Voice Quality Issues

The table below can help you troubleshoot voice quality issues you may experience with Cisco IP Communicator.

Note If you are using Cisco IP Communicator on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000, you cannot use the Audio Tuning Wizard to tune the microphone level of an audio device that is currently active. Choose a time when you are not on a call and when the audio device is not in use by another application to tune it. (Not an issue for Windows XP users.)

Before you begin

Note the following information before you use the troubleshooting table below.

If the problem is related to volume, first try adjusting the volume by clicking on the Cisco IP Communicator interface.
Try to determine if the source of the problem lies with your Cisco IP Communicator or with the remote party's phone by calling additional parties. If you suspect that the problem lies with the other party's phone, adjust the volume on the Cisco IP Communicator interface, but avoid modifying settings using the Audio Tuning Wizard (as these modifications might not be broadly applicable).

Note Your system administrator might ask you to enable logging in order to capture detailed information for troubleshooting purposes. To enable logging, choose Alt + S > User, Menu > Preferences > User, or right-click > Preferences > User, and click Enable Logging. Write down the location where the error reporting tool saves data so that you can send the file to your system administrator.

If you are having trouble with volume levels, follow these guidelines:

In the Audio Tuning Wizard, adjust the master volume slider first. Because this setting affects all applications that play sound, test the setting against other applications (such as Microsoft Windows Media Player and RealPlayer) to ensure that volume levels are appropriate.
In the Audio Tuning Wizard, adjust the wave volume slider to a comfortable level for phone calls after adjusting the master volume.
If you have changed the volume settings from Microsoft Windows, run the Audio Tuning Wizard again (according these guidelines) to re-tune the master and wave volume settings.

If...

Then try this...

The other party sounds too loud

Try adjusting the volume by clicking .

Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and adjust the speaker volume for the current audio device.

The other party reports that you sound too loud

Move the microphone boom slightly away from your mouth and toward your chin if you are using a headset.

If the problem persists, launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and decrease the microphone volume for the current audio device.

If you still sound too loud to the other party, disable the Microphone Boost feature, if it is enabled for that device. Do this from the Audio Tuning Wizard.

The other party sounds too quiet

Try adjusting the volume by clicking .

Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and adjust the speaker volume for the current audio device.

The other party reports that you sound too quiet

Make sure, if you are using a headset, that Cisco IP Communicator is operating in headset mode and not speakerphone mode. Headset mode is operating if is lit. If it is unlit, click it.

Make sure that the microphone boom is positioned correctly if you are using a headset.

If the problem persists, launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and increase the microphone volume for the current audio device. Before you tune an audio device that has its own volume adjustor, such as a USB headset with volume controls on the wire, increase the device's volume level to the highest setting.

If you still sound too quiet, enable the Microphone Boost feature for the audio device from the Audio Tuning Wizard.

The other party sounds muffled

If you are using Cisco IP Communicator remotely and have enabled the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature (Preferences > Audio), apply a Listening audio filter. See the "Audio Settings" topic.

If you are not using Cisco IP Communicator over a remote connection, disable the low bandwidth option.

Ask the other party to decrease his or her microphone volume, if possible.

The other party reports that you sound muffled

Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and adjust the microphone volume for the current audio device.

If you have enabled the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature (Preferences > Audio), try applying a speaking filter and asking how you sound. See the "Advanced Audio Settings" topic for information about applying audio filters. See the "Audio Settings" topic for information about the low bandwidth feature.

If you are not using Cisco IP Communicator over a remote connection, disable the low bandwidth option.

The other party sounds distant or unnatural

Make sure, if you are using a headset, that Cisco IP Communicator is operating in headset mode and not speakerphone mode. (The button should be lit.)

If you have enabled an audio filter to use with low bandwidth, try disabling it. (Preferences > Audio > Advanced....)

The other party reports that you sound distant or unnatural

If you have enabled the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature (Preferences > Audio), try applying a speaking filter and asking how you sound.

See the "Advanced Audio Settings" topic for information about applying audio filters. See the "Audio Settings" topic for information about the low bandwidth feature.

The other party's voice is disrupted by unintended silences or sounds jittery

Close any unnecessarily applications. Be aware that launching applications and performing network-intensive tasks such as sending email may affect audio quality.

If you are using Cisco IP Communicator over a remote connection (for example, on a VPN connection from home or a hotel), voice quality is probably suffering from insufficient bandwidth. Enable the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature by right-clicking on the Cisco IP Communicator interface and choosing: Preferences > Audio.

Verify that your sound cards and audio drivers are correctly installed.

Note You may hear occasional pops, clicks, or broken audio when the network is experiencing congestion or data traffic problems.

You hear echo

Ask the other party to decrease his or her microphone or speaker volume, if possible.

If the other party is using Cisco IP Communicator in speakerphone mode, ask him/her to make sure that the button is lit.

Make sure that your sound card is not feeding back audio from the microphone to the speaker. Follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the microphone icon in the system try and choose Open Volume Controls.

2. Choose Options > Properties > Playback and make sure that all the check boxes in the lower part of the window are selected, then click OK.

3. In the Volume Control window, make sure that Mute is selected for the Microphone Balance column.

The other party hears echo

Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and reduce the microphone volume for the current audio device.

