OBi2182 with Comcast

[RodgerDJr]

Good Morning,

I am new to VoIP so please bear with me.  I recently purchased an Obi2182 with the hope that I could use this with Google Voice and my existing Xfinity phone service.

I needed to replace my Xfinity modem the other day and while I was in the store I asked if I could just plug in my VoIP phone to the network and it work and I was told yes it would work.  I told them it was a VoIP phone and I would be connecting it to the network port.  I am sure you already know where I am going.  Well that did not work.  I get a dial tone but it will not dial out.  I am sure there is some setup that I need to do.  I did get Google Voice setup and working in about 2 minutes.  I have two Google Voice Numbers and have them both working on the phone. 

My question is can I set this up to work with my existing phone service from Xfinity(Comcast) or will it only work if I am a business customer as I am thinking I need a SIP trunk for this to work.   

Again I am new to VoIP so I might not have the terms correct.

Thank you again for your time and any help you might be able to offer.

Rodger

[drgeoff]

You would need the SIP details to configure the OBi device to work with your Comcast VoIP service.  As a minimum that is the URL of the SIP server/registrar, the user ID and the user authorisation (ie password).

I don't know how you obtain those.

[RodgerDJr]

Thank you that is what I thought I would need.  I am not sure if they will give those out.  Not sure why, but I think I have what I have.  At least it is working with Google Voice and that was my primary reason for getting the phone.  I have a technician coming out tomorrow for an internet issue I am having.  When I spoke with comcast support telling them what I wanted they told me I could talk to the technician about it.  I am pretty sure they did not understand what I was asking.  They told me they added it to the work order for tomorrow so he would know I would be asking about it. 

I will post whatever I find out tomorrow.

Thank you,
Rodger

[SteveInWA]

Comcast's phone service does not provide you with SIP credentials.  You can't use it on anything other than one of their approved cable modems or MTAs.  You can't use the 2182.

In theory, you could port out your Comcast Xfinity phone number to some other service provider.  However, if you intend to remain a Comcast customer, the incremental cost for their phone service is less than you'd pay elsewhere for the same level of service.

[RodgerDJr]

OK good to know.  Really I was just trying to keep one less thing on my desk.  If I could have the number on the phone great if not no big deal.  I could always forward the number to one of my google numbers if I really wanted to.  It was more of a convenience thing for me.  I only have the phone for the house alarm and for the most part I use my cell phone or google voice as I do not get the greatest reception in my house. 

Overall I like the phone so far.  I have speed numbers setup, I would like to import my phonebook but that is separate topic.  I might post later. 

Thank you everyone.

Rodger

[jccpa]

If you wanted to add Obi212 to the mix, you can connect the Comcast phone line after the modem (analog at that point) and then link the 212 to the 2182.

You can forward the obi212 PSTN line and then the 2182 can route calls out over the PSTN.

We just worked this configuration out here the past few days.

[RodgerDJr]

I saw that.  I was interested in that.  I might do that but for now I have a wireless handset that i am using so it is not that big of a deal. 

What I might do is port the line to a service and then use the OBi212 for the home line.  I only have the Xfinity number because of our alarm and I know that is even old technology as cellular would be better.  But we pay less than $10 a month for monitoring.  Hummm maybe even port the number over to a Google Voice number.  Something to think about.  We are under a contract with Xfinity for a few more months maybe when it is over I will do this. 

Thanks,
Rodger