iPhone FaceTime fails with MacBook ... but vice-versa works. Why?

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macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

iPhone FaceTime fails with MacBook ... but vice-versa works. Why?

Hello,

FaceTime is great... but only seems to work in one direction. I have an iMac, MacBookPro and an iPhone.

Here what works and what doesn't. Anybody any idea why?

MBP => iMac | works

iMac => MBP | works

MBP => iPhone | works

iMac => iPhone | works

iPhone => MBP | does not work

iPhone => iMac | does not work

In other words, when I want to call the the MBP or the iMac with the iPhone, it get an FaceTime Failed immediately...

Very strange... since all other ways work. Any help is appreciated.

PS: Everything is with the latest iOS and latest OS X!

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on May 28, 2012 12:27 PM

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Answer 1

Tgara

Level 4

3,597 points

May 28, 2012 12:42 PM in response to macobs30

What Apple IDs are you using with these devices? If the iMac can call the MBP! The IDs must be different. The phone may also be associated with both of those IDs. In that case, the phone is trying to call itself, which results in a failure.

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Answer 2

macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

May 28, 2012 12:52 PM in response to Tgara

Thank you for your quick reply!

Tgara wrote:

What Apple IDs are you using with these devices?

Well, I have two different Apple IDs but I associated extra e-mails to the two IDs. I created extra e-mails just for facetime and I use only those extra e-mails not the Apple IDs. I have my own mail server.. so this is no big deal.

The phone may also be associated with both of those IDs.

I am not sure what you exactly mean by that. I have signed-in and verified those e-mails and Apple-IDs on each device... I could look into this, though.

Message was edited by: macobs30

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Answer 3

macobs30 Author

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47 points

May 28, 2012 12:54 PM in response to Tgara

I double-checked, besides the different e-mails for facetime, I also use diffeent Apple IDs on the MBP and the iPhone... still only working in one direction.

Does it maybe has to do with the mail push?

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Answer 4

Focker

Level 1

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May 28, 2012 12:54 PM in response to macobs30

I just called my iMac and it worked. The account on the iPhone under General/iCloud is the same as the one on the iMac, although I doubt that this matters.

Did you check router settings? http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4245

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Answer 5

Tgara

Level 4

3,597 points

May 28, 2012 12:58 PM in response to macobs30

Whats your Caller ID on your phone? Is it your phone number or one of the email addresses?

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Answer 6

macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

May 28, 2012 1:00 PM in response to Tgara

Tgara wrote:

Whats your Caller ID on your phone? Is it your phone number or one of the email addresses?

I have set to all three: phone-number, Apple ID and the associated e-mail.

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Answer 7

macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

May 28, 2012 1:02 PM in response to Focker

Hi Focker,

You mean you have the same AppleID on both devices and hence can call yourself, correct?

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Answer 8

Focker

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May 28, 2012 1:05 PM in response to macobs30

That is correct. BTW, my router is an Airport Extreme.

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Answer 9

macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

May 28, 2012 1:07 PM in response to Focker

Focker wrote:

...

Did you check router settings? http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4245

Thanks for the link.

All three device are on the same router (Apple Airport Extreme)... I guess it should not matter in which direction I call, but I might be wrong. And the MBP and iMac can call each other no matter which direction I go... It is only occuring when calling out (facing out so to say) from the iPhone.

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Answer 10

Tgara

Level 4

3,597 points

May 28, 2012 1:11 PM in response to macobs30

macobs30 wrote:

Tgara wrote:

Whats your Caller ID on your phone? Is it your phone number or one of the email addresses?

I have set to all three: phone-number, Apple ID and the associated e-mail.

Just to be clear, I'm asking about the Caller ID and Not the "Receive At" fields.

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Answer 11

macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

May 28, 2012 1:16 PM in response to Tgara

Thank you !!!

I had set the Caller ID to my phone number and not the extra e-mail. Now I changed it to the extra e-mail and...

Now it works!

Great help! Thank you so much!

It is strange, though, since the phone-number is unique. I assume the Caller ID must be verified by Apple as well, right ?!

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Answer 12

Focker

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May 28, 2012 1:25 PM in response to macobs30

What caller ID setting are you guys talking about? The only one I can find is at Messages/Receive At/Caller ID and that's the one Tgara said is not relevant.

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Answer 13

Tgara

Level 4

3,597 points

May 28, 2012 1:36 PM in response to Focker

Focker wrote:

What caller ID setting are you guys talking about? The only one I can find is at Messages/Receive At/Caller ID and that's the one Tgara said is not relevant.

NO! That's HIGHLY relevant!

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Answer 14

macobs30 Author

Level 1

47 points

May 28, 2012 1:40 PM in response to Tgara

Hi,

well in my case it solved my problem.

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Answer 15

Focker

Level 1

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May 28, 2012 1:42 PM in response to Tgara

Strange. Macobs said that his Caller ID was set to his Phone number and that didn't work, however once he set it to an e-mail address it suddenly worked.

My Caller ID is set to my phone number and I can call myself....(although I don't know why I'd do that ;-)

In fact I can set the Caller ID to either my phone number or my icloud e-mail address and both work.

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