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Need help adding an Obi200 to my Dashboard

Started by BlueObi, August 18, 2020, 12:19:35 AM

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BlueObi

After 3 days of trying multiple things, I simply cannot add my Obi200 to the Obi Dashboard.  I thought perhaps the server was down over the weekend and would be restored today (Monday).  No joy.

Device(s) - Obi200, Asus RT-AC68W Router, Arris SB8200, ISP is Spectrum

**9 222 222 222 works fine.  Echo test is perfect.  **5 XXXX fails every time.

Updated to latest firmware (Obi200 and Asus Router)

Factory reset the Obi numerous times.  Tried both DHCP & Static IP on the Obi200

Changed the DNS servers multiple times 4.2.2.2, 8.8.8.8, etc.

Enabled/Disabled SIP Passthrough a few times on the router

Set the OBi200 IP as my router's DMZ (was hammered with hits to port 5060 within 24 hours)

Factory reset and then connected the OBi directly to a separate wireless client (TP-Link WR802N) connected to my phone's wifi hotspot.  Echo worked fine.  No luck on dashboard.  Manually updated DNS to 4.2.2.2.  Still no luck

In every instance, the **9 echo test works fine, but the **5 XXXX will NOT work to connect the device to my dashboard on ObiTalk.

It seems like this is on the ObiTalk server side.  Not sure what else to try!

Can this be setup for Google Voice without getting this onto the Obi dashboard?  If so, would someone please point me to detailed instructions for the setup?  The instructions I have been able to find each include "first add it to your dashboard..."  :(

Any help would be appreciated.

drgeoff

1. No you cannot cannot configure an OBi with GV without using the dashboard.

2.  Take the OBi to somewhere else (eg a friend's house) preferably on a different Internet Service Provider and try adding to your dashboard and configuring for GV there.  If that works take it back to home and try making and receiving GV calls.  If those calls fail there is something up with your router or ISP.

BlueObi

Quote from: drgeoff on August 18, 2020, 09:35:28 AM
1. No you cannot cannot configure an OBi with GV without using the dashboard.

2.  Take the OBi to somewhere else (eg a friend's house) preferably on a different Internet Service Provider and try adding to your dashboard and configuring for GV there.  If that works take it back to home and try making and receiving GV calls.  If those calls fail there is something up with your router or ISP.
Thanks drgeoff!

1. Too bad the Obi cannot be manually configured for GV.  That would be worth manually updating a bunch of settings to make it work.

2. I effectively took the OBi elsewhere by connecting the Obi to my travel wired Ethernet to Wifi adapter connected through my phone's WiFi hotspot - The OBi200 is connected directly to the internet via a completely different ISP, eliminating my home network and router from the equation.

New additional question - Is there a hidden "ringback" feature on a server somewhere?  The Obi initiates a call and/or sends a packet and hangs up.  Then the other side calls the Obi back?  Seems like this is what the server is trying to do when adding the Obi to the dashboard, but maybe this would confirm that the dashboard add is down/broken/etc.?

drgeoff

#3
Quote from: BlueObi on August 18, 2020, 10:26:53 AM
New additional question - Is there a hidden "ringback" feature on a server somewhere?  The Obi initiates a call and/or sends a packet and hangs up.  Then the other side calls the Obi back?  Seems like this is what the server is trying to do when adding the Obi to the dashboard, but maybe this would confirm that the dashboard add is down/broken/etc.?
No that is not like what happens.

What do you hear on the phone and what message on the dashboard page in response to dialling the **5 nnnn ?

BlueObi

It says something like: "The number you have dialed star star 5 N N N N" has been sent to the server."   If I do not hang up, it will repeat the message 3 times before automatically disconnecting the phone line. (I am not at home until late tonight, so the phrase may not be exact)

The Dashboard will count down to zero, then gives the following message saying it failed to connect:

Quote from: OBi DashboardFailed to connect to your device. Please check your device's internet connection:
1. Check to be sure the OBi device's power LED solid green. If the power light (LED) is blinking green, that means the OBi can't get an IP address from your router. Verify the Ethernet cable is securely connected to the OBi and the router. If available check if there is a link light (LED) on the router port where the Ethernet cable connects. If the LED behavior appears to be faulty, try another Ethernet cable.