If you are using your computer as a speakerphone, keep the button lit.

As a last resort, change your audio device.

The other party cannot hear you at all (but you can hear him/her)

Make sure that you have not enabled Mute from controls on the headset wire or on the USB handset.

Make sure that your speaker and microphone plugs are inserted into the correct audio jacks on your computer.

Make sure that no other application is using your microphone, such as a sound recorder or another software-based phone.

The other party can hear you, but you cannot hear any audio

Make sure that your speaker and microphone plugs are inserted into the correct audio jacks on your computer.

Simultaneous speaking fails

Make sure that you are using a full-duplex sound card.

You cannot hear any audio, not even a dial tone

If you are using a docking station, and your audio device is plugged into it, make sure that your computer is connected to the docking station, as well.

Try restarting Cisco IP Communicator.

If...	Then try this...
The other party sounds too loud	Try adjusting the volume by clicking . Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and adjust the speaker volume for the current audio device.
The other party reports that you sound too loud	Move the microphone boom slightly away from your mouth and toward your chin if you are using a headset. If the problem persists, launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and decrease the microphone volume for the current audio device. If you still sound too loud to the other party, disable the Microphone Boost feature, if it is enabled for that device. Do this from the Audio Tuning Wizard.
The other party sounds too quiet	Try adjusting the volume by clicking . Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and adjust the speaker volume for the current audio device.
The other party reports that you sound too quiet	Make sure, if you are using a headset, that Cisco IP Communicator is operating in headset mode and not speakerphone mode. Headset mode is operating if is lit. If it is unlit, click it. Make sure that the microphone boom is positioned correctly if you are using a headset. If the problem persists, launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and increase the microphone volume for the current audio device. Before you tune an audio device that has its own volume adjustor, such as a USB headset with volume controls on the wire, increase the device's volume level to the highest setting. If you still sound too quiet, enable the Microphone Boost feature for the audio device from the Audio Tuning Wizard.
The other party sounds muffled	If you are using Cisco IP Communicator remotely and have enabled the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature (Preferences > Audio), apply a Listening audio filter. See the "Audio Settings" topic. If you are not using Cisco IP Communicator over a remote connection, disable the low bandwidth option. Ask the other party to decrease his or her microphone volume, if possible.
The other party reports that you sound muffled	Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and adjust the microphone volume for the current audio device. If you have enabled the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature (Preferences > Audio), try applying a speaking filter and asking how you sound. See the "Advanced Audio Settings" topic for information about applying audio filters. See the "Audio Settings" topic for information about the low bandwidth feature. If you are not using Cisco IP Communicator over a remote connection, disable the low bandwidth option.
The other party sounds distant or unnatural	Make sure, if you are using a headset, that Cisco IP Communicator is operating in headset mode and not speakerphone mode. (The button should be lit.) If you have enabled an audio filter to use with low bandwidth, try disabling it. (Preferences > Audio > Advanced....)
The other party reports that you sound distant or unnatural	If you have enabled the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature (Preferences > Audio), try applying a speaking filter and asking how you sound. See the "Advanced Audio Settings" topic for information about applying audio filters. See the "Audio Settings" topic for information about the low bandwidth feature.
The other party's voice is disrupted by unintended silences or sounds jittery	Close any unnecessarily applications. Be aware that launching applications and performing network-intensive tasks such as sending email may affect audio quality. If you are using Cisco IP Communicator over a remote connection (for example, on a VPN connection from home or a hotel), voice quality is probably suffering from insufficient bandwidth. Enable the "Optimize for low bandwidth" feature by right-clicking on the Cisco IP Communicator interface and choosing: Preferences > Audio. Verify that your sound cards and audio drivers are correctly installed. Note You may hear occasional pops, clicks, or broken audio when the network is experiencing congestion or data traffic problems.
You hear echo	Ask the other party to decrease his or her microphone or speaker volume, if possible. If the other party is using Cisco IP Communicator in speakerphone mode, ask him/her to make sure that the button is lit. Make sure that your sound card is not feeding back audio from the microphone to the speaker. Follow these steps: 1. Right-click on the microphone icon in the system try and choose Open Volume Controls. 2. Choose Options > Properties > Playback and make sure that all the check boxes in the lower part of the window are selected, then click OK. 3. In the Volume Control window, make sure that Mute is selected for the Microphone Balance column.
The other party hears echo	Launch the Audio Tuning Wizard and reduce the microphone volume for the current audio device. If you are using your computer as a speakerphone, keep the button lit. As a last resort, change your audio device.
The other party cannot hear you at all (but you can hear him/her)	Make sure that you have not enabled Mute from controls on the headset wire or on the USB handset. Make sure that your speaker and microphone plugs are inserted into the correct audio jacks on your computer. Make sure that no other application is using your microphone, such as a sound recorder or another software-based phone.
The other party can hear you, but you cannot hear any audio	Make sure that your speaker and microphone plugs are inserted into the correct audio jacks on your computer.
Simultaneous speaking fails	Make sure that you are using a full-duplex sound card.
You cannot hear any audio, not even a dial tone	If you are using a docking station, and your audio device is plugged into it, make sure that your computer is connected to the docking station, as well. Try restarting Cisco IP Communicator.

Voice Quality Issues

Before you begin

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