Why would I want to use Google Voice with my cell phone?

1. Google Voice gives you a permanent number that forwards to the phone or phones of your choice.  If you change carriers or move, you don’t have to worry about “porting” your old phone number- you can just change your forwarding phone settings in Google Voice.  Additionally, your Google Voice number can ring your home, work, and cell phones at the same time, and you can answer whichever one you want.  You can block specific numbers, send others to specific phones, and determine what time of day you want each phone to ring.
2. Save money/minutes on calls.  US calls are free.  International calls are far less expensive than the exorbitant per-minute fees charged by cellular carriers.  For example, I can use Google Voice to call my sister in Germany for about 2 cents per minute.  AT&T would charge well over a dollar per minute for the same call.
3. Keep your cell/home numbers private.  You can use Google Voice as your outgoing number when you place calls.  This requires some additional software, but gives the advantage of not exposing numbers you want to keep private.  Only your Google Voice number will show up on caller ID when you place calls this way.
4. Save money on text messages.  You can send and receive text messages directly from Google Voice using your phone’s mobile browser.  If you don’t have a text plan, or if your text plan only gives you a limited number of monthly messages, this is a good way to maximize your usage while saving on message fees.  Alternatively, you can have your text messages forwarded to your phone.
5. Voicemail transcription.  Using your phone’s mobile browser, you can read transcriptions of voicemail messages minutes after they are left.  The transcriptions are not perfect, and are sometimes amusing, but the service is good enough that you can see who called and get the gist of what they wanted.

Disclaimer (Read this before you continue!): This is the part where I cover my butt.  Integrating Google Voice with your Windows Mobile phone requires installing and configuring several free third-party software programs. The procedure described below worked on my HTC Tilt 2 from AT&T running Windows Mobile 6.5.  I have not tried it on any other device and I make no guarantees that it will work on yours.  I do not offer any type of tech support.  If you choose to proceed, you do so at your own risk and agree that I am not responsible for anything that may go wrong as a result.

Still with me?  Good.

Things you’ll need

In addition to your phone, you’ll need several pieces of free software, and a couple of free user accounts.  I’ll show you where to get each of these things and how to configure them.

Hardware

1. A device running Windows Mobile.  I have version 6.5 on mine.  I’m under the impression that this should work with previous versions as well, but you may have to use different software or earlier versions of the same software.

Software

1. iDialer-gv from Supware.com.  This app comes in both Google Voice and regular flavors.  Make sure you get the one for Google Voice, which has the “gv” suffix.
2. iContact from Supware.com.  This app integrates your phone contacts with iDialer and provides some additional functionality.
3. iDialer configuration program.  Once you’ve installed iDialer, you use another program to configure it to your Google Voice account and dialing preferences.
4. Fring.  This is the VoIP client you will use for your Google Voice calls.  You can use another VoIP client if you prefer, as long as it is configurable and supports the SIP protocol.

Services

1. A wifi or 3G connection.
2. A Google Voice account.
3. A Gizmo5 account.  Your Google Voice account will forward to this service, which integrates directly with Fring.

Part One: Setting up Google Voice

Note: For this next part, you need a Google Voice account, or an invitation to set up a Google Voice account.  The service is available by invitation only.  If you already have an account or invitation, skip the next paragraph and go directly to the instructions.

There are two ways to get an invitation:  Request an invitation at: https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/ and wait.  This may take weeks or months.  If you don’t want to wait, you can buy one on eBay (Search “google voice invitation”) or request one from a friend who already has an account.

Eventually, you’ll receive an email from Google Voice with a link to set up an account.

Instructions:

I recommend using your desktop computer rather than your mobile browser for this part.

1. If you don’t already have a Google Voice account, click the link in your invitation email.  Follow the instructions to create your account.  If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll be asked to set one up at this point.  You will have a choice of area codes, and the chance to enter any number sequences you want in your new phone number.
2. Once you’ve created your Google Voice account, log in and click “Settings” in the upper right corner.
3. Under “Settings,” select “Phones.”  This is where you set up Forwarding Phones, which are the phones you want your Google Voice number to forward to.  When you place a call through Google Voice, you will choose one of your forwarding phones for the call to be connected to.
4. Click “Add phone.”  You’ll be asked to enter the type of phone, the number, and a phone name that you select.
5. After you click “Save,” a message will pop up telling you that the number needs to be verified.  A 2-digit code will be displayed.
6. Click “Connect.”  Google Voice will call the phone number.  When you answer, you will be asked to enter the code displayed on the website using your phone’s numeric keypad.  After you have entered the code, you will be told, “your forwarding phone is set up.  Goodbye.”

Part Two: Setting up your Gizmo account

Note: Parts Two and Three are optional.  You need them only if you want to make free VoIP calls with your cell phone that don’t use your minutes, or if you want to connect your Google Voice number with an analog telephone adapter for free home phone service.

I recommend using your desktop computer rather than your mobile browser for this part.