2. Can you call **9-222-222-222 ? If not, make sure your router's firewall is not blocking traffic from the OBi. Click Here for more.

3. If you are using a Westell / Actiontec router, you MUST disable the firewall. Click Here for more.

Click Try Again or click Cancel to return to the device list.

drgeoff

Quote from: BlueObi on August 18, 2020, 01:30:26 PM
It says something like: "The number you have dialed star star 5 N N N N" has been sent to the server."   If I do not hang up, it will repeat the message 3 times before automatically disconnecting the phone line. (I am not at home until late tonight, so the phrase may not be exact)

The Dashboard will count down to zero, then gives the following message saying it failed to connect:

Quote from: OBi DashboardFailed to connect to your device. Please check your device's internet connection:
1. Check to be sure the OBi device's power LED solid green. If the power light (LED) is blinking green, that means the OBi can't get an IP address from your router. Verify the Ethernet cable is securely connected to the OBi and the router. If available check if there is a link light (LED) on the router port where the Ethernet cable connects. If the LED behavior appears to be faulty, try another Ethernet cable.

2. Can you call **9-222-222-222 ? If not, make sure your router's firewall is not blocking traffic from the OBi. Click Here for more.

3. If you are using a Westell / Actiontec router, you MUST disable the firewall. Click Here for more.

Click Try Again or click Cancel to return to the device list.
If the box for "I want to configure Google Voice on this device." is ticked try unticking it before proceeding.  If that succeeds you can configure GV subsequently.

SteveInWA

What is the provenance (origin/authenticity) of this OBi 200?  Did you recently buy it new, from an authorized retailer, or is if from a private seller on eBay or Craigslist, or has it been used before by somebody else who sold/gave it to you, or ??

Taoman

#7
Quote from: BlueObi on August 18, 2020, 10:26:53 AM
but maybe this would confirm that the dashboard add is down/broken/etc.?

I just deleted my OBi202 device from the dashboard. I then added it back without issue so I'm pretty sure the OBiTALK servers are working normally. I unchecked the Google Voice checkbox before adding it as I don't use GV on that OBi device.

Note: I use an Asus RT-AC68U (flashed with Merlin firmware) with an Arris SB6183 modem on Comcast.

drgeoff

Quote from: SteveInWA on August 18, 2020, 02:38:30 PM
What is the provenance (origin/authenticity) of this OBi 200?  Did you recently buy it new, from an authorized retailer, or is if from a private seller on eBay or Craigslist, or has it been used before by somebody else who sold/gave it to you, or ??
Trying to add a device that has previously been added to a different account and not deleted from it will give the specific reply from the Obitalk server - "The device has joined the network before, under another user's account."  That is not what the OP is experiencing.

SteveInWA

Quote from: drgeoff on August 18, 2020, 02:59:48 PM
Quote from: SteveInWA on August 18, 2020, 02:38:30 PM
What is the provenance (origin/authenticity) of this OBi 200?  Did you recently buy it new, from an authorized retailer, or is if from a private seller on eBay or Craigslist, or has it been used before by somebody else who sold/gave it to you, or ??
Trying to add a device that has previously been added to a different account and not deleted from it will give the specific reply from the Obitalk server - "The device has joined the network before, under another user's account."  That is not what the OP is experiencing.

That's not what I was exploring.  There is a scenario whereby a device can' be added, which exhibits the exact symptom the OP describes.  It can only be fixed by contacting Poly support.

BlueObi

Thanks all for the responses!

Quote from: drgeoff on August 18, 2020, 02:29:38 PMIf the box for "I want to configure Google Voice on this device." is ticked try unticking it before proceeding.  If that succeeds you can configure GV subsequently.

I have tried several times with and without the GV checkbox ticked.  No joy either way.


Quote from: SteveInWA on August 18, 2020, 02:38:30 PM
What is the provenance (origin/authenticity) of this OBi 200?  Did you recently buy it new, from an authorized retailer, or is if from a private seller on eBay or Craigslist, or has it been used before by somebody else who sold/gave it to you, or ??

I bought it "new" from a storefront on eBay (the day after Amazon sold out...)  It was listed as new, and appeared to be new upon basic inspection (i.e. Still in plastic sleeves, smelled new and the cable twist-ties did not look to be removed and reapplied).  Unfortunately, there is no way to truly know if it was indeed new/never used, surplus, etc. 


