What am I doing wrong?

[JD40]

I have a GV account but no number as I ported it to a different service two years ago. I'm trying to set up a i200 for a second home line and I want to get a GV #. All I really want is a second phone line but when I go to GV and try and select a number I get "There was an error with your request. Please try again." I have set up a new ObiTalk account and have updated the software. Is it just not possible for me to do what I want to or is there something else required?

[SteveInWA]

That's a Google Voice issue, not related to OBi use.

Assuming you are located within the 48 contiguous US states, you need to use a mobile phone number or traditional landline (not VoIP) number as your forwarding phone number, and that number can't have been used previously to request a Google Voice number.  This is an anti-fraud measure.  If the forwarding phone number you submitted generates that error, then you'll need to submit a different forwarding number.

[JD40]

Thanks for your reply. I finally got a GV # when I gave GV my mobile phone #. Now, how do I connect my i200 to that #. I've tried to read the help screens on Obi but they are now showing what I'm seeing. I'm never getting to the page where I give Obi my GV #.

[SteveInWA]

http://www.obihai.com/tutorial1

[JD40]

I'm sorry, but that doesn't solve my problem. I've looked at all of those and none of them ever get me to where I'm trying to get. I have a GV account and number. I've signed in to ObiTalk. I've dialed the numbers they've asked for. k' All I have now is an ObiTalk screen with my designated phone name, an Obi # and a 'link' to an "Obi Voice Gateway" that leads nowhere. I've tried dialing the # the help screen on that last entry indicates and all I get is a voice saying my phone needs to be configured. I thought it was! This is fast turning into a real time waster!

[SteveInWA]

The only way to make it easier would be if you had the Geek Squad come out to your house and set it up for you.

And, it's an "OBi 200", not an "i200", unless you purchased some fake/counterfeit product.

[JD40]

It would be much easier if the screens they show in the help files matched what was showing up on my screen. I've been working with computers since the '80s so it's not like I'm a novice. You're right, it is an Obi200, don't know why I thought otherwise. Anyway, thanks for your help. Probably time for me to move onto something else.

[SteveInWA]

So, what, exactly, are you seeing on your screen?

Go to this page:  http://www.obitalk.com/obinet/pg/obhdev

Take a screenshot.  Click the "Additional Options..." link here in the forum editor, and attach the screenshot file to your reply post.

[JD40]

I think I may have found the problem. The Dashboard is showing an Obi number that isn't the same as the one on the base of the Obi200. I can't figure out how to delete the one that's showing. When I try to reconfigure the Obi200 it just give me the same wrong # on the screen. I also noticed the Status light is supposed to be green, mine is grey. Speeddial says 1.

I bought the current Obi a few months ago on NewEgg and just hadn't had the time to get to the installation part. I did this several years ago with another Obi (don't know where it went) and that may be the # that's showing up on screen.

[SteveInWA]

Go to http://www.obitalk.com/obinet/pg/obhdev

The OBi device you are seeing, labeled "Softphone", is not your OBi 200 hardware device.  It's a number that can be used with special software (OBiON) to create a software-based phone on a computer.  Ignore it -- you can't delete it, and it doesn't do anything if left there.  If it bugs you, click the "[hide softphone]" link.

You need to add your OBi 200 to the dashboard, as it said in the instructions.

Click the "Add device" link.  See my screenshots below.  I've blacked out my personal information. Just click the spots indicated on my screenshots.

[JD40]

No joy. I've taken that Add Device link several times. I get to a page with a # for me to call, I call it, it answers and repeats the call and tells me it's been sent to the server, I hang up, and nothing else happens. That page just stays there with a blue cancel link. I never get the page with the Obi # of my Obi200 or the configuration page you showed.

[SteveInWA]

That indicates that you have a home network router or firewall problem.  OBiTALK is unable to communicate with your OBi device because your router or firewall is blocking the traffic.

What brand and model and firmware version of router do you have?  Have you created custom firewall rules?

[JD40]

OK, that give me a starting point. I have a Netgear R6400 router and a TP-Link smart switch. I'll have to start working on these. I've got to leave now for a party but I'll be back on tomorrow and let you know how things are going. Thanks again for your help.

[SteveInWA]

See pp 108-109 of your router's manual, and disable SIP ALG, then try again to go through the OBiTALK "Add device" procedure.

http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/R6400/R6400_UM_07Aug2015.pdf

The way it should work:

OBiTALK will generate a one-time, random number, and tell you to dial **5 followed by that number.  It knows your public IP address, since you are connected to their website, so it looks for an inbound message from that IP address, containing that one-time code.  After you hear the "...has been sent to the server" message, hang up your OBi-attached phone and wait.  After a while, the web page should change to indicate that it located your device and added it to the portal. If this doesn't happen, it means that it never heard from your device on your public IP address.  This problem is caused by the outbound traffic from your device to OBiTALK being blocked by your network.

[JD40]

The router already has that sip alg turned off. Probably was done because I have another voip phone using Voipo. I have tried everything I could think of. The router indicates it is not blocking the obi200. I tried turning off the Windows firewall and the Webroot firewall and still had no luck. I even replaced the ethernet cable in case it was faulty. I also tried setting this up using Firefox instead of Chrome. Nada! I simply cannot add the device to Obitalk.

This isn't critical for me. I saw the Obi200 on sale, had a spare Panasonic phone and thought it might be nice to have a second free phone if I could use GV. Apparently the Obi device has second thoughts about that idea.

[drgeoff]

Have you followed the troubleshooting guide http://www.obihai.com/support/troubleshooting/sg/adddev ?

[JD40]

I hadn't tried that particular one. I did so and changed the DNSServer1 as indicated. Rebooted, Tried again. Nada! I'm assuming rebooting simply means power off/power on and wait until leds are functioning normally.

[SteveInWA]

Hmph, that's odd.  Maybe the OBiTALK server over-wrote the DNS server you entered locally.  I haven't experimented with that.

Instead:  try changing the DNS servers you use for your entire home network, to use Google's high-performance DNS.  Log into your router, find the LAN settings, and change the primary DNS to 8.8.8.8 and the secondary to 8.8.4.4

Save the settings and reboot your router.  Go back to the OBi's local web page, look at the DNS setting again, and see if it had reverted back to default.  If it hadn't, then set it to default yourself, save the setting, and unplug the power and plug it in again.

Did that make a difference?

[JD40]

Did all that with no different result. Well, I did notice my browsing has speeded up a bit!

[SteveInWA]

I give up!

If you are interested in getting it to work, you can certainly open a ticket with Obihai.  It seems like they ought to be able to examine their logs to see if they're getting a request from your OBi number.

http://www.obihai.com/request-support

I would summarize the problem as:  you follow the instructions to add your OBi to the portal, you dial the **5 code, and hear the voice telling you it was sent to the server, but nothing happens after that.  And, you've changed your network to use the Google DNS.  Reference a link to this thread, so you don't have to restate all the gory details.

Good luck!