The number you dialed, has not received a response from the service provider?

Started by B0b., August 14, 2018, 09:48:59 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

B0b.

I was using a Google Voice account successfully for a while with AT&T U-Verse, but I recently switched to using an AT&T hotspot connected to a router then connected to my OBi200. At first it worked okay, but now frequently the phone won't ring when someone is calling, and I get a message saying, "The number you dialed, ______ has not received a response from the service provider," when I try to call out.

If I unplug the OBi200 or dial ***91 to restart it, I can call out and the call quality is good, but then it happens again where I can't call out without restarting it. When I wasn't able to call out and got the message above, I looked on the troubleshooting guide saw to try dialing * * 9 222-222-222 to get to the Echo Test Server. It said no connection even though the online device configuration page says it is connected, so I added my OBi200 to the DMZ settings page of my router after setting a static IP on the OBi200 configuration page. After I added it, I could connect to the Echo Test Server, but still received the "The number you dialed, ______ has not received a response from the service provider," message when I try to call out. The guide then says to log in to my OBiTalk account and check the status of the OBi device. The account said it is connected. When I log into the OBi200 box, it also says that the SP1 Service Status is connected.

I finally tried removing all devices from my Google Voice account then deleting the Google Voice account from the OBi200 Box then resetting everything up, but I got the same results. I think the software is up to date at 3.2.2 (Build: 5898EX). I have an Asus AC-1900 router and the OBi200 is connected to it by Ethernet. Do you have any suggestions on what to try to be able to reliably receive incoming calls and make outgoing calls without restarting the OBi200?

Thanks!

A_Friend

All I can offer you is some speculation and maybe a couple of things to try -- a shot in the dark, so to speak.

My guess, based on your description of what you're seeing and what you've tried already, is that this may have something to do with keeping the connection alive, most likely at the hotspot, but who knows.  You may eventually have to shorten up all the ICE/keep-alive/time-to-whatever/etc. settings on the Obi in order to keep the hotspot awake.  Whether or not the router is getting involved or losing awareness that it doesn't have a live connection at some critical juncture, is another mystery.

For starters, though, why don't you isolate the hotspot and see how that's performing on its own?  Configure your GV to work through Chat or Hangouts and use a laptop directly connected to the hotspot via wifi to make and receive some calls.  Or download the GV app for an Android tablet or phone and use that through wifi.  If for some reason that's solid and stays up for a day or three, then you can start fiddling with the Obi and/or your router.  But, first steps first.

Another thing to try:  Get a SIP account from another provider and see how that works on your current setup.  Circlenet can give you a DID with 911 for $1.50 a month.  You should probably have 911 service anyway.  Callcentric will give you a free account for SIP only dialing, sell you 911 for $1.50 a month, and possibly is still giving away random DID numbers in NY State with free incoming usage.  (Overall, Circlenet is still cheaper, especially if you're making outgoing PSTN calls, and is giving away $1 free usage to Obitalk denizens.)  Personally, I'm also a big fan (and user) of voip.ms, but their minimum funding amount is $25, and you can't do much without being funded.

Disclaimer:  I have no idea what's going on with your setup, but that's what I would try in your position.

Taoman

Quote from: A_Friend on August 15, 2018, 07:32:21 AM
Personally, I'm also a big fan (and user) of voip.ms, but their minimum funding amount is $25, and you can't do much without being funded.


Minimum funding amount for VoIP.ms is $15.

A_Friend

Quote from: Taoman on August 15, 2018, 08:17:24 AM
Quote from: A_Friend on August 15, 2018, 07:32:21 AM
Personally, I'm also a big fan (and user) of voip.ms, but their minimum funding amount is $25, and you can't do much without being funded.


Minimum funding amount for VoIP.ms is $15.

That's a pleasant change!  I hadn't been able to add less than $25 in the past.  (My most recent "add" was in March.)

Although, when I logged in just now to check, I was asked, for the first time ever, if this was a Residential or Business account.  I answered Residential, which is true, despite my collection of DIDs.  Maybe they had me coded as Business, and there's a different minimum?

Taoman

Quote from: A_Friend on August 15, 2018, 08:33:00 AM
I answered Residential, which is true, despite my collection of DIDs.  Maybe they had me coded as Business, and there's a different minimum?

Just went into effect a week ago. When logging into portal check "news and announcements" in right-hand column.

QuoteMany of you also told us that you would like to have a lower minimum deposit, so here it is... starting today, we are lowering our minimum deposit from USD$25.00 to USD$15.00!

