Obi202 - Phone Not Ringing...sometimes
StudioD:
I have an Obi202 configured with:
SP1 - Callcentric for inbound calls to support CNAM; also for E911 service
SP2 - Google Voice for outbound calls; My GV inbound number is forwarded to Callcentric
PHONE 1: Panasonic cordless phone base
PHONE 2: FAX (Canon MX870 Multifunction printer w/ FAX)
Sometimes my phone has not been ringing on inbound calls. My Callcentric log shows that the calls were received, though, so GV seems to be forwarding them to that number as expected. So my phone doesn't ring but the FAX machine lights up as if it's detecting an incoming call.
The prime suspect in my mind is my SP2 setting. It's set to ring incoming calls on Phone 2 but not Phone 1. But since I have GV forwarded to my Callcentric number, I didn't think that should make any difference because the GV number is forwarded, not even ringing, right? (I would have set SP2 to ring *neither* phone on incoming calls, but I think the system makes me send it to at least one).
Can someone help me understand what's causing this?
SteveInWA:
The four Service Provider configurations on the OBi (SP1-SP4) are configured independently of the two physical telephone jacks (Phone 1 and Phone 2).
If you only have one inbound service provider set up (Callcentric), then you would need to tell the OBi to ring Phone 1 on inbound calls, or of course, nothing plugged into Phone 1 is ever going to ring.
The correct way to share a fax with a phone on the same physical phone line, is to plug the fax's inbound line jack into the inbound phone line on the OBi (e.g. Phone 1), and plug the phone into the fax's telephone port. This involves only one physical phone interface on the OBi. You then configure the OBi to use the Phone 1 port, plug the fax into that port, and configure the fax to deal with ringing the attached phone for voice calls.
The better solution is to get a second inbound phone number from Callcentric. You can then either forward that DID directly to Callcentric's fax mailbox, and have Callcentric email you the fax as an image file, or configure it as SP3 on the OBi, and route SP3 to ring Phone 2, and plug THAT line into the fax.
StudioD:
I should have specified SP1 (Callcentric) is configured to ring both Phones 1 and 2.
I don't really want to plug the phone into the FAX machine, which is really just a multifunction printer that I seldom use for faxing. Sometimes I leave that printer/FAX device turned off, and I've never plugged the home phone into it. Even when I had traditional landline service, I used a wall splitter to give each device its own jack.
Are you telling me that I can't have two devices plugged into my OBi202 -- phone and FAX -- and configure both to use the same SP's?
SteveInWA:
You said:
Quote
The prime suspect in my mind is my SP2 setting. It's set to ring incoming calls on Phone 2 but not Phone 1.
and you said:
Quote
SP2 - Google Voice for outbound calls; My GV inbound number is forwarded to Callcentric
Then you said:
Quote
I should have specified SP1 (Callcentric) is configured to ring both Phones 1 and 2.
This is a mess. You said that you are only using Google Voice for outbound calls, but you contradict yourself by saying it rings on SP2. That doesn't make sense. Furthermore, there is no advantage to configuring both Phone 1 and Phone 2 to ring with the same SP. It accomplishes nothing, and wastes a phone jack.
You can do what you want, but I'm going to describe how it should be configured:
Goals:
You want to route inbound calls through Callcentric, on SP1.You want to make outbound calls via Google Voice, on SP2.You want your telephone to work for inbound and outbound calls using those two SPsYou have a fax/printer combo that is "seldom used" for faxing. When it is used, it should operate independently from, and not interfere with, your regular telephone.
Solution:
Log onto your Google Voice account on the web, go to this page, https://www.google.com/voice#phones, and ensure that you have a check mark to the left of your Callcentric number, and no checkmark next to Google Chat.Log onto your OBiTALK portal page, go to your OBi202 configuration, and edit SP1. Set "Incoming calls will ring on" to Phone 1 only. Do not check-mark "Primary line for outgoing calls"; this SP will be inbound only, except for 911 calls. Check-mark "Use This Service for Emergency 911 Calls".Edit SP2's configuration. Check-mark "Primary line for outgoing calls" for both Phone 1 and Phone 2. SP2 is outbound-only, and it will never ring, because there is no check mark next to Google Chat on Google Voice settings.Get another inbound phone number (DID) from Callcentric. You can get one of their free NY State numbers.Configure your OBi's SP3 to use that CC DID.Configure SP3 to ring on Phone 2 only. This will also be an inbound-only SP.Plug a phone cord from the OBi Phone 1 jack into your Panasonic phone base.Plug a different phone cord from the OBi Phone 2 jack into the fax/printer.Grab a beer and congratulate yourself on a technically-elegant solution.
StudioD:
It took me a couple of days to get back to this project but thank you for the clear step-by-step instructions, they were very helpful.
I didn't realize we could get more than one free DID number from Callcentric on the same account, and I'd been sharing my phone and fax line for so long with my old landline service that I hadn't even thought about doing it differently with 2 free DID numbers on the OBi, so thanks again for the direction.
It's set up as you recommended and seems to be working correctly now. The only bug I've encountered is one call that just kept ringing and did not go to voicemail, but I haven't been able to reproduce that problem so I'm going to hope it was just a one-time glitch with GV.
Anyway, thanks again.
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