Obi200 -- Flashing Green Power Light, Device Offline, Cant Force Firmware Update

[Jinxie]

I'm a basic user.  My unit has worked flawlessly since installing.  Returned from vacation and it no longer works.  Status is offline.  Tried resetting unit, router, etc., resetting Google Voice lines, to no avail. 

Seems like a firmware update issue (as there was no other catalyst that I can think of), but unsure.  Cannot force an update -- or at least cannot figure out how to do so.

As I don't see any other recent posts on topic, and none of the answers to many such past posts worked, maybe my unit is bad.  This sucks.

Thanks a million for any help!

[drgeoff]

1.  Delete the redundant copies of your post.

2. Try a different ethernet cable between your OBi and a different LAN socket on your router.

3. Dial ***1. What is read out to you?

[Jinxie]

Thanks much.  

Answers to your question:  

Your IP address is not available.
Your DHCP is enabled.

Many thanks again.

[drgeoff]

See my updated reply above.

[Jinxie]

There was some sort of error in the process of submitting post, thus redundancy.  In any event, I removed them before seeing your message.

I already tried a different cable and power adapter, to no avail.

I ordered another unit since I bought mine within 30 days, though don't know how that will play out.  This is my business line, thus the urgency.  Get bad cell reception at home.  (With that said, Obi200 reception is poor too, despite fact that I have MESH system with repeaters.  But that issue is for another day ...)

Thanks for your continued help; much appreciated.

[drgeoff]

If your router is a separate item from your modem, try the following test. (You cannot do it if you have a single router plus modem unit.)

Disconnect the router from the modem and instead connect the modem and OBi200 with an ethernet cable.  Reboot the OBi.

If the OBi's power LED still flashes after a few seconds then yes it looks like the OBi has a hardware fault.

If the OBi's power LED becomes steady, try calling the echo test number **9 222 222 222.  If that works the OBi200 is OK. Probably something amiss with the router's DHCP server.

[Jinxie]

Hey thanks much, but I don't have a standalone modem, so not an option.  I guess I am out of alternatives unless anyone else has any ideas.  Do you think it could be the last firmware?  Or if electricity went out during update?  We did have an outage last week, but the phone and Obi200 continued to work after as I recall.

Thanks for all.

[SteveInWA]

Since you have a combo modem+router (known as a MTA), then the next best test would be:

• Unplug ALL of the Ethernet cables from the MTA's LAN side.
• Power the MTA and the OBi off.  Plug a known-good Ethernet cable from the OBi's Ethernet jack to one of the MTA's LAN jacks.
• After waiting at least 10 seconds, power on the MTA again.  Give it plenty of time to come back online.
• Power on the OBi and watch its LEDs.  Eventually, the power LED should stop blinking.
• Pick up the phone and key in ***1.  Did the OBi get an IP address?

[Jinxie]

Steve, you got it, thanks!  Should have thought to do that.  My wife turned off the 5ghz on the MTA so I could reconnect some smart bulbs after the outage, and I didn't tell her to turn it back on.  Consequently, the MESH extenders apparently weren't working, which the Ubi200 relies on.

On an unrelated note, people are complaining that my voice falls out for seconds at a time.  I don't notice that happening but rarely on my end.  To troubleshoot, should I start a new thread?

Thanks for the solid help.  I feel stupid in retrospect, though I did identify properly that I am a "basic" user, a "very basic user," haha.

[SteveInWA]

Humph; I didn't think to ask if you were using WiFi for your OBi connection, but I am glad you figured it out.

Your choppy/dropout symptom is caused by the WiFi connection.  I have the same problem with one of my OBi 2182 IP phones.  The WiFi adapters in these things just aren't good enough for reliable use, especially with the 5GHz signals that have weaker propagation.  If you can run an Ethernet cable to the OBi, even if it means moving the OBi near the MTA, that would be better.