Newbie Setup Help OBI202

[vich]

I have a few questions.  My current setup is a OBI202 and curently have 2 GV accounts set up and connect my OBI202 to a 4 line RCA 25423/24 4 line analog phone.

I have Line 1 and Line 2 joined in a splitter to connect to the RCA and Line 1 and 2 work great.

Most calls come into Line 1 and if busy forward to line 2.  If 2 is busy of no answer then GV picks up as voice mail.

Ultimately I want to add some IP phones.  What is a recommendation for a decent 4 line IP phone and the best place to get it, I have used MetrolineDirect in the past.  Do not need answering service, may try using AA at some point.

I would like to add some more GV line and am not sure how to do so.  My Questions are,

1. can I add another GV SIP (3) and (4) and make it work through my 4 port analog phone.  Looking at the jacks (Line1 and Line2) on the OBI202 they both have 4 contacts each which typically support 2 lines.

2.  Even If I can't do #1 can I add a 3rd SIP and get to it through line 1 or 2 on my analog phone by **3(phone Number).  If so How would I do that .  I tried and it had me key in **5 #### but it just stuck there.  I am sure I need to get my GGV number in there somehow.

I would appreciate anyone's help on this.

[CoalMinerRetired]

> I have Line 1 and Line 2 joined in a splitter to connect to the RCA and Line 1 and 2 work great.

An FYI, the electrical connection on the "Phone 1"/Line 1 jack on an Obi202 carries both Line 1 and Line 2 signals, just like a two-line POTS modular connection. So if you have a two line modular phone cord, and plug in into a two-line analog phone you get two lines in one cable.

I don't see this discussed a lot on here, and I think it's not well known.

[lhm.]

Interesting, would that apply to the Obi100 as well?

[CoalMinerRetired]

Interesting, would that apply to the Obi100 as well?

I don't see that it can because an Obi100 has only one Physical line port. Note that I was talking about analog phone line signals, not two SP1/SP2 voice services that feed into one analog line port.

Edit: added feed into one analog line port.

[lhm.]

Thanks for clarifying.

[vich]

> An FYI, the electrical connection on the "Phone 1"/Line 1 jack on an Obi202 carries both >Line 1 and Line 2 signals, just like a two-line POTS modular connection. So if you have a two >line modular phone cord, and plug in into a two-line analog phone you get two lines in one >cable.

Coalminerretired, Thanks for the quick reply.  Does that mean I should be able to drive 2 lines out of Phone 1 and 2 of Phone 2.

If so How do I configure?  I've read a lot but just not seeing it.  I have SP1 using Phone 1 and SP2  is using Phone 2.  How would I switch SP2 to the second pair on Phone 1.  Then I could set up SP3 and SP4 out of Phone 2 for the other additional lines.

Browsing around I suspect it has something to do with the VOICE SERVICE, X_InboundCallRoute parameter.  Haven't found what to change it to yet.

Thanks for the help

[CoalMinerRetired]

In my testing, this only works on Physical "Phone 1" port. There is no configuration needed.

I think there is some misunderstanding here. SP1/SP2 are Voice Services normally configured to user the jack/port for Phone 1, i.e., commonly called on here Line 1 or Phone 1.

SP3 and SP4 are voice services normally configured to use the jack/port for Phone 2, i.e., commonly called Line 2 or Phone 2.

I'm not referring to the SP1/SP2/SP3/SP4 services, I'm talking about the physical Phone ports, #1 and #2.

What I'm saying is with no configuration needed, the jack/port for Phone 1 also carries the analog signals for Phone 2. So if you use a "two line" modular phone cable from the Obi's Phone 1 port to a compatible two-line analog phone with a compatible two-line phone port (usually labeled "L1/L2" on the analog phone), you get the analog electrical signals for two physical phone lines carried through one physical phone "modular" cable. 

I think the phone cords are formally named RJ14 (might be wrong on this point), and you get then at any radio shack/walmart/staples store. They are usually labeled "two line compatible."  IME very rarely in the last ten years are these "modular" cables supplied in one line format.

[vich]

CoalMinerRetired

If I follow you correctly I should plug a 4 wire RJ?? from the Phone 1 on the Obi202 into the Line 1/2 port on the RCA Phone.

Plug a second 4 line wire from the OBI202 Phone 2 to Line 3/4 on the RCA 4 line set.

After that How do I get SP2 to go out the 2 line of Phone 1 and get sp4 to go out the second line of phone 2 on the OBI.

Am I making any sense?

[Lavarock7]

I think the phone cords are formally named RJ14 (might be wrong on this point), and you get then at any radio shack/walmart/staples store. They are usually labeled "two line compatible."  IME very rarely in the last ten years are these "modular" cables supplied in one line format.

There are some single line cords out there. I see them supplied with some HP Fax machines, etc.

[CoalMinerRetired]

> Plug a second 4 line wire from the OBI202 Phone 2 to Line 3/4 on the RCA 4 line set.
No. The phone cord from Phone 1 also carries the signals for Phone 2.   With an Obi202, you still have only two physical, analog phone phone lines. Even with what I mentioned above, which is nothing more than a way to use one 'phone cord' instead of two.

> After that How do I get SP2 to go out the 2 line of Phone 1 and get sp4 to go out the second line of phone 2 on the OBI.
The normal configuration. Discussed at length on here, done via the ObiTalk portal, etc., etc.   

