$10 random to keep using MY device? Really?
Jon9999:
I need to change my Google Voice password in my OBi's configuration. The OBi Talk portal won't let me do it.
According to OBi Sales, their "new policy" is that OBi owners must now pay a "support fee" of $10/year in order to have access to the configuration page.
WHAT? I bought a device. I did not rent it. There was no mention of a $10 annual fee when I bought the device. But now the company is telling me that I cannot configure my device or change Service Provider settings if I don't start paying them an annual fee?
Somebody please tell me that the information I was given isn't right.
If it's correct, then it's just wrong. You can't sell someone something and then decide a couple of years later that they can't use it anymore unless they pay you again.
SteveInWA:
This has already been covered in two other threads.
See: http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=10039.0
Summary:
Obihai hasn't clearly explained the change yet.Some users are having problems caused by unrelated issues (e.g. their OBi device has very old pre-OAUTH firmware, or some user error.)One way to deal with it, if the device has the very latest firmware, is to downgrade the firmware, but this hasn't been proven necessary.The $10 fee is for continuing to use the OBiTALK portal to automate the downloading and application of firmware updates, and to obtain 1:1 technical support from Obihai, not to merely configure Google Voice -- if you manually download the latest firmware, and apply it via the local web page interface, you can then (re)configure GV via the portal, for free.
I have tested successfully adding an out-of-warranty OBi 110 and a OBi 200 to the portal and configuring GV, with both devices already having the latest firmware.
Firmware downloads are here: http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=9.0
Jon9999:
Thank you, Steve. Very helpful indeed. I can probably follow the instructions you gave to do the manual firmware update, but I've read here about several people "bricking" their devices during a firmware update so I'm hesitant. All I really need to do is change my GV credentials. My OBi device works fine, so I don't think I really need to mess with the firmware.
<rant>
I'm appalled at Obihai for doing this -- and for doing it secretively. It's one thing to sell an extended support plan, but it's another thing entirely to turn off functionality and another thing yet to cripple functionality and then sell access back. Portal functionality is fundamental to the device, and telling people a year later that "Oh yeah, that thing you thought you were buying from us was really a rental" is just plain wrong.
This makes me think of those evil people who hijack people's computers with malware and then make them pay a fee to get an unlocking key. (Okay, maybe this isn't quite as bad as that, but this is still pretty nasty.)
</rant>
SteveInWA:
I don't want to get into a debate, taking one side or the other, about a $10/year charge. I will just point out, though, that you can still use your device as before, without paying the fee. Nobody has been prevented from doing so at this point.
For best results and lowest risk when updating firmware,
Plug the OBi into a UPS to avoid power line disturbances.Don't try this over the weekend, as, for some mysterious reason, the OBiTALK portal often goes down on weekends.Log onto the OBiTALK portal, and if your device is listed, delete it off of the portal. Wait a few minutes for this to happen, and watch your device's LEDs, until the power LED stops blinking, indicating that it's been removed and remotely reset.For good measure, you can use a paper clip or other implement to depress and hold, for 10 seconds, the reset switch located inside the device, accessible from the underside.Download the latest firmware from Obihai to your computer: http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=9.0Log into your device via it's local web page (192.168.whatever you're using), and go to System Management --> Device Update. Specify the location of your downloaded firmware file, to upload it to your OBi. The local device username and password after a factory reset are "admin". If you need to learn the IP address assigned to your OBi, then dial ***1 on the attached phone and the auto-attendant voice will read it to you.After the firmware update has successfully completed, add the device back to the OBiTALK portal to configure Google Voice.
TW2015:
Steve: Thanks for the instruction. I am able to upgrade my obi202 and works fine after the upgrade. (Configure the Google Voice, and 2 other VOIP providers)
For those that has problem:
You need to enable the Web Server on the device
http://www.obihai.com/faq/OBi202-sec/Howto-Access-Web-from-WAN
Once enabled, You will be able to upgrade the firmware following Steve's advice.
Once done, please disable the Web server again for security reason :).
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