B0b.

Quote from: A_Friend on August 15, 2018, 07:32:21 AM
All I can offer you is some speculation and maybe a couple of things to try -- a shot in the dark, so to speak.

Thanks for the help!
I'll look at the ICE/Keep-alive/times on the OBi. Do you know where these are or what to try when setting them?
The only thing I quickly found when looking at the Internet settings on the configuration page is PPPoEKeepAlive set to 60.
I'm getting a Wi-Fi adapter in the mail tomorrow to try to connect the OBi directly to the hotspot and bypass the router.

I already have the same GV account set up on my laptop and spare cell phone that is connected to Wi-Fi and these always ring and can make outgoing calls.

I'll look into getting a SIP account from another provider, but I'm hoping to stick with GV. A cellphone is available to use 911, but it has a limited amount of minutes for other calls, and I would prefer to use the landline handset to make calls at the house.

A_Friend

Bear in mind I have no idea if any of these will actually help.

Check out the settings under ITSP/General, ITSP/SIP, and possibly more relevant:  SP1.

Also, bear in mind, that you'll possibly be paying for additional traffic if you speed up the handshakes.  Depending on what your deal is with the hotspot, this may or may not be significant.

You might also want to search this site, and Google, for any incidents of folks needing to change any keep-alive type settings, timeouts, etc. to support an Obi device on a shaky network (or vice versa).  They might have posted something more specific than my general speculations.

As for the suggestion you try another SIP provider (and maybe keep one around for 911), that was partly for pure diagnostic purposes, and partly just because I like having backups for things I need to work.

B0b.

I just got the WiFi adapter and connected it directly to the hotspot then disconnected the Ethernet. Once WiFi was connected, the test calls went though, but then after waiting 10 minutes or so then placing another test call I got the same error message again.

@A_Friend, I looked for the settings you mentioned, but unfortunately, am still unsure of where they are, what they do, or what to set them to.

When I get the message on the phone, then login to the OBi Dashboard, it still says that the device is connected. Is this being displayed incorrectly?

A_Friend

Quote from: B0b. on August 16, 2018, 10:08:05 PM
I just got the WiFi adapter and connected it directly to the hotspot then disconnected the Ethernet. Once WiFi was connected, the test calls went though, but then after waiting 10 minutes or so then placing another test call I got the same error message again.

@A_Friend, I looked for the settings you mentioned, but unfortunately, am still unsure of where they are, what they do, or what to set them to.

When I get the message on the phone, then login to the OBi Dashboard, it still says that the device is connected. Is this being displayed incorrectly?

The "connected" message on the Obitalk dashboard is just talking about the dashboard being able to communicate with the device.  It says nothing about whether your device is attached to the carrier (GV).  For that, you need to read the Status of the device.  (Forgive me, but I'm not a big dashboard fan, so I tend to do everything through the local user interface, but you may also be able to access this under ObiExpert from the Dashboard.  Just don't try using the ObiExpert and local UI routines at the same time.)

To access the local User Interface, you need the IP address of the Obi on your LAN, and you need another computer, tablet, or other gizmo with a browser on the same LAN.  To find the IP address, you pick up the phone, dial *** and then 1.  Then, browse to that address and login.  (admin/admin)

The Status screen displays as the first thing when it comes up.  The menu is at left where you can look at other things and settings.  Scroll down the Status screen and it will show you which SP is connected, which isn't, and sometimes why.

Then, under Status, at left, you might want to check Call History for more clues.  There will be error codes for failed calls.

After you find out what's happening, maybe someone else can help you.  I haven't had this problem myself on an Obihai before.  Years ago, though, when I was running Nextiva on a PAP2T, I remember tech support had me change similar settings for a similar problem.  Something is letting your connection expire.  That's where my useful wisdom on this subject expires, too.  Under SP1 you'll find some settings for keep_alive.  I don't know what to change or what to suggest changing it to, but if you do some research, and experiment a bit, maybe you'll get lucky.  Just make a note of what the setting was when you started.  Or, better yet, maybe someone else here can tell you.

You also might get some useful information from your hotspot service's tech support, but probably not from its level 1, although you never know.  I never got anything useful out of AT&T, Verizon, etc., without getting to level 3.  Good luck.

SteveInWA

Quote from: A_Friend on August 15, 2018, 07:32:21 AM
All I can offer you is some speculation and maybe a couple of things to try -- a shot in the dark, so to speak.

