Multiple Obi200's & Google Voice

[Nostradominos]

Greetings.

I have two Obitalk 200's, both configured with different google voice numbers, both operating on my home LAN.

The problem...  Sometimes (but not always) calls placed to the number on Obi device #2 ring phones on BOTH Obi devices.

I do not have the obitalk devices "linked" as far as I understand.   I do not have the google voice numbers linked in any way that I know of, other than I occasionally access both accounts from the same computer. 


Calls to the # on device #1 never ring through on device #2.

I can provide more specifics, but thought perhaps there is something simple and obvious an experienced user will recognize as the culprit to my problem.

Thank you in advance.  I love my Obi Devices!

[azrobert]

The next time this happens, look at the call history on both boxes. Maybe this will give you a hint of what is causing this behavior.

To access Call History:
Log directly into the OBi using the local interface.
Key the IP address of the OBi into a Web Browser and hit Enter
The UserID and default Password are both "admin".
Click Status on the left column then click Call History.

[Nostradominos]

Here is the call history for the last call that did this...   Actual phone number partially *'d out for privacy.

Obi #2 (The actual Number dialed)
------------------------------------------
Call 1   09/15/2017    11:41:31   
11:41:31   From GT1(1253653****)   To PH1
11:41:31      Ringing
11:42:01   Call Ended
------------------------------------------

Obi #1
------------------------------------------
Call 1   09/15/2017    11:41:37   
11:41:37   From GT1(1253653****)   To PH1
11:41:37      Ringing
11:42:02   Call Ended   
------------------------------------------

Looking back through the call long on both devices I don't see anything that stands out as a clue to me...  but what I do notice is:

• When it rings on both devices, it rings the second one a full six seconds after the first device.


• Not every call is ringing on both devices.

Is there anything of note that I'm not seeing?

[Nostradominos]

I just got another call from the exact same number as prior... which only rang through on one device. 

Obi #2
-----------------------------
Call 1   09/15/2017    16:16:35   
16:16:35   From GT1(1253653****)   To PH1
16:16:35      Ringing
16:16:51      Call Connected
16:23:31   Call Ended   
----------------------------

The only difference in the logs is that I answered this call since I was home.  I did wait 3 rings before answering to listen to hear if it was ringing on the other Obi device.  It wasn't, nor is it listed in the log for that device.

This morning a call from that number range both devices.  This afternoon, it rang only one.  I haven't changed any settings anywhere.   I haven't logged into or out of any google voice accounts I wasn't already logged into.   As far as I can tell, nothing has changed, except this call rings one device and earlier a call from the same number rang both devices.

This is what it does.  Sometimes it rings the intended device.  Sometimes it rings both.  I'm confused!

[azrobert]

The call is coming from GV. I don't know how calling a GV number can intermittently ring a different GV account. Maybe SteveInWa (our GV guru) will chime in.

Do you have 2 separate GV accounts or one GV account with 2 numbers?

[SteveInWA]

Thanks, Robert.  It doesn't make sense to me.  Google Voice, by itself, has no way to do that.

I suspect some sort of user error.  It's possible that account #2 has a forwarding/linked phone enabled, which, in turn, has its own call forwarding feature enabled to go to the other number, but that is just a SWAG.

Nostrtadominos:

Log into your each of your Google Voice accounts from a laptop or desktop computer, not from a mobile device, and go here:  https://www.google.com/voice/redirection/voice#phones and remove the check mark from any/all 10-digit forwarding phone numbers.  Then, perform more tests and see what happens.

[Nostradominos]

Hi Steve.

The only # listed there is my cell phone number, which is not associated with the other google voice account in any way that I know.   
Tomorrow, or later this evening if I get in early enough, I'll uncheck that box and see if it makes any difference.

Thanks for the suggestion.

-Nostradominos

[Nostradominos]

I think I have resolved the issue here...  and as you probably suspect, it has nothing to do with my Obi devices or google voice.  Apparently, deep within the settings of my cell phone are options for call forwarding for when my phone is busy, unanswered, or unreachable.   The settings for busy or unanswered go to voicemail, the settings for unreachable forward to the number that is now being used for the google voice number on my Obi device #1.   

So calls to my 2nd google voice number are forwarded to Obi #2, and to my cell phone...  which, if it is unreachable, forwards to the number that is now associated with Obi #1.

My best guess is that my phone has always been configured this way out of some courtesy by my cell phone provider, since that number is listed as my "home" number in my cell provider account.  I don't think I ever set that up this way because I don't remember ever seeing those settings before, and because, for privacy and security, I'd have never forwarded calls to my cell phone to THAT number.

It's only the past few months I've noticed it because it's only been the past few months I've lived where I get little to no cell reception...   making my cell phone "unreachable" a lot more often.

If this for some reason doesn't resolve my issue...   I'll make sure to post and let you know!

-Nostradominos

[SteveInWA]

I think I have resolved the issue here...  and as you probably suspect, it has nothing to do with my Obi devices or google voice.  Apparently, deep within the settings of my cell phone are options for call forwarding for when my phone is busy, unanswered, or unreachable.   The settings for busy or unanswered go to voicemail, the settings for unreachable forward to the number that is now being used for the google voice number on my Obi device #1.   

So calls to my 2nd google voice number are forwarded to Obi #2, and to my cell phone...  which, if it is unreachable, forwards to the number that is now associated with Obi #1.

My best guess is that my phone has always been configured this way out of some courtesy by my cell phone provider, since that number is listed as my "home" number in my cell provider account.  I don't think I ever set that up this way because I don't remember ever seeing those settings before, and because, for privacy and security, I'd have never forwarded calls to my cell phone to THAT number.

It's only the past few months I've noticed it because it's only been the past few months I've lived where I get little to no cell reception...   making my cell phone "unreachable" a lot more often.

If this for some reason doesn't resolve my issue...   I'll make sure to post and let you know!

-Nostradominos

So, are you saying that you have now corrected those settings on your cell phone, and thus, you solved the problem?  That was exactly the issue I suspected -- your phone was/is forwarding calls to the wrong number.

The settings you are seeing on your phone are simply another (equivalent) way to enable or disable conditional call forwarding, and they perform the same function as entering the * codes on the phone's keypad.

[Nostradominos]

So, are you saying that you have now corrected those settings on your cell phone, and thus, you solved the problem?  That was exactly the issue I suspected -- your phone was/is forwarding calls to the wrong number.

The settings you are seeing on your phone are simply another (equivalent) way to enable or disable conditional call forwarding, and they perform the same function as entering the * codes on the phone's keypad.

I'm saying that I corrected the settings on my cell phone and that I expect this to resolve my issues.  Since the forwarding to the other number wasn't consistent, I can't know for sure the issue is resolved until sufficient time elapses. 

But I expect the issue is resolved.  We'll know for sure soon enough!

-N