Quote from: SteveInWA on August 18, 2020, 03:58:45 PMThat's not what I was exploring.  There is a scenario whereby a device can't be added, which exhibits the exact symptom the OP describes.  It can only be fixed by contacting Poly support.

If others are successfully removing/adding devices today, then it must be my box and Poly Support is needed.  I found the help link and submitted a ticket, including the Obi #, MAC and S/N.  Hopefully, this will be easily resolved in a day or so... Or I find out this unit was stolen and a whole new adventure begins. :/

drgeoff

Yes, beginning to look like although perhaps new and unused this is not a unit that was intended for a retail end user but for an ITSP or corporate user who would be doing their own provisioning, not using the ordinary dashboard at obitalk.com.  (See eg Zero-Touch Device Customization, page 11 of https://www.obitalk.com/info/documents/provisioning/OBiProvisioningGuide.pdf.)

If that is indeed the case then the only options are to seek assistance from Obi Tech Support or return the item to the seller.

Please post again when and how this is resolved.

BlueObi

Latest update...

Quote from: Poly SupportThank you for contacting Poly Customer Care.

In response to your query, we regret to inform that we can't help on this.

Please contact the service provider to get better assistance.

Huh?   This does not bode well.

SteveInWA

Return it to the seller.  Never buy OBiTALK products from eBay or Craigslist.

drgeoff

Quote from: BlueObi on August 21, 2020, 11:31:36 AM
Latest update...

Quote from: Poly SupportThank you for contacting Poly Customer Care.

In response to your query, we regret to inform that we can't help on this.

Please contact the service provider to get better assistance.

Huh?   This does not bode well.
That seems to be Poly support confirming that this unit was supplied to an ITSP.

BlueObi

Closing the loop on this one...

1. I sent the OBi200 unit back for a refund.

2. I found an OBi202 on Amazon sold by Obi at a reasonable price with free Prime shipping. (Only available through an Amazon Business account).  The new OBi202 set up just fine with zero issues.  It is working well with GV :D

3. Even though I had already sent back the OBi200, I called and talked to Poly/OBi Support.  They confirmed that it was indeed a unit sold to an ITSP and it is locked.  Poly/Obi can not help with these at all. The tech support people actually no way to know who that ITSP is, either.  Apparently, it is meant to be a true black box to them to be supported only by the ITSP to whom the units were sold.

For anyone else thinking of buying a unit on eBay or other non-official channels - ask the seller for the OBi number and then contact Poly Support with that number to see if it is a number they do or do not support.  The tech support guy said that this is the best way to go.

Further news - Poly/OBi has no intention of dropping the OBi200.  The tech support guy said that they were having big supply chain issues right now and trouble getting components, so production is way behind.  They plan to get the OBi200's back out there as soon as they can get the raw materials to do so...

Thanks again to drgeoff and SteveInWA for your help through this adventure.

Taoman

Quote from: BlueObi on September 02, 2020, 02:33:06 PM

Further news - Poly/OBi has no intention of dropping the OBi200.  The tech support guy said that they were having big supply chain issues right now and trouble getting components, so production is way behind.  They plan to get the OBi200's back out there as soon as they can get the raw materials to do so...

Thanks for posting this. Good to know.

drgeoff

Quote from: BlueObi on September 02, 2020, 02:33:06 PM...The tech support guy said that they were having big supply chain issues right now and trouble getting components, so production is way behind. ...
That's a completely different story to the "we have plenty in our warehouse" in http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=17322.msg104877#msg104877.  At least one Poly employee is singing from the wrong hymn sheet.

SteveInWA

The linked post drgeoff provided is the correct and official response from Poly management.  Whatever other answer might have been given is probably either partially or fully incorrect.

BlueObi

I was not trying to create issues as to who at OBi said what.  With Amazon and other sales channels devoid of stock, I took the opportunity to ask the tech support guy about obsolescence and/or supply while he was on the phone.  I figured people here were also interested, so I simply passed along what the tech support guy said.

My main takeaway here is that Poly/Obi is not planning to discontinue the OBi ATAs, and they are working to get them back on the shelf.