1. Go to GizmoProject.com.  Click on “Download for Desktop.”  Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the Gizmo softphone client.
2. When you open the softphone program for the first time, you will have two choices: “Log in using an existing account name” or “Register a new account name.”  Select “Register a new account name.” You’ll be asked to pick a username and password, and provide an email address.  Follow the instructions to register your free account.  Don’t opt for any of the paid plans unless you already know you want to.
3. Return to GizmoProject.com.  Click on “Members Sign In” in the upper right corner.  Enter your username and password to sign in.
4. Scroll down until you see “Account Overview.”  Beneath “Account Overview” you should see “Sip Number:” followed by a 11 digit number that looks like a phone number.  Write this number down- you’ll need it to set up forwarding in your Google Voice account.
5. Click the “Google Voice” tab.  Enter your Google Voice number and click “Save.”  This enables Google Voice calling directly through Gizmo.  Your Google Voice number will show up as your outgoing caller ID.  Gizmo limits you to 3 minutes free on outgoing calls, after which you pay 2 cents per minute.  All incoming calls are free, which is why I’m going to show you how originate your calls from Google Voice such that Gizmo treats them as incoming calls.

Note: the Gizmo “Sip” number is not a regular phone number, and cannot be directly called from a cell phone or landline.  In order to take calls from regular phones, you have to set up a forwarding service, such as Google Voice.  For a few dollars per month, Gizmo will give you a regular phone number that forwards to your Sip number.  Google Voice does the same thing for free, and I’ll explain how to set that up.

Part Three: Set up forwarding from Google Voice to Gizmo

1. Log into your Google Voice account.  Click “Settings” then “Phones.”
2. Click “Add Phone.”
3. You’ll be asked to enter the type of phone, the number, and a phone name that you select. Make sure you select “Gizmo” under phone type.  Enter your 11 digit Gizmo Sip number.  (This is the number I told you to write down in Part Two.  If you didn’t write it down, return to Part Two step 3.)
4. Click “Save.”  After you click “Save,” a message will pop up telling you that the number needs to be verified.  A 2-digit code will be displayed.
5. Make sure the Gizmo softphone you downloaded to your desktop is open and logged in, and your speakers are turned on.
6. Click “Connect.”  Google Voice will call the phone number.  Your Gizmo desktop client will ring.  When you answer, you will be asked to enter the code displayed on the website.  This part is a little tricky, because you have to find and open the dialpad on your softphone.  Look for a button with a triangle with the point facing down.  This is the “Options” button.  Click it and select “Sound Blasts” from the drop-down menu.  This will bring up the dialpad, which you can use to enter the verification code.  After you have entered the code, you will be told, “your forwarding phone is set up.  Goodbye.”

Part Four: Install and configure iDialer and iContact

iDialer is a free dialpad for your Windows Mobile phone that integrates with Google Voice.  After you’ve installed it, you will use a second program to automatically configure it.  iContact integrates your phone contact list into iDialer, and provides additional functionality for Google Voice calling.

During the installation process, you’ll be given the choice of installing each program to your device memory or to the storage card.  I recommend installing to the storage card to save space on your phone’s limited internal memory.

I’ll walk you through the process.

1. Go to http://www.supware.net/iDialer/.  Scroll down to where it says “Download – Google Voice version.  Click on “iDialer-gv.cab.”  Save this file to your desktop.
2. Go to http://www.supware.net/iContact/.  Click on “iContact.cab” and save it to your desktop.
3. Go to http://www.supware.net/iDialer/config/.  You will see a set of 5 dropdown menus, labelled “Service 1″ through “Service 5.”  Under Service 1, select “Standard (Phone)” and give it a name in the “Title” field.  Under Service 2, select “Google Voice (Callback).”  Then enter your 10 digit cell number in the “Callback Number” field and give it a name in the “Title” field.  If you are using a Gizmo5 account, under Service 3, select “Google Voice (Callback),” and enter your 11 digit Gizmo Sip number.  Repeat the process until you’ve entered all your forwarding phone numbers.  Click “Generate Cab.”  When the download dialog pops up, save the file (iDialer-config.cab) to your desktop.
4. Use your USB cable or storage card to transfer the .cab files to your phone.  Use your phone’s File Explorer to navigate to where you saved the files.
5. Run iDialer-gv.cab.  Follow the onscreen prompts to install the program.
6. When installation has completed, find the iDialer icon under your Start or Programs menu, and tap it.  Enter your Google Voice username and password at the prompt.  Then close the program.
7. Open your phone’s File Explorer and return to where you saved the .cab files.
8. Run iContact.cab.  Follow the onscreen prompts to install the program.
9. Run iDialer-config.cab.  Follow the onscreen prompts to install the program.
10. Return to your Start or Programs menu and reopen iDialer.  If you installed all three .cab files, you should now see a dialpad with a row of buttons underneath.  Notice also the green “Call” button at the bottom of the dialpad.  Underneath the word “Call” you should see the name of one of your forwarding phones in small letters.  Use the button that looks like a phone to cycle through your forwarding phone numbers.  Each time you press the button, the phone name on your Call button should change.
11. Make a test call by selecting your cell phone, entering a number on the dialpad, and pressing the Call button.  After a few seconds, the dialpad will close and your cell phone will ring.  When you answer your phone, Google Voice will place the call to the number you dialed, and the person you called will see your Google Voice number on their caller ID.

Part Five: Install and Configure Fring

Note: I recommend installing Fring to your device memory rather than to your memory card.

Fring is a free VoIP and chat client for Windows Mobile.  This is how you’ll make Google Voice calls without using your minutes.  Theoretically, any VoIP client that uses the SIP protocol should be compatible and can be used in place of Fring.

Unfortunately, Fring doesn’t integrate perfectly with your phone’s regular phone speaker.  You have the choice of using speakerphone or a Bluetooth headset.  Also, voice calls take precedence over Fring calls, so if someone calls your cell phone during a Fring VoIP call, your Fring call will be disconnected.

