OK. Simple question. I hope.

How the hell do you get FaceTime to work? I have followed the instructions to the letter, on my iMac, my MBP, and my daughter's MBP. No one receives my outgoing calls, and I don't get any incoming calls.

This is not to say that I haven't ever got it working, but rarely.

My daughter is heading of to university in Sept, and I would like to know that FaceTime is going to be reliable.

I think you have to email the apple id email address of the person you are calling. If the OSX version works anything like on my iPad.

Tried that. Tried every permutation and combination of email addresses. No luck.

the only time i've had an issue is when I was on 3G. Wifi seems to work fine all the time so i guess ensure she's on wifi too (if you're meaning to iphone or ipad - and I"m sure you already tested it). It's the only thing I can think of.

I had to add a couple email addresses to my apple ID so one goes to the Pad and one goes to the pod, I have to buy a copy for the iMac or wait til MountainLion...

I just tried with on my MBP with Lion calling my girlfriend iPhone and I was able to connect clicking on here home email address which is her apple id and also her mobile phone number. The one thing if it fails right at the start meaning it doesn't even try to connect that means you have an internet connection issue.

My daughter is heading of to university in Sept, and I would like to know that FaceTime is going to be reliable.

Forget FaceTime and install Skype (http://www.skype.com/) on your Macs and iDevices.

Forget FaceTime and install Skype (http://www.skype.com/) on your Macs and iDevices.

FaceTime has much better video quality in my experience. I use both all the time and FaceTime is always better. Also, once it's setup there's no app to run or stay signed in and online within - it just works.

Make sure you are both on WiFi.

Make sure you are both on WiFi.

Just an Internet connection not necessary for wifi. This is from his iMac not an iPhone.

FaceTime has much better video quality in my experience. I use both all the time and FaceTime is always better. Also, once it's setup there's no app to run or stay signed in and online within - it just works.

We use both daily, locally and internationally, and I don't notice a significant quality difference between the two. Some days one seems better than the other, the next day, the other might be better or they seem the same.

The bonus with Skype is it also works with NON-Apple devices for that friend who has an Android phone or that aunt or cousin in Europe with a PC.

There is of course an App to run. It's called FaceTime which you stay signed in to and online, because it's built in it's a little more invisible, but, there's no difference in that regard to Skype. The only difference is on iDevices you have to start the app whereas FaceTime starts with the system (and currently only works on wi-fi).

FaceTime has much better video quality in my experience. I use both all the time and FaceTime is always better. Also, once it's setup there's no app to run or stay signed in and online within - it just works.

Not when it does't work!! As per the OP's post. :(

Forget FaceTime and install Skype (http://www.skype.com/) on your Macs and iDevices.

+1!!!

FaceTime often failed miserably a number of times with our scattered Mac using family members. Skype just plain works as one would expect.

Not when it does't work!! As per the OP's post

As I said, once it is setup. There is obviously something funky going on with the accounts used or something.

I use FaceTime every day with a group of 5-10 family members with iPhones, iPads, MBPs and iMacs and we have never had a single issue.

Skype is great, but the OP was trying to troubleshoot FaceTime, not install a new app on every machine.