Caller ID Software?

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 14, 2004 Posts: 1

Is there any software I can use to pop up caller ID on my computer? I don't have a phone in this room and have no intention of putting one here. Would be nice to know who is calling without going to another room or having to remember a cordless.

Posts: 46 · Full Forum Member Joined: Sep 06, 2004 Posts: 46

There are many utilities to read Caller ID with your computer's modem port. They do it by catching the 9600 baud data right after the first ring. You might use Google or TuCows to search for the utilities.

Posts: 17 · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:55 pm Post subject:

That doesn't answer the question he had though and I have the same question. We want to use the network that it's already hooked into without having to run extra lines or get/use extra hardware.

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject:

Someone on the broadband forums has written an application that screen scrapes the web pages for a Sipura adapter and can announce caller id information. I have a VT1000 and can't access the web pages in my normal configuration. I don't know that this information is even available.

I am not aware of any other current solutions.

Here are some alternatives (sorry this got a little long and blue sky)

Solution 1: Packet Sniffing Software

It is technically possible to do this if you can monitor the packets on the network in front of your adapter. However for most people, this is not the case.

Two configurations that would work:

1) Internet - modem/routers/switches - caller id server - adapter - rest of network

Caller ID would be available to rest of network though port forwarding on adapter.

2) Internet - modem/routers/switches - hub - (caller id server, adapter)

I don't know of any software that currently does this, but it would only take a few hours to write a client-server application to extract caller ID from SIP invite messages. And if there is a standard for Caller ID over net, it would take less time because a client would already be available.

However, since most people don't have configurations like the ones above there isn't much point in writing the software.

Solution 2: Hardware solution

This is essentially the same as solution 1, but it would involve adding a network splitter with a small microprocessor to do the packet extraction. Additionally it should support a third network port to handle the output of the caller id on a different network segment.

It avoids some of the network configuration issues and having to have an always on server to capture the packets.

Solution 3: Adapter screen scraping

If your adapter has this information and you are willing to constantly screen scrape it, and you have access to the screens in your normal configuration, then you could implement this. This is the Sipura solution outlined above.

Solution 4: Manufacturer's solution

What would be nice is if the manufacturer's updated the firmware to support an SNMP trigger for caller id. An SNMP client could register for and receive this information. I have been looking at the manufacturer's web sites but can't find any technical information as to whether anything like this exists.

Posts: 44 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jan 21, 2005 Posts: 44

I have 2.5 questions.

So in theory we could use a modem card in our computer and plug into our telephone line and use some peice of software to either display or announce the phone call, correct?

Has anybody done that and what software is best?

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:20 pm Post subject:

Yes, you can check if your modem is capable by connecting to it with Hyperterminal and seeing what information it displays when the phone rings.

Instructions for talking to your modem or Better instructions for determining if your modem supports caller id

By "best" I assume you mean most features for lowest price.

Features:
- Talking
- Pictures
- Email
- SMS
- IM
- Logging

Talking Caller ID is highly rated and also adds extra features if you have a voice modem. It costs $40 but you can download a 21 day slightly crippled trial version for free.

There are plenty of free caller id packages Google search but a better choice is to have it integrated with whatever contact manager or address book software you use. Identafone has gotten good reviews if you use Outlook ($20-$30).

Posts: 318 · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:19 am Post subject:

I use the PhoneTray Free software that you can get here:

http://www.phonetray.com

Works nicely!

Posts: 25 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Feb 18, 2005 Posts: 25

YAC is another option. YAC receives the caller ID info using a modem connected to a computer and then broadcasts that info to up to 10 networked devices. There are listeners for Windows and TiVo (that's right, the caller ID info pops up on your TV).

The price is right: free.

Posts: 10 · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject:

I used Identafone it is not free but has many great features.

Posts: 47 · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:39 pm Post subject:

I wish there was something for Mac OS X!