is now actually working with Skype and SkypeOut and VoipBuster and VOIP calls – cool, and so convenient!

My USB Phone Adapter (TelBox USB to RJ11 converter [USB-B2K]) arrived and now I can use my Panasonic DECT cordless phone to make and receive Skype, SkypeOut, VoipBuster and any other type of SIP calls.  Here’s how I did it for under R400 (including some tricks to get the hash to work):
1) If you haven’t read my first article on the device and the software then read it now: Hooray, I’ve found a way to use my cordless DECT phone to make Skype and SIP VoipBuster calls – Solved :)

2) Unpack the device and the included cables: 1x USB cable, 1x telephone RJ11 cable (no external power needed – gr8!)
3) Connect the TelBox to the USB port on the PC; and take the Telkom line from the cordless phone to the TelBox’s “Line” input; and connect the new RJ11 cable to the cordless phone’s “Line” input and the TelBox’s “Phone” input.  Test the connection by checking for dial tone on the cordless phone – if there’s no dial tone, then you’ve connected the wires up incorrectly (so read step 3 again).
What’s nice is that when the PC is off or TelBox is disconnected from the USB port, then the TelBox turns off and the cordless phone still works (as if there was no TelBox in the loop).

 
4a) For VoipBuster: download and install VoipBuster and VoipBusterMate and purchase credits
4b) Change the VoipBuster audio settings to use the new TelBox device: VoipBuster->Tools->Options->Sound Devices->Audio In=USB device  and  Audio Out=USB device.
4c) I prefer to dial 2 stars (**) to make the TelBox dial using the USB port, so change the settings as follows:
(from “How to Change * Key Used by USB Adapter”):
Close VoipBusterMate: in system tray, right click the VoipBusterMate icon and select Exit.  Click on Start->Run and type in %appdata%
The ApplicationData folder will appear in a window, open the VoipBusterMate folder; Edit the "Custom.ini" file and find the following line (located about 3/4 of the way down): szBoxTurnCommand = *
Change to: szBoxTurnCommand = **
Save and close Custom.ini and restart VoipBusterMate. Now when you want to switch between landline and VoipBuster mode, dial ** on your phone's keypad.
Note: the two stars works better on my setup – it seems that one star is not as reliable as using 2 stars.
4d) Open VoipBuster and create speed dials for the contacts that you want to dial on your DECT cordless phone: VoipBuster->Contacts tab->right click on the contact->Set speed dial->100
Note: I found that my Panasonic KX-TCD430 base station or KX-A143 handset didn’t dial the hash # unless the speed dials were at least 3 digits long!  The hash is needed to tell VoipBuster to “Call”.  I found that using a single digit speed dial, say 1 or 01, would cause VoipBuster (and Skype) to wait until the “Call” button was pressed using the mouse.  I suspect that the handset didn’t dial the hash unless more than 3 digits had been dialled.
4e) Then to make the call, I dial **100# and the TelBox is activated (USB light turns on), and VoipBuster dials speed dial 100 and the call is connected :)  Awesome!


5a) For Skype: download and install Skype and SkypeMate
5b) Change the Skype audio settings to use the new TelBox device: Skype->Tools->Options->Audio Settings->Microphone=USB device  and  Speakers=USB device.
5c) I prefer to dial 2 stars (**) to make the TelBox dial using the USB port, so change the settings as follows:
(from “How to Change * Key Used by USB Skype Adapter”):
Close Skype : in system tray, right click the Skype icon and select Exit.  Click on Start->Run and type in %appdata%
The ApplicationData folder will appear in a window, open the SkypeMate folder; Edit the "Custom.ini" file and find the following line (located about 3/4 of the way down): szBoxTurnCommand = *
Change to: szBoxTurnCommand = **
Save and close Custom.ini and restart SkypeMate. Now when you want to switch between landline and SkypeMate mode, dial ** on your phone's keypad.
Note: the two stars works better on my setup – it seems that one star is not as reliable as using 2 stars.
5d) Creating speed dials in Skype 4.0 is not so easy… since they removed the speed dial feature from this version :(  There are a couple of workarounds for this:  i) Use SkypeSpeedDial from here [250Kb]: http://skypespeeddial.blogspot.com or ii) Use Skype’s Tracer from here: SkypeTracer.
Remember to use a speed dial number >= 100 else some phones will not dial the hash.
Set speed dials for the contacts that you want to dial on your DECT cordless phone.
Note: I found that my Panasonic KX-TCD430 base station or KX-A143 handset didn’t dial the hash # unless the speed dials were at least 3 digits long!  The hash is needed to tell VoipBuster to “Call”.  I found that using a single digit speed dial, say 1 or 01, would cause Skype (and VoipBuster) to wait until the “Call” button was pressed using the mouse.  I suspect that the handset didn’t dial the hash unless more than 3 digits had been dialled.
5e) Then to make the call, I dial **100# and the TelBox is activated (USB light turns on), and Skype dials speed dial 100 and the call is connected :)  Awesome!

For more details on using the TelBox USB to RJ11 converter: User Guide for USB-RJ11 Adapter (Windows)

Note: the “under R400” applies in my case since I already had a PC with USB port and a wireless phone, so all I needed to purchase was the TelBox USB adapter.

On the TelBox packaging: USB to RJ11 converter; USB Phone Adapter; Supports wireless phones; 1 USB interface to PC; 1 FXS for regular phone; 1 FXO for PSTN call relays; Driver built in; No external power needed.