1. Go to http://www.fring.com/default.asp.  Click “Download Fring to your mobile,” then follow the instructions to get the install program.  You’ll have to specify what device you are using and choose whether you want to install from your desktop or from a .cab file on the phone.  This part of the process will vary depending on your choices, so I’m not going to give detailed instructions.  If you have any difficulty downloading or installing Fring, here’s a link to the user manual: http://www.fring.com/support/user_guide/fring_user_manual_Windows_Mobile_334.pdf
2. Once you’ve installed Fring, you need to configure it with your Gizmo5 SIP settings.  To do this, select the rightmost tab from the 3 tabs at the bottom of the screen.  This is the “Add-ons” tab.  From the list, double-tap “SIP” then “Gizmo.”
3. Under “Username” enter your 11 digit Gizmo SIP number.  If you don’t know what this is, go back to Part Two Step 3 for instructions on how to find it.
4. Enter your Gizmo password in the “Password” field.
5. The “Proxy” field should already be filled out.  If it is not, enter “proxy01@sipphone.com.”
6. Tap “Subscribe.”

Part Six: Place calls using Fring and iDialer

This is the part where we put all the pieces together so you can make free Google Voice calls without using your cell phone minutes.

Gizmo does not charge for incoming calls.  If you’ve configured your account for Google Voice calling, the first 3 minutes of each outgoing call are free.  After that you pay a per minute rate.  We’re going to get around this by using iDialer to originate calls through Google Voice so that Gizmo treats each call as a free incoming call.

Here’s how you place calls:

1. Open Fring and leave it running.
2. Open iDialer.
3. Choose a contact or enter a phone number.
4. Press the phone icon until your Gizmo number is listed in the green Call button.
5. Press the green Call button.  iDialer will close and Fring will ring.  After you answer, Google Voice will ring the person you are calling.

Switching between 3G and wifi

Fring works on AT&T’s 3G network, as well as on wifi.  To switch from one to the other, go to the Buddies (leftmost) tab in Fring, tap “Menu” then “Change Connection.”  To use wifi, select “Search for WLAN.”  To use AT&T’s 3G network, select “MEdia Net.”  Then tap “Connect.”

Part Seven: Additional Options for Google Voice and iDialer

Send and receive texts through Google Voice

From your mobile phone’s browser, go to http://www.google.com/voice/m.  This the mobile version of the Google Voice web interface.  From there, you can send and receive text messages, view your call history and voicemail transcriptions, and originate calls.

Make Google Voice calls without Fring

If you want to make a regular cellular call but have Google Voice show up as your outgoing caller ID, open iDialer, press the phone icon to select a Google Voice callback to your cell phone, then enter the number or select a contact and press “Call.”  iDialer will close, your cell will ring, and the call will go through after you answer.

Unlimited calls without using Fring

If you have a plan that includes unlimited calling to certain numbers, such as T-Mobile’s MyFaves, you can get unlimited calling to all your contacts by setting your Google Voice numbers as one of your faves, placing all your calls through Google Voice and having all your contacts call you at your Google Voice number instead of your cell number.

Use iDialer to make regular cellular calls

If you followed my instructions for configuring iDialer, one of your dialing options will be to place normal cellular calls without using Google Voice.  Just press the phone icon until you see the title you entered for “Standard (Phone),” enter a phone number or choose a contact, then press the Call button.

Change iDialer dialing options

If at any time you wish to add, remove, or modify your iDialer dialing options, you can do so by returning to http://www.supware.net/iDialer/config/.  Just enter your new preferences, click “Generate CAB,” download the .cab file and run it on your phone.  The next time you use iDialer, your new preferences will show up.

iDialer can also be used with PortSIP, JaJah, calling cards, and Google Voice’s calling card option.

Use Google Voice as your landline

If you have an analog telephone adapter, you can configure it for use with Google Voice and your regular landline telephone.

Use Google Voice with your Nokia Internet Tablet

If you have a Nokia N-series internet tablet, you can configure it for use as a wifi phone using Google Voice and Gizmo.

Make cheap international calls

Domestic US calls with Google Voice are free.  You can also make international calls starting at about 2 cents per minute if you buy calling credit with GV.  Log into your Google Voice account at http://www.google.com/voice/ and go to Settings -> Billing -> Add Credit.

Was this article useful? If so, please consider making a donation.

© 2009, Jonathan Johnson. All rights reserved.

Related posts

• What is the “forwarding phone” number in Google Voice? (2)
• Gizmo limits free outgoing Gizmo Voice calls to 3 minutes (0)
• Using Google Voice outside the United States (0)
• How to unlock your Sunrocket Gizmo for use with another service (Linksys SPA 2102-R) (3)
• How to set up your Sunrocket “gizmo” or “ATA” for free phone service with Google Voice (14)

In this post, I’ll show you how to set up your Sunrocket ATA and landline phone for free domestic phone service (US only) using Google Voice and the Gizmo Project.  If you don’t already have an ATA, I’ve found the Linksys SPA2102 VoIP Phone Adapter with Router to be an excellent and reliable piece of equipment which can be configured for use with most SIP-based VoIP services.

Warning!

