Free Softphone for Windows, Mac: X-Lite™
Early this year I decided to try several free softphones that can be downloaded from the Internet for OneSuite VoIP service. OneSuite does offer a free softphone from SJ Labs™, but just in case you are interested in third-party softphones, here’s how to set up. Please keep in mind though, that OneSuite only provides support to OneSuite-labeled softphone.
Some softphones only have basic functions while others are equipped with advanced features such as chatting and video conferencing. I’m making a series of blog entries where I will post my top 4 favorites. Today I’ll start with X-lite™ from CounterPath.
X-lite™ – A very popular free SIP-based softphone with a wide range of supported codecs. Installation files can be downloaded for Linux™, Mac™ and Windows™. The X-lite for Windows is about 9mb and it’s the largest among all the free softphones I’ve tested. With voice and video conferencing capabilities, it’s got cool features and is user friendly at the same time. The drawback is that you can only add 1 SIP account. Setting it up with OneSuite is easy as 1 2 3.
1. Right click on X-lite™ (any part of X-lite) then click on SIP account settings.
2. Click on “Add” and a dialog box will pop out where you can type in the OneSuite details.
3. Fill up the user details with your OneSuite SuiteAdvantage information then click OK.
Display name: You can put anything here
User name: [Your OneSuite Username]-voip.onesuite.com
Password: This is your 8-digit Softphone password
Authentication user name: [Your OneSuite Username]-voip.onesuite.com
Domain: voip.onesuite.com
And Voila! You should be able to see “Ready” on the screen and your OneSuite username. Now just dial out and try some of its features.
Great site, Good info
Hi! I like your srticle and I would like very much to read some more information on this issue. Will you post some more?
I just downloaded X-lite and followed the instructions. Sure enough, my Onesuite works! I find this xlite softphone better than SJ softphones.
Thank you for this article - this is a new term for me “Softphones” so will chekc into this a bit more.
Thanks, the xlite is really good. But I am using officesip.com. It is free too.
Nice blog, very interesting.
We are using xlite with a SIP trunk system, have a fax number through the trunk system but don’t fax enough to make a monthly fee such as for efax worthwhile. To your knowledge, does xlite have any fax capabilities?
Thanks,
Kathee
@Kathee
Hi Kathee,
Unfortunately, you can’t use X-lite for sending fax. You need an application that can convert the image and transfer it to printer driver before sending it out through the internet.
You can try OneSuite Fax Plus service. It’s pay as you go at 2.5c per fax page plus $2.95 monthly fee.
Regards,
Michael
Hi,
On my PC, only PORTGO works when My PC behind the router (DIR-600 by D-LINK), neither SJPhone or X-LITE. I have tried many different settings of the router, such as “Port forward”, etc. Still does not works.
Any hits? Thanks.
Regards, CMF
@cmf
I’ve got a D-link DIR-300 here (which the closest thing to DIR-600 that I could find) and I didn’t have any problem using any softphones, X-lite and SJphone included.
What exactly were the error messages you got?
Have you tried adding the softphones you mentioned in Windows Firewall exceptions? If not then go to Control Panel; Windows Firewall and under the tab Exceptions please check the softphone you want to use or if you don’t see it there then you can “Add Program” and look for the softphone you want to add.
Please update us whether this procedure solves your softphone issue or not.
Regards,
Michael