Fring tutorial

[carrera.owner]

At the Suggestion of Eragon (http://www.everythingicafe.com/forum...off-37691.html), I figured that I'd take a stab at writing a short tutorial on getting Fring to run on one's iPhone.

Requirements:
All variants of iphone will work
iPhone FW: 2.x
Jailbreaking is NOT required (though it still functions if yours is)
Skype account.
Internet connection (wifi for iphone)

Assumptions:
No previous experience with Skype
Do know what VoIP is

Creating a Skype Account:
Download the appropriate client for your computer's OS from Skype and then create an account http://www.skype.com/download/skype/
Once the Skype client is on your computer, launch it and follow the instructions for creating an account.

With respect to Skype, keep three things in mind.
(i) Skype-to-Skype calls are FREE (i.e., computer-to-computer; iphone-to-iphone, computer-to-iphone)
(ii) Skype-to-landline/mobile calls are NOT Free (nominally 2 cts/min...though this could vary somewhat)
(iii) landline/mobile-to-Skype calls are NOT Free (costs are more, b/c you'll need a 'SKYPEIN' number. Cost is $18/60 for 3/12 months)

Note: Fring allows one to do (i) and (ii), but not (iii)....at least not that I'm aware of (if someone else knows otherwise, let us know).

This completes the "Creating a Skype Account"

Setting up Fring:
Go to iTunes App store and download Fring
Once Fring is on your iPhone, launch the app
The first thing you'll need to do is create a Fring account. Doesn't cost anything, but you need to do this if you want to use Fring

With the Fring account is created, you next need to enable Skype on the Fring app.
Select "More" from the Fring dock.
In the new window, select the first item called "Add-ons".
Within the "Add-ons" category you'll find a bunch of services that Fring supports (Skype, MSN Messenger, SIP, Twittter, AIM to name a few). Select Skype and add your user name and password into the appropriate fields and wait....it took me about 30 seconds or so for Fring to verify the account. If you have other services, you might as well enable those as well...if you want.

When your done, Fring is ready to go.

Placing a call with Fring:
You can either use the DIALER (dock) or BUDDY LIST (dock). HOWEVER, please note the following two caveats:
(a) use "+" before the REQUIRED COUNTRY code (for the US the country code is '1')
(b) make sure your Skype client on your computer is not running.
If either (a) or (b) are not satisfied, any call you attempt to make will be immediately terminated (with no information as to why the call was terminated).

Finally, I've noticed that contacts imported by Skype from my Mac does NOT have the "+" nor the country code (unless it was already part of the contact information), so be sure to confirm that (a) is satisfied before you make a call via your Buddy List.

As this is my first attempt at a tutorial, I'm sure I've missed something(s) here or there, so feel free to add, subtract or correct as you see fit.

[jarofclay73]

This should be a sticky.

[Eragon]

Great tutorial!

By iPhone to iPhone, do you mean Fring buddy to Fring buddy?

If I wanted to make a call from my computer to my iPhone, how would I add my iPhone to Skype? Similarly, how would I go from my iPhone back to Skype? Would I need to get an online number?

If I wanted to use a Skype phone in lieu of the computer, how would I go about doing this?

[Jhors2]

Any Skype to Skype connections are considered free correct?

[jarofclay73]

That's correct. I made a skype-to-skype call without buying any credits yesterday.

[Jhors2]

Great! Thanks!

[Eragon]

Do you mean Fring to Fring calls, or Skype to Skype? If the latter, there is no mechanism to access Skype other than via SkypeOut.

How do you make a skype-skype call via iPhone?

[jarofclay73]

Originally Posted by Eragon

Do you mean Fring to Fring calls, or Skype to Skype? If the latter, there is no mechanism to access Skype other than via SkypeOut.

How do you make a skype-skype call via iPhone?

This is how I did it.

I downloaded the Skype IM for Windows and my friend gave me his handle and added him as a Skype contact.

When I sync Skype in Fring, he shows up with all the other IM contacts. Press on his name, hit call and voila! Skype to Skype call!

[termleech]

Has anyone tried using a SkypeOut number? I've been trying to connect but it just dumps me back to the screen and doesn't report anything. I know the account information is correct and I am putting the +1 in front of the number.

[termleech]

Never mind. Apparently I had logged in with what I thought was my SkypeOut account but it wasn't. Once I logged in to the correct account it's working just fine.