My guess, based on your description of what you're seeing and what you've tried already, is that this may have something to do with keeping the connection alive, most likely at the hotspot, but who knows.  You may eventually have to shorten up all the ICE/keep-alive/time-to-whatever/etc. settings on the Obi in order to keep the hotspot awake.  Whether or not the router is getting involved or losing awareness that it doesn't have a live connection at some critical juncture, is another mystery.

For starters, though, why don't you isolate the hotspot and see how that's performing on its own?  Configure your GV to work through Chat or Hangouts and use a laptop directly connected to the hotspot via wifi to make and receive some calls.  Or download the GV app for an Android tablet or phone and use that through wifi.  If for some reason that's solid and stays up for a day or three, then you can start fiddling with the Obi and/or your router.  But, first steps first.

Another thing to try:  Get a SIP account from another provider and see how that works on your current setup.  Circlenet can give you a DID with 911 for $1.50 a month.  You should probably have 911 service anyway.  Callcentric will give you a free account for SIP only dialing, sell you 911 for $1.50 a month, and possibly is still giving away random DID numbers in NY State with free incoming usage.  (Overall, Circlenet is still cheaper, especially if you're making outgoing PSTN calls, and is giving away $1 free usage to Obitalk denizens.)  Personally, I'm also a big fan (and user) of voip.ms, but their minimum funding amount is $25, and you can't do much without being funded.

Disclaimer:  I have no idea what's going on with your setup, but that's what I would try in your position.

OMG, this is the biggest case of male answer syndrome/mansplaing yet.  You are just pulling answers out of your ass, and even admitting they are just speculation, or you don't really know.  If you don't know, then DON'T answer the freaking question.  It wastes the OP's time and accomplishes nothing.

The OP clearly stated that it failed when calling the OBiTALK test number.  This proves that it has nothing whatsoever to do with Google Voice, nor any service provider settings.

There are no "keep-alive" settings for the OBi's network connection.  From the standpoint of the physical, datalink, network and transport layers, it's just an ordinary Ethernet TCP/IP connection between the hotspot and the connected device.  Keep-alive is a VoIP concept, and it is irrelevant here, because a) the device is failing regardless of which service provider it is using, and b) the OBiTALK portal (which you continually dismiss) automatically sets the correct, custom keep-alive values for Google Voice, that should not be tampered with.  If this forum would accept screenshots, I'd post the settings, but there is no reason that they would be incorrect, as long as the user is not messing with them.

The issue is with the reliability of the hotspot connection, not any setting in the OBi device.

Bottom line:   using a hotspot for this is a crapshoot.  If it works, great; if not, tough luck.

A_Friend

So, Steve, to sum up...

If YOU don't have an answer for someone who posts a problem, no one should try to help?

Look, I know you're a very valuable resource here and have helped numerous people for a number of years, and being one of them, I greatly appreciate that.  And, maybe it's your OCD that motivates you to help, and I hope you stay motivated, but it's also clearly the reason that my apparently feeble and not self-assured responses are getting under your skin.

Why don't we leave it to the OP to curse me out for wasting their time, or whatever?  Aren't there other posters you could be helping right now?

Yes, the ethernet connection is dropping.  Some hotspots disconnect connections if they're not actively being polled.  Forcing the VoIP connection to be more aggressive MIGHT (just might!) keep it from disconnecting.  At least that's the theory behind my response.  Having played with 4 hotspots from 4 different carriers over the years, and having used the WiMax one to support a whole-house LAN (including an Obi202) a number of years ago in a setup not unlike the poster, I think I'm entitled to my suspicion as to what MIGHT be going on, if not exactly what to do about it.  So, it's not ENTIRELY random.

LTN1

I see this "I need to answer syndrome" (applies to both genders) all the time on social media. It is especially unhelpful when it has no evidentiary support and is wrong.

I think the "I need to answer syndrome" has to do with the need to be heard than the need to be helpful.

A_Friend

LTN1, perhaps, as you're responding to this thread, you could offer some advice or encouragement to Bob.  Wouldn't that be more productive, and on-subject, than your message?

You're clearly more experienced than I am and have certainly helped many people over the years in this forum.  I'm sure he'd be very grateful, as I have been when you've helped me.

B0b.

Quote from: A_Friend on August 16, 2018, 10:38:33 PM

The "connected" message on the Obitalk dashboard is just talking about the dashboard being able to communicate with the device.  It says nothing about whether your device is attached to the carrier (GV).  For that, you need to read the Status of the device.  (Forgive me, but I'm not a big dashboard fan, so I tend to do everything through the local user interface, but you may also be able to access this under ObiExpert from the Dashboard.  Just don't try using the ObiExpert and local UI routines at the same time.)

