Pls help for installation

[John16]

Received Obi200 today. Followed the instruction to connect to a Vtech CS6328-3 phone. Made the echo test (dial *9 222-222-222 (dialing **9 222-222-222 would  get busy line sound)), it  didn't go through, complaining there is no service available to complete your call!

Logged onto the router, I can see an IP address has been assigned to the Obi200 adapter. Put the OBi to DMZ, it didn't help.  Logged onto Obi portal, couldn't add device from the dashboard, always got the same complaining there is no service available to complete your call.

I am not sure whether this is due to phone problem (can't dial **9 222 222 222 but *9 222 222 222) or something else.  Could someone help me out, please? Thanks!

[drgeoff]

The echo test number is two *s followed by nine 2s.  Until that is working it will be a waste of time trying to add your device to the portal.

Dial ***8 and follow the prompts to do a factory reset.

Wait 1 minute.  Confirm that the power LED is steady green.

Try **9 222 222 222 again.

If you don't get through to the echo test, hang up then dial ***1 and report here exactly what is read out to you.

[John16]

Thanks, Drgeoff, for your suggestions!  Very sadly, still no success.

Totally agree with you, without passing the echo test, trying to adding the device to the portal is a waste of time. Here is what happened.
1).  Dial *** 8:  phone silent for a while, then busy line sound, no prompts from the phone.
2).  dial  **9 222 222 222:  busy line sound during the dialing
3). dial *** 1, similar result with dial ***8

Then did manual factory reset. The reset seemed to go through because I observed the power LED blinked, then turned red, and steady green. Then repeated above three  dials, same results!

The phone is functional (has been used on different VoIP). Unless the adapter is flawed, I really can't come up any explanation to this mess!

[drgeoff]

Do you mean that this OBi has been supplied by a VoIP service provider and previously used with their service?  If so, it may be 'locked' to that ITSP - customised firmware which does not behave the same way as that in retail OBis.

[John16]

Sorry for the confusion.  I was trying to say my Vtech phone is functional.

This brand new OBi200 was purchased from Newegg.

Should the reset procedure erase all possible customised firmwares if it has been used? 

thanks!

[drgeoff]

An Obi supplied by Newegg should have standard firmware.  Even if it was a unit returned by a customer who had configured it, the factory reset would wipe those configurations.

However, if a previous user had registered the device on the OBitalk portal and used the portal to configure totally messed up digit maps etc and had not removed the unit from his account on the portal, then every time the unit is booted with a working connection to the internet those messed up settings would be downloaded into the unit.

But I doubt that is an explanation in your case because AFAIK the ***8 response is hard coded into the firmware and cannot be disabled by the user.  (You should hear something like "Press 1 to confirm restore factory default.") You could confirm this is not the explanation by doing the following. Connect the Obi to your router but disable the router's connection to the internet.  Factory reset using the button on the underside.  Wait and then dial ***1. The initial response should be "Basic network status."

Do you have another phone you can try so as to eliminate that?

[drgeoff]

Just a crazy thought. OBi's only accept tone dialling.  If your V-Tech phone is set to pulse dial, that would explain things!

[SteveInWA]

Dial *** 8:  phone silent for a while, then busy line sound, no prompts from the phone.

I interpret this to mean that you did not hear a voice prompt to press "1" after you pressed 8.

The only other thing that you can try is a hardware reset.  It requires some manual dexterity, and you may want a friend (and their hand) to help.  Unplug the OBi from Ethernet and power.  Using a straightened paper clip, gently depress and hold down the recessed reset switch on the bottom of the OBi.  You should feel a click as the button is depressed.  Continue to hold it down while you plug in only the power cord.  Wait at least 10 seconds.  Release the paper clip.  Wait a couple minutes.  Attach the Ethernet cable and power-cycle it again.

Pick up the phone and key in ***1

If you only hear busy signals, then the unit is probably defective.  If you hear an IP address, then...

Hang up.  Pick up the phone again, and key in **9 222 222 222

If you don't hear a man's voice saying "Welcome to OBiTALK..." then the unit is probably defective.

This would not be the first time some a-hole purchased an OBi from Newegg or Amazon, killed it, and then returned it and it got restocked.  Or, had a dead OBi, bought a new one, put the dead one in the box, and returned it for a refund.  Out of curiosity, compare the OBi number on the sticker on the bottom of the device, to the OBi number on the carton.

[John16]

Just a crazy thought. OBi's only accept tone dialling.  If your V-Tech phone is set to pulse dial, that would explain things!

You are actually right, the phone was set to pulse dial! (it's been used  only for receiving call!).  Once this is corrected, dialing ***8 allows me to reset the OBi, ***1  says your IP is 192....., DHCP is enable. However, **9222222222 still doesn't work, but with new error message: there is no service available to complete your call!

I truly believe this unit is defective as SteveInWA suggested, and already requested a refund from Newegg. What a mess!

Anyway, really appreciate your help!

[John16]

  Out of curiosity, compare the OBi number on the sticker on the bottom of the device, to the OBi number on the carton.
[/quote]

Both numbers actually match. I agree I am kind of out of luck in receiving a defective unit this time! Thanks for your help!

[drgeoff]

Just a crazy thought. OBi's only accept tone dialling.  If your V-Tech phone is set to pulse dial, that would explain things!

You are actually right, the phone was set to pulse dial! (it's been used  only for receiving call!).  Once this is corrected, dialing ***8 allows me to reset the OBi, ***1  says your IP is 192....., DHCP is enable. However, **9222222222 still doesn't work, but with new error message: there is no service available to complete your call!

I truly believe this unit is defective as SteveInWA suggested, and already requested a refund from Newegg. What a mess!

Anyway, really appreciate your help!

Unless you have good reason to suspect you a got a returned unit (eg a new unit would have the PSU cable neatly coiled up and secured with a wire wrap which looked like it had not been previously unwound) I reckon it is odds-on that a replacement will have the same symptoms.

Have you tried http://www.obihai.com/support/troubleshooting/trs1-3 ?

That "no service available ...." message will be given if the OBi has a valid IP address on your LAN but is unable to reach the OBi server on the internet.  Or if Obitalk service is disabled on the device.  Ooint your web browser to the OBi's IP address. Both the username and password are admin.  Click on Status, then on System Status.  Scroll down to the bottom and see what is shown under OBiTALK Service Status

[John16]

Totally forgot how did the unit look like when received.

Moved the OBi to DMZ, rebooted the router, tried **9 222 222 222, same new error message!

[drgeoff]

Totally forgot how did the unit look like when received.

Moved the OBi to DMZ, rebooted the router, tried **9 222 222 222, same new error message!

Log in as above, click on Voice Services, then on OBiTALK Service. Check if there is a tick under the Value column on the Enable line.

[John16]

Before I was trying to pack the unit for return, I did my last ditch: turned off the firewall, skipped the echo test,and went to my dashboard to add the OBi, it WORKED!

then tried echo test, got my voice echoed!

Now I can receive and make call using google voice as the sp1. Very impressed by the quality of call (both incoming and outgoing).

BTW, switching the firewall back to normal setting doesn't interfere with the connection, which is awesome.

Thanks for all the helps, especially drgeoff.