The phone service I’m about to help you set up does not provide 911 routing. I strongly recommend you either maintain a separate basic line for emergency calls, or find out the direct numbers for your local police, fire, and EMT services and keep them by the phone for direct dialing.  By continuing with these instructions, you agree that you are fully responsible for anything that goes wrong as a result of setting up your phone this way and you agree that I will not be held liable in any way for anything bad that happens to you, your loved ones, your pets, or your property.

Do not continue reading unless you understand and agree with the preceding paragraph.

What you’ll need

1. An unlocked analog telephone adapter (ATA).  These instructions are for the Linksys SPA2102 VoIP Phone Adapter with Router.  Owners of other devices may still find this article useful, but will have to figure some things out on their own.  If you haven’t unlocked your ATA yet, click here for unlocking instructions.
2. A Google Voice number.  These are free, but are currently available by invitation only.  You can request an invitation at https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/.  You may have to wait a few days or weeks for your invitation to arrive, but it’s well worth the wait.  If you absolutely must have it today, you can purchase one on eBay.  Last time I checked they were going for $1-5 USD.
3. A free account with the Gizmo Project.  I’ll show you how to set that up.
4. A computer and ethernet cable (RJ45).
5. A touch-tone phone.  Not a cell phone.  This is the old fashioned kind that you plug into the wall.  Remember those? 

Part One: Setting up your Gizmo account

Note: If you already have a Gizmo account, skip to step 3.

1. Go to GizmoProject.com.  Click on “Download for Desktop.”  Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the Gizmo client
2. When you open the client program for the first time, you will have two choices: “Log in using an existing account name” or “Register a new account name.”  Select “Register a new account name.” You’ll be asked to pick a username and password, and provide an email address.  Follow the instructions to register your free account.  Don’t opt for any of the paid plans unless you already know you want to.
3. Return to GizmoProject.com.  Click on “Members Sign In” in the upper right corner.  Enter your username and password to sign in.
4. Scroll down until you see “Account Overview.”  Beneath “Account Overview” you should see “Sip Number:” followed by a 10 digit number that looks like a phone number.  Write this number down- you’ll need it to set up your Google Voice account and configure your ATA.
5. Near the top of the screen, you should see “Gizmo5 Call Out” on the left, and “Gizmo5 Call In” on the right.  Under “Gizmo5 Call In,” you should see, “Configure your IP phone or SIP device” and a link: “Learn More.”  Click on “Learn More.”  Find “SIP Settings” in bold near the top of the page.  Print or write down everything under this heading.  You’ll need it to configure your ATA.

Note: the Gizmo “Sip” number is not a regular phone number, and cannot be directly called from a cell phone or landline.  In order to take calls from regular phones, you have to set up a forwarding service, such as Google Voice.  For a few dollars per month, Gizmo will give you a regular phone number that forwards to your Sip number.  Google Voice does the same thing for free, and I’ll explain how to set that up.

Part Two: Setting up your Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) for the Gizmo Project

Note: If you have multiple computers, I suggest you use one to read the instructions and one to configure the ATA. If you have only one computer, make sure you have your Gizmo “SIP Number” and “SIP Settings” written down or printed before you disconnect from the internet. Also, you may want to print these instructions before continuing.

1. Use the ethernet cable to connect your computer to the ATA’s “Ethernet” port.  This is the yellow port.
2. Open a web browser and go to the following address: http://192.168.0.1/admin/voice/advanced.  This will connect you with the ATA’s browser-based configuration panels.  You’ll be prompted for a username and password.  If you’ve just unlocked your ATA using the Live CD method, the username should be admin and the password should be qwe%zxc5.  If you followed my instructions for unlocking, skip to step 6.
3. Select Voice, then Provisioning.  Make sure “Provision Enable,” “Resync On Reset,” and “Resync From SIP” are set to “no.”  Click “Submit All Changes.”  This will ensure that your device cannot be hijacked and locked to another service provider.
4. Select “System.”  Make sure “Enable Web Admin Access” is set to “yes.”  Choose and enter secure and memorable passwords in the “Admin Password” and “User Password” fields.  Click “Submit All Changes.”  This will ensure that you can always get back in and change settings by using the URL above.
5. Select “Regional.”  You’ll see a lot of settings you don’t understand.  Ignore them.  Scroll to the bottom of the page.  Under “Miscellaneous,” set your local date and time zone.  Click “Submit All Changes.”  This will ensure that the time on your phone’s caller ID is correct.
6. Select “Line 1.”  For this part, you’ll need the information you printed out or wrote down earlier.  Again, you’ll see a lot of settings that look like gibberish.  Ignore these.  The only settings you need to worry about are under “Line Enable,” “SIP Settings,” “Proxy and Registration,” and “Subscriber Information.”  ”Line Enable” is at the very top.  Set this to “yes.”  Then, you’ll need to enter the information from the page you printed out.  Your settings will probably be similar to the following:   Under “SIP Settings,” “SIP Port” should be set to “5060.”  Under “Proxy and Registration,” set “Proxy” to “proxy01.sipphone.com.”  Under “Subscriber Information,” enter your name under “Display Name,” and your Gizmo Project password under “Password.”  Enter your 11-digit Gizmo “SIP Number” in the “User ID” and “Auth ID” fields.  Don’t worry about the “STUN Server” or “STUN Port.”  You don’t need to enter those for this device.  Make sure to click “Submit All Changes” when you’re finished.
7. The SPA2102 can support 2 phone lines.  If you have a second VoIP/SIP line, select “Line 2,” and enter its configuration information.
8. Your ATA is now configured.  To use it, connect an ethernet cable to the blue “Internet” port.  If you have a router, connect the ATA’s internet port to one of the ethernet ports on the router.  If you don’t have a router, connect the ATA’s internet port to your internet connection (cable or DSL modem), and connect your computer to the ATA’s ethernet port.  Connect your phone(s) to the ATA’s phone jacks.  You’re now set up to receive calls through the ATA.