To access the local User Interface, you need the IP address of the Obi on your LAN, and you need another computer, tablet, or other gizmo with a browser on the same LAN.  To find the IP address, you pick up the phone, dial *** and then 1.  Then, browse to that address and login.  (admin/admin)

The Status screen displays as the first thing when it comes up.  The menu is at left where you can look at other things and settings.  Scroll down the Status screen and it will show you which SP is connected, which isn't, and sometimes why.

Then, under Status, at left, you might want to check Call History for more clues.  There will be error codes for failed calls.

After you find out what's happening, maybe someone else can help you.  I haven't had this problem myself on an Obihai before.  Years ago, though, when I was running Nextiva on a PAP2T, I remember tech support had me change similar settings for a similar problem.  Something is letting your connection expire.  That's where my useful wisdom on this subject expires, too.  Under SP1 you'll find some settings for keep_alive.  I don't know what to change or what to suggest changing it to, but if you do some research, and experiment a bit, maybe you'll get lucky.  Just make a note of what the setting was when you started.  Or, better yet, maybe someone else here can tell you.

You also might get some useful information from your hotspot service's tech support, but probably not from its level 1, although you never know.  I never got anything useful out of AT&T, Verizon, etc., without getting to level 3.  Good luck.

Thank you A_Friend for all your help! I am just trying different things myself to try to fix it and any guidance (even if speculation) is helpful.

I was looking at the local user interface before and at the call history, but I didn't know what to change. I'll do some more research.

On the call history page, when a call fails it always says "Time | From PH1 | to SP1(*Number*)"
then on the next line it is blank with "Call Ended" in the right column. It is at the same second that the call is placed.
When a call goes through, he call history page says "ringing" then "Call Connected" at different times.

Right now, any call I make does go through except two, so I will have to wait to try some different keep alive settings until it isn't working anymore.
During the two calls that didn't go through, I took screenshots of the call status page. This was before it gave the error message over the phone. Usually the "The number you dialed, has not received a response from the service provider" message is said 30 seconds or so after I try to place the call. The second picture is while the error message is being said on the phone.

Can pictures be attached? I'm having trouble adding the screenshots.
edit: Ah, I see there are still issues with the forum attachment software since July 1.

Basically the screenshots say while calling:
Quote
Call 1.......................Terminal 1.........Terminal 2
Terminal ID...............Phone1.............SP1
State........................trying...............calling
Peer Name      
Peer Number..............1*******751....1*******751
Start Time.................15:43:48..........15:43:48
Duration....................00:00:17..........00:00:17
Direction....................Outbound.........Outbound
Peer RTP Address...............................0.0.0.0:0
Local RTP Address..............................192.168.1.151:16612
RTP Transport................................... UDP
Audio Codec.......................................tx=; rx=
RTP Packetization (ms)........................tx=0; r=0
RTP Packet Count............................... tx=0; r=0
RTP Byte Count..................................tx=0; r=0

*Everything else is blank.

And while hearing the error message:
Quote
Call 1.......................Terminal 1.........Terminal 2
Terminal ID...............Phone1.............Announcement1
State........................connected.........connected
Peer Name      
Peer Number..............****751
Start Time   ................16:14:10...........16:14:10
Duration....................00:00:03...........00:00:03
Direction....................Outbound..........Inbound
Peer RTP Address      
Local RTP Address      
RTP Transport      
Audio Codec      
RTP Packetization (ms)      
RTP Packet Count      
RTP Byte Count      

Everything after Direction is blank
I thought it was interesting that the phone number country code and area code was removed while playing the error message.

The SP1 Service Status always says:
Quote
Status............................ Connected
Primary Proxy Server........
Secondary ProxyServer.....
CallState.......................  0 Active Calls

Unless I'm on a call or hearing the error message, then it says:
Status............................ Connected
Primary Proxy Server........
Secondary ProxyServer.....
CallState.......................  1 Active Calls

A_Friend

B0b,

At this point, I don't have any advice, only more questions.

The Peer RTP host being 0.0.0.0 would seem to indicate you don't have a server connection for that call, and yet your Status says Connected?  Sounds a bit like the host (GV) is just refusing to place that call for you for some reason.

And, these two phone numbers you're unable to call, is that consistent?  Like if you redial them, you get the same results?

