Directory: Skype / VoIP Phones | Resource: Skype / VoIP |

Skype Problems - Resource Issues

Internet filtering and parental control software

There are programs such as AFA and Jyve, which prevent Skype from working. If you have one such program running then disable the program temporarily to see if Skype starts working. If it does, then you will need to configure the filtering program to allow Skype to establish connections through it.

Talk to your ISP also as some may have filtered out VOIP traffic.

Resource Issues

Many connection problems are caused by a lack of resources, such as network bandwidth, memory, CPU. For example: a program (screen saver or virus scanning software) that runs periodically on the system may take up so much computer or network resources that it can cause packet loss and connectivity issues. Make sure you do not have any resource-intensive programs running on your system or any network intensive programs (torrent, emule/edonkey, kazaa) running on the systems in your local network.

If you have too much traffic on your home network, use a router with QoS (quality of service) capability and give priority to VOIP traffic.

Here are some tips on how to identify the source of resource conflicts. Note the system performance when the problems occur.

Heartbeat: Check the status of the Skype infrastructure components that support all the free and paid features here.

Resource utilization: Display technical data while you are in a Skype conversation. You can enable the display in Skype by selecting: Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Connection. Then check "display technical call info" and "display Skype bandwidth usage".

Packet loss should be under 5%. Roundtrip delay should be less than 200 ms. Relays should be 2 or under. CPU usage should be under 75%.

SessionIn and SessionOut should say "UDP", not "RELAY_UDP". This can be an issue sometimes. The "RELAY_UDP" is generally caused by a router or firewall. Do the following in sequence and test after each step:

• Turn off your cable modem and router for a couple of minutes. Reboot your PC.
• Turn off you firewall.
• Uninstall your anti-virus program. Make sure your are not downloading any files or emails while doing this test.

Windows task manager: Start the Windows task manager by pressing ctrl-alt-del or place your mouse in the start bar where no program icon is, right-click, and choosing "Task Manager...". The Processes tab tells which program(s) is/are taking up the most CPU cycles while the Performance tab tells the CPU and memory utilization, and the Networking tab tells the LAN utilization. Different OSs and versions will show different tabs, but the information will be the same.

Satellite connection: Satellite connections cannot provide a steady stream of data, which is required for any multimedia streaming applications. This is true regardless of the link speed your connection has.

Data execution prevention (DEP): Make sure that DEP is turned off. You can check its status by right-clicking on "My Computer" and selecting: Properties -> Advanced tabs -> Settings. For more information on DEP, click here. This applies only for certain CPUs with the NX bit implemented.

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