Part Three: Setting up Google Voice

Note: For this next part, you need a free Google Voice account, or an invitation to set up a Google Voice account.  The service is available by invitation only.  If you already have an account or invitation, skip the next paragraph and go directly to the instructions.

There are two ways to get an invitation:  Request an invitation at: https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/ and wait.  This may take weeks or months.  If you don’t want to wait, you can buy one on eBay.  They were selling for $20-30 just a few weeks ago, now you can get them for $1-5.   Here’s the link: http://shop.ebay.com/items/__google-voice?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A1240&_sop=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.

Instructions:

1. If you don’t already have a Google voice account, click the link in your invitation email.  Follow the instructions to create your account.  If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll be asked to set one up at this point.  You will have a choice of area codes, and the chance to enter any number sequences you want in your new phone number.
2. Once you’ve created your Google Voice account, log in and click “Settings” in the upper right corner.
3. Under “Settings,” select “Phones.”  This is where you enter the phones you want your Google Voice number to forward to.
4. Click “Add phone.”  You’ll be asked to enter the type of phone, the number, and a phone name that you select.  If you are setting up forwarding to your Gizmo number, make sure you select “Gizmo” under “Phone Type.” Click “Save.”
5. After you click “Save,” a message will pop up telling you that the number needs to be verified.  A 2-digit code will be displayed.
6. Click “Connect.”  Google Voice will call the phone number.  If you’ve correctly configured your ATA, your phone will ring.  You’ll be asked to enter the 2-digit code.  After you have entered the code, you will be told, “your forwarding phone is set up.  Goodbye.”  From now on, whenever someone calls your Google Voice number, it will ring your phone.

Part Four: Integrating your Gizmo Project account with your Google Voice account using Gizmo Voice

Update (8/2/09): The Gizmo Voice service is no longer completely free.  Incoming calls are still free, and outgoing calls are free during the first 3 minutes.  After that Gizmo will charge you $0.02 per minute for domestic US calls.  You can avoid these charges by using the Google Voice web interface or DialCentral to place your calls.

1. Go back to your the Gizmo Project page.  Click “Members Sign In” and enter your username and password.
2. Under “Google Voice,” select “Use for US calls only” and enter your Google Voice username and password.  Click “Save.”
3. You should now be able to make and receive free domestic US calls to and from the phone connected to your ATA.  Make some test calls to verify this.

Was this post useful? If so, please consider making a donation.

© 2009, Jonathan Johnson. All rights reserved.

Related posts

• How to unlock your Sunrocket Gizmo for use with another service (Linksys SPA 2102-R) (3)
• Gizmo limits free outgoing Gizmo Voice calls to 3 minutes (0)
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Way back in  July of 2007 I signed up for VoIP phone service with Sunrocket.  They sent me a telephone adapter, called a “Analog Telephone Adapter” or ATA, which connected to my land-line phone and my internet connection, enabling me to make calls over the internet from any normal phone.  I enjoyed the service for about one month before Sunrocket went out of business.

Sunrocket did not ask for their device back.  Unfortunately, they had “provisioned” the ATA so that it only worked with Sunrocket’s service.  You couldn’t use it anywhere else.  Someone developed a solution for unlocking the device, but I lacked some critical knowledge and couldn’t make the solution work for me.  So I ended up with a perfectly good piece of hardware that I couldn’t use.  I put it on a shelf in the back of my closet, and there it remained for the next 2 years, like Sleeping Beauty waiting for her prince.

Instructions for non-hackers

Since then, I’ve learned a few things, and I figured out what I did wrong during my previous unlocking attempts.  I unlocked my device last week, and I’m going to show you how I did it.  I’m going to base this post on the same set of instructions I used, but I’ll fill in the gaps that prevented me from succeeding 2 years ago.

So if you’re like me, and have a Sunrocket ATA sitting unused on a shelf, read on and I’ll show you how to unlock it and use it with another service.  These instructions work for the Linksys or Sipura SPA2102-R.

I’ll also show you how I set up my unlocked ATA for free home phone service using Google Voice and the Gizmo Project.

Terminology

Sunrocket called their device a “Gizmo.”  I’m going to refer to it as an “ATA.” That’s the correct technical term, and by using it, we’ll avoid some potential confusion later on.

How it works

This unlocking method uses a Live CD.  This is a CD containing a bootable operating system, often based on Linux.  This means you can put the live CD into any computer’s CD-ROM drive, and run the operating system off the CD rather than running the computer’s regular operating system.  The unlocking procedure for the ATA uses a specialized Live CD that automates certain difficult technical parts of the procedure.  If you don’t understand what that means, that’s OK.  I’ll walk you through the process.

Obligatory Legal Disclaimer

I will tell you exactly what I did to unlock my ATA.  This process worked perfectly for me, and I assume it will work for you, but I make no guarantees.  By continuing, you agree that I will not be held responsible for anything that may go wrong, including damage to your equipment.

Here is a legal disclaimer from the site which provides the original instructions.  Please read it carefully before continuing.