Also, you mentioned that the error readback is not saying the full number, but stripping the country code?  Is the country code not "1"?  That's interesting.  Those "the number you have dialed" messages are typically either exactly what you dialed, or what your dial plan and outbound call route have translated them into.  If an overseas country code or an area code is getting stripped, that's probably happening right in your device.  Check those settings.

And speaking of country codes...  Are you dialing outside of North America on Google Voice, and if so, have you funded your account?

There's one other charge-related failure I read about a couple years ago, although it concerned "Magic Jack" and not Google Voice.  Apparently, there are some telephone exchanges that charge extraordinarily large incoming connection fees to complete a call.  Magic Jack had blacklisted them and wouldn't connect to them as it ruined whatever passed for their business model.

While I have no idea whether Google Voice does this, you might want to run those numbers through this and see if it's some tiny/unusual company:  https://freecarrierlookup.com/

B0b.

Quote from: A_Friend on August 19, 2018, 04:28:29 PM
B0b,

At this point, I don't have any advice, only more questions.



A_Friend,
Yes, the status on the System Status page under SP1 Service Status always says connected.

It is any number I try to call. It seems random whether it connects or gives the error message. It is also random if the phone rings for incoming calls.

If I redial the same number (for testing, I'm calling my local T-Mobile cell phone ending in 751 in the quotes above), half the time it will go through, the other half it will give the error message again. Other times, the call will go through right away without the error message. While writing this rely, I just tried it again and got the error message  4 times in a row, then restarted the OBi.

Right after I restart the OBi, it almost always goes through. When the call does go through, I do get a Peer RTP Address as the phone is ringing, but as it is connecting and immediately before it starts ringing the Peer RTP Address is 0.0.0.0:0 .

I thought about the readback not saying the full number some more and realized that since it is a local number and I have the local area code entered in the dashboard, I usually don't dial in the area code for my local cell phone when calling it. I tried entering the full number with the area code and it read back the full number with the area code when I heard the error message again.
As you said, it reads back exactly what I dialed when it say the error message.  just when it connects, it automatically adds the 1 then the area code on the user interface page.

I'm not dialing outside North America, so i haven't funded my GV account.
As for the charge-related failure, I'm calling my cell phone, a local T-Mobile number. I have never had a problem calling T-Mobile numbers previously with GV or OBi when I had AT&T U-Verse.

https://freecarrierlookup.com/ does confirm my number is a T-Mobile wireless number.


SteveInWA

Again:  there is no such thing as a "keep alive".  The fact that OBiTALK network calls fail confirms that this is not a ITSP problem.  Period.  The error message you are hearing is generated by the OBi, not by any ISP/ITSP.

Remove the hotspot Internet service from the installation, connect the OBi to a non-wireless ISP, and see what happens.

B0b.

Quote from: SteveInWA on August 19, 2018, 09:30:23 PM
Again:  there is no such thing as a "keep alive".  The fact that OBiTALK network calls fail confirms that this is not a ITSP problem.  Period.  The error message you are hearing is generated by the OBi, not by any ISP/ITSP.

Remove the hotspot Internet service from the installation, connect the OBi to a non-wireless ISP, and see what happens.

I realize that the message is generated by the OBi. I am trying to figure out why the calls sometimes go through and sometimes do not connect with the hotspot.

When I had AT&T U-Verse internet (non-wireless ISP) a couple months ago, the OBi worked correctly. I do not have this U-Verse service any longer and am only using the hotspot for home internet.

SteveInWA

Why is this so hard to comprehend?  You proved it yourself.  It worked when connected to the Internet via U-Verse, but it is unreliable when using the hotspot.  The failures are because you are using a connection that is guaranteed to fail at some point, every day.

B0b.

Quote from: SteveInWA on August 19, 2018, 09:55:28 PM
Why is this so hard to comprehend?  You proved it yourself.  It worked when connected to the Internet via U-Verse, but it is unreliable when using the hotspot.  The failures are because you are using a connection that is guaranteed to fail at some point, every day.

It is "so hard to comprehend" because the hotspot connection works for all other connected devices at the time when the OBi doesn't connect. I can even place a call using the same GV account on the GV app on the computer or GV / Hangouts on a smartphone connected to the same hotspot.

I am not asking if the hotspot is causing the calls to not go through. I am asking why the hotspot is causing the calls to not go through with the OBi.

I posted the question here to try different settings to try to get the OBi to work with the hotspot, not hear "tough luck".