Important Information – Read First

1. DO NOT RUN THIS CD IF YOU CURRENTLY USE TELEBLEND FOR PHONE SERVICE
2. You assume all risk associated with running the LiveCD. Any damage to persons, property, or data are the sole responsibility of the user. By downloading and running the CD, you acknowledge and accept these risks and hold the author(s) of the various programs, scripts, and methods harmless for any and all damages. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, do not download or use the LiveCD.

Still here?  OK, let’s get started.

Things you’ll need

1. A locked Linksys or Sipura SPA2102-R.  Check the label on your device to make sure it’s the right device.  As far as I know this method does not work for other devices.
2. A desktop or laptop computer that has a CD burner and runs Windows XP or Vista  This also works on Intel Macs, but these instructions are for Windows.  If you have multiple computers, I suggest you use one to view the instructions and another to unlock the device.
3. A blank CD-ROM.
4. A touch-tone phone.  Not a cell phone.  This is the old fashioned kind that you plug into the wall.  Remember those? 
5. An RJ45 ethernet cable.  That’s the one that looks like a phone cord but has a bigger plug.  If you have high speed internet you probably have one of these running between your cable or DSL modem and your computer.  If not, they are easily available at Radio Shack or Walmart.

Instructions for creating the Live CD

Note: Burning a Live CD is not the same as copying a file to a CD.  You have to burn a CD image or it will not work. If you know what this means and are familiar with the process, feel free to use the software of your choice.  These instructions will assume you are using InfraRecorder.

1. Download and install InfraRecorder.  Here is a direct link to download the installer program.  This is a free piece of software which you will use to burn the Live CD for this project.  The program you download is an installer.  Run it and follow the prompts to install InfraRecorder.
2. Download unlocker.iso from SourceForge.com.
3. Insert a blank CD into your CD drive.
4. Open InfraRecorder.  You will see 6 buttons.  Click on the one that says, “Write Image.”  Select “unlocker.iso” and click “Open.”  Then click “OK.”  When InfraRecorder is finished, your Live CD will be ready.

Instructions for unlocking the ATA

1. Place the Live CD in the CD drive of the computer you will use to unlock the ATA.  You will need to change the boot order, booting from the Live CD instead of the hard drive.  To do this, restart the computer and watch the screen carefully.  Before Windows loads, you should see something like, “To change boot order, press ESC.”  It may be a different key depending on your computer.  Two of my computers use the “Escape” key, and another uses F12.  You won’t have much time, so be ready.  If you don’t hit the key in time, Windows will load, and you’ll have to restart again.
2. You’ll be shown the “Boot Device” menu.  Use the arrow keys to choose “CD/DVD ROM” and press enter.  The unlocker program will load.  You’ll see a lot of text and an image of a clover, followed by instructions and prompts.
3. The unlocker will walk you through the rest of the procedure.  You’ll need to plug in the ATA’s power adapter, connect the computer to the ATA’s Internet port (the blue one) with an ethernet cable, and also connect a phone to the ATA.  Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.  The program will ask you to enter certain commands from the phone keypad.  There will be a few pauses, but they shouldn’t last more than a few minutes.  (Update: 9/20/09 – This step originally said to connect the computer to the ATA’s Ethernet port.  A reader pointed out that this was a mistake, and I have updated this step to reflect that.  As long as you follow the instructions presented by the live CD unlocker, you should be fine.  Also, while entering commands from the phone keypad, you may get a message that your password has not been accepted.  I think that happened to me.  Ignore the message and continue with the process, and it should work.)
4. The unlocker will tell you when it is finished.  It will then give you the choice of installing to your computer or shutting down.  Do NOT install to your computer. Follow the instructions to shut down.  If you don’t understand the instructions, press and hold the power button until your computer turns off.  You can then turn it back on and let it boot normally into Windows.

Instructions for setting up your ATA with another service

To configure your ATA, you’ll need to access its web-based interface.  Here’s how:

1. Connect your computer’s ethernet port to your ATA’s ethernet port (the yellow one).
2. Open a web browser and go to the following address: http://192.168.0.1/admin/voice/advanced.  You’ll be prompted for a username and a password.  The username is admin and the password is qwe%zxc5.
3. Select Voice, then Provisioning.  Make sure “Provision Enable,” “Resync On Reset,” and “Resync From SIP” are set to “no.”  Click “Submit All Changes.”  This will ensure that your device cannot be hijacked and locked to another service provider.
4. Select “System.”  Make sure “Enable Web Admin Access” is set to “yes.”  Choose and enter secure and memorable passwords in the “Admin Password” and “User Password” fields.  Click “Submit All Changes.”  This will ensure that you can always get back in and change settings by using the URL above.
5. Select “Regional.”  You’ll see a lot of settings you don’t understand.  Ignore them.  Scroll to the bottom of the page.  Under “Miscellaneous,” set your local date and time zone.  Click “Submit All Changes.”  This will ensure that the time on your phone’s caller ID is correct.
6. To find out how I set up my unlocked ATA for free home phone service using Google Voice and the Gizmo Project, click here.  To configure it for other services, continue reading.
7. Select “Line 1.”  Again, you’ll see a lot of settings that look like gibberish.  Ignore these.  The only settings you need to worry about are under “Line Enable,” “SIP Settings,” “Proxy and Registration,” and “Subscriber Information.”  “Line Enable” is at the very top.  Set this to “yes.”  You’ll need to get the rest of the information from your VoIP provider.  Make sure to click “Submit All Changes” when you’re finished.
8. If you have 2 phone lines, select “Line 2,” and repeat the process with the information for your second line.
9. Make sure your ATA is connected to the internet.  The blue internet port should be connected with your internet connection.  You can either connect it directly to your modem, or you can plug it into your router.  If you don’t have a router, you’ll need to plug your computer into the ATA’s yellow ethernet port to access both the internet and the ATA’s web interface.
10. Make sure your phone(s) are connected to the ports- i.e. your intended line 1 phone should be connected to the jack labeled “Line 1″ and so on.
11. Test your settings by making calls to and from your VoIP phone number(s).

Congratulations!  You’re finished!

Was this article useful? If so, please consider making a donation.

• http://gizmopasswords.blogspot.com/2007/08/instructions-for-livecd.html – These are the instructions that got me started.
  

© 2009, Jonathan Johnson. All rights reserved.

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• Gizmo limits free outgoing Gizmo Voice calls to 3 minutes (0)
• What is the “forwarding phone” number in Google Voice? (2)
• How to make and receive free phone calls using your N810, Google Voice and Gizmo (31)
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Things You’ll Need

1. A Nokia N800 or N810 Internet Tablet.   If you don’t yet have one, you can purchase it here. This can also be done with a Wifi capable Blackberry or Windows Mobile device, but since I don’t have either of those, my instructions will focus on the N810.  Setting up other devices should be similar- you’ll just have to find the specific client programs yourself, and they may not be free.
2. A desktop or laptop computer.  This may not be absolutely necessary, but it is probably faster and easier if you have it.
3. A free account with the Gizmo Project.  I’ll show you how to set that up.
4. A free Google Voice account.  These are currently available by invitation only.  You can request an invitation at https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/.  You may have to wait several weeks or months to receive your invitation.  In the meantime, there is another way, which I will discuss.
5. Dial Central installed on your N810.  I’ll show you how to set that up.

Part One: Setting up your Gizmo account

This part is easiest if you use your desktop or laptop computer rather than the internet tablet.

1. Go to GizmoProject.com.  Click on “Download for Desktop.”  Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the Gizmo client
2. When you open the client program for the first time, you will have two choices: “Log in using an existing account name” or “Register a new account name.”  Select “Register a new account name.” You’ll be asked to pick a username and password, and provide an email address.  Follow the instructions to register your free account.  Don’t opt for any of the paid plans unless you already know you want to.
3. Return to GizmoProject.com.  Click on “Members Sign In” in the upper right corner.  Enter your username and password to sign in.
4. Scroll down until you see “Account Overview.”  Beneath “Account Overview” you should see “Sip Number:” followed by a 10 digit number that looks like a phone number.  Write this number down- you’ll need it to set up your Google Voice account.

Note: the Gizmo “Sip” number is not a regular phone number, and cannot be directly called from a cell phone or landline.  In order to take calls from regular phones, you have to set up a forwarding service, such as Google Voice.  For a few dollars per month, Gizmo will give you a regular phone number that forwards to your Sip number.  Google Voice does the same thing for free, and I’ll explain how to set that up.

Part Two: Setting up your N810 to receive Gizmo calls

There are two ways to do this.  The way that I will show you uses the N810’s built in internet call client.  It involves some basic configuration, but has the advantage of saving about 10 megabytes of device memory, and will ring when a call comes in, even if you don’t have the client open. The other way is to install the Gizmo client through the N810’s Application Manager.  Feel free to try them both and see which one you prefer.

1. Open the N810’s “Internet Call” client.  This should be under “Communication,” or under the button with the 3 little people on your home screen.
2. Open the program menu.  Select “Tools,” then “Accounts.”  When the Accounts wizard opens, tap “New.”
3. Under “User name:” you will see 2 blank fields separated by the “@” character.  Enter your Gizmo username in the left field, and “proxy01.sipphone.com” in the right field.  Enter your password in the password field.  Check “Use for PSTN calls.”
4. Tap the “Advanced” button.  Change “Transport:” to UDP.  Tap “OK.”  The Advanced options will close.
   
5. Tap “Next.”  Enter an Account name of your choice.  I called this account “Gizmo.”
6. Tap “Next,” then “Finish,” then “Close” to close the Accounts wizard.

Congratulations!  You’ve finished the hardest part.

Part Three: Setting up Google Voice

Note: For this next part, you need a Google Voice account, or an invitation to set up a Google Voice account.  The service is available by invitation only.  If you already have an account or invitation, skip the next paragraph and go directly to the instructions.

There are two ways to get an invitation:  Request an invitation at: https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/ and wait.  This may take weeks or months.  If you don’t want to wait, you can buy one on eBay.  I kid you not.  Here’s the link if you don’t believe me: http://shop.ebay.com/items/__google-voice?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A1240&_sop=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.  I recently watched two auctions close at $30 and $26 respectively.

Before you ask, I don’t have any spare invitations.  If I did, they’d be on eBay. 

Instructions:

1. If you don’t already have a Google Voice account, click the link in your invitation email.  Follow the instructions to create your account.  If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll be asked to set one up at this point.  You will have a choice of area codes, and the chance to enter any number sequences you want in your new phone number.
2. Once you’ve created your Google Voice account, log in and click “Settings” in the upper right corner.
3. Under “Settings,” select “Phones.”  This is where you set up Forwarding Phones, which are the phones you want your Google Voice number to forward to.  When you place a call through Google Voice, you will choose one of your forwarding phones for the call to be connected to.
4. Click “Add phone.”  You’ll be asked to enter the type of phone, the number, and a phone name that you select.  If you are setting up forwarding to your Gizmo number, make sure you select “Gizmo” under “Phone Type.” Click “Save.”
5. After you click “Save,” a message will pop up telling you that the number needs to be verified.  A 2-digit code will be displayed.
6. Click “Connect.”  Google Voice will call the phone number.  When you answer, you will be asked to enter the code displayed on the website.  This part is a little tricky with the N810.  As soon as you answer the call, tap the “Internet Call” program menu.  Under “Internet Call,” select “DTMF dialing.”  A numeric keypad will appear on which you can enter your activation code.  After you have entered the code, you will be told, “your forwarding phone is set up.  Goodbye.”

Check these settings on your N810

1. Under Settings, open Control Panel.
2. Double-tap “Presence.”
3. When the Presence menu opens, make sure “Status when connected” is set to On, and “Auto-away” is disabled.  You should see a small green circle in your status bar near your battery meter.
4. Open the Internet Call program menu.  Under “Tools,” tap “Settings.”  Make sure “Receive calls from” is set to “All.”  You can also select a ringtone by tapping “Tools” then “Ringtones.”
5. Test your setup by calling your Google Voice number from another phone.  If your settings are correctly configured the call should ring on your N810.

Part Four: Setting up DialCentral for free outgoing calls on your N810

DialCentral is a Google Voice client for the Nokia N810.  You can use it to view your contacts, send text messages from your Google Voice number, view your text messages and transcribed voicemails, and place calls through Google Voice.

Update (8/13/09): Some readers have found this next part confusing.  For clarity, I’ll define a couple of technical terms you need to know:

Forwarding Phone: This refers to any phone number that you set your Google Voice number to forward to.  This is the same as a Callback Number in DialCentral.  You can add forwarding phones by signing into your Google Voice account at http://google.com/voice, clicking “Settings” then “Phones.”

Callback Number: When you place a call through DialCentral, it doesn’t call out directly.  Instead, you tell it which of your forwarding phones you would like the call connected to.  Google Voice will call you on that phone, then connect you with the number you are calling.  Google Voice does not charge for calls within the US. DialCentral refers to this as your “Callback Number.” I’ll explain how this works below.  If you still have questions after reading this section, this post may help.

To install DialCentral, you’ll need to enable the “maemo Extras” repository in Application Manager.  Here’s how:

1. Go into Application manager.
2. Tap the menu, then “Tools” then “Application catalog.”
3. Double-tap “maemo Extras.”
4. Make sure “Disabled” is not checked.

To install DialCentral:

1. In Application Manager select “Browse installable applications” then “All.”
2. Scroll down until you see DialCentral.  Double-tap it, then tap “OK.”
3. When the Nokia warning notice pops up, select “OK.”  DialCentral will install.

To configure DialCentral:

1. Start DialCentral.  Enter your Google Voice username and password when prompted.  Make sure you select Google Voice from the drop-down menu. (Update 10/9/09: It is no longer necessary to select the account type during this step.  All you have to do is enter your Google Voice username and password)
2. Under “Accounts” choose a “Callback Number.”  This is the number of the phone you are “calling from” when you place a call.
3. To make a call either enter the number on the keypad and tap “Dial,” or double-tap one of your contacts and tap “Dial.”  Google Voice will call your designated Callback Number, then connect you with the phone you want to reach.

What if I don’t have a Google Voice account?

If the Google God is ignoring your intreaties, and you absolutely must have your free wifi phone working right now, try IPKall.com.  You will receive a phone number with a Washington State area code that will forward to your Gizmo Sip number (remember that?).  You won’t have all the features and toys of Google Voice, and you won’t be able to call out, but you’ll be able to receive free incoming phone calls on your internet tablet until your Google Voice invitation arrives.

1. Go to IPKall.com.  Click on “Sign-up.”
2. Choose SIP, and an area code.
3. Enter your Gizmo Sip number.  If you don’t remember what this is, refer back to Part One: Setting up your Gizmo account.
4. Enter “proxy01.sipphone.com” in the “SIP Proxy:” field.
5. Provide an email address and password.

IPKall will take a couple of days to review your application.  I submitted mine on a Tuesday and received a reply the following Friday.  You will receive an email with your IPKall number (this is the one you give to your friends).  Once your N810 is configured to receive Gizmo calls, it should ring when you dial the IPKall number on a regular phone.

Whew, that was a long post!

I know.  I spent all afternoon writing it.  I hope it’s helpful.  Feel free to ask questions or share your experiences in the comments.  If you are still on the fence and don’t own a Nokia N810, I invite you to purchase it here.

Was this post useful? If so, please consider making a donation.

© 2009, Jonathan Johnson. All rights reserved.

Related posts

• What is the “forwarding phone” number in Google Voice? (2)
• How to unlock your Sunrocket Gizmo for use with another service (Linksys SPA 2102-R) (3)
• How to set up your Sunrocket “gizmo” or “ATA” for free phone service with Google Voice (14)
• Gizmo limits free outgoing Gizmo Voice calls to 3 minutes (0)
• Using Google Voice outside the United States (0)