> Am I making any sense?
Based on the above you're still missing a few points.  See reply #8 above.

[vich]

I appreciate you hanging there with me.  So if I follow correctly

I can't get 4 useable lines to come out of the Phone 1 and Phone 2 on the OBI.

That's what I was hoping for I guess I'll have to buy 2 SIP phones.

Really appreciate the time, patience and help.

Thanks

[Felix]

vich,

I am clearly missing something obvious here... but what is the purpose of all this complexity? What are you trying to accomplish?

So, you have 2 GV accounts set up. Let's say you have single-line phone (not the fancy four-line phone that requires splitting). Let's assume it is connected to Phone1.

If GV1 calls - you pick your phone. If GV2 calls - you pick up your phone. If you are on one line, and another calls - you get call waiting. If you didn't pick up the phone it goes to voicemail.

Do you need two conversations going on simultaneously? You never mention that, and I don't want to assume. If so, you need two receivers. Whether they are two separate single-line phones, or two handsets of a two-line phone is really irrelevant.

Do you need to have more than two simultaneous conversations?

Anything else I am missing?

[vich]

Felix,  thanks for looking into this deeper.
Yes I can be using both lines at one time. 
My ultimate short term goal is to add 2 more GV numbers.
I have them set so if the main number is busy it forwards to the next phone (PH#)
I plan to have another person helping me who may get a call and like me put the person on. Hold and call another party to check on availability or status of what we are doing for the first caller.
.
I know I ultimately have to get some IP phones but I thought I read something that made me thing I could get all 4 lines going outbthrough the phone 1 & 2 port so I could have all 4 lines on my 4 line analog phone

[ianobi]

Most service providers allow two sessions on each line. A call coming in on one line can be put on hold and then an outgoing call can be made on the same line.

I don't use GV, so I'm not a GV expert, but I believe that this is true of GV. Try a few experiments; have an incoming call call on each of your GV lines, place one on hold and try to make an outgoing call. It may well work.

[vich]

Thanks ianobi,

I tried that with the 2 lines I have set up currently.  I could call out on line 1 connect to a phone, Press Flash and call out to another number.  Put those on hold and went to line 2 and could do the same thing.

I worry about using the flash because we may connect the calls an the calls are usally negotiations where I am the middle man.

Thus when I heard Line1 & 2 could come out of the Phone 1 jack.  I wondered could I get 3 &4 to come out the Phone 2 jack.  Then we can use hold instead of flash. (less chance of conferencing the 2 callers).

I plan on adding another person to help me so thus the other reason for wanting 4 lines.  If they get a call in, they can put on hold and do a quick call out and check on the other line.  The calls often involved going back and forth negotiating so I want to make sure I don't actually end up with both parties on the line on the same time.  Again hence the reason for 4 lines.

Does that make since?

Thanks for the your time and help.

[Lavarock7]

> Plug a second 4 line wire from the OBI202 Phone 2 to Line 3/4 on the RCA 4 line set.
No. The phone cord from Phone 1 also carries the signals for Phone 2.   With an Obi202, you still have only two physical, analog phone phone lines. Even with what I mentioned above, which is nothing more than a way to use one 'phone cord' instead of two.

> After that How do I get SP2 to go out the 2 line of Phone 1 and get sp4 to go out the second line of phone 2 on the OBI.
The normal configuration. Discussed at length on here, done via the ObiTalk portal, etc., etc.   

> Am I making any sense?
Based on the above you're still missing a few points.  See reply #8 above.

I would explain it as such:

Telephones usually use just 2 wires (commonly a red and a green wire shown as pins 2 and 3), called line 1. Wall jacks and other devices often have another pair (black and yellow), called line 2 (pins 1 and 4).



If you have a 2-line phone, both pairs of wires would be used in a single connector and 4 wire cord. Single line phones ignore pins 1 and 4.

So the Obi devices supply phone line 1 on pins 2 & 3 of port 1 and line 2 on pins 1 & 4 of the same port.

Obi supplies line 2 on pins 2 & 3 of port 2.

In the above picture, the Obi Line port #1 would be an rj-14 and line port 2 would be an rj-11.

[Felix]

Thanks ianobi,

I tried that with the 2 lines I have set up currently.  I could call out on line 1 connect to a phone, Press Flash and call out to another number.  Put those on hold and went to line 2 and could do the same thing.

I worry about using the flash because we may connect the calls an the calls are usally negotiations where I am the middle man.

Thus when I heard Line1 & 2 could come out of the Phone 1 jack.  I wondered could I get 3 &4 to come out the Phone 2 jack.  Then we can use hold instead of flash. (less chance of conferencing the 2 callers).

I plan on adding another person to help me so thus the other reason for wanting 4 lines.  If they get a call in, they can put on hold and do a quick call out and check on the other line.  The calls often involved going back and forth negotiating so I want to make sure I don't actually end up with both parties on the line on the same time.  Again hence the reason for 4 lines.

Does that make since?

Thanks for the your time and help.

Unfortunately, not to me... no.
It seems that your goal is to use 4 lines of your 4-line phone; in other words, you have a solution and are searching for the problem. Sorry for being so blunt. I suggest you think about the problem you are trying to solve.

So, let's go back to your answers.

My ultimate short term goal is to add 2 more GV numbers.

OK, you can do it now. You have two providers set up; OBi202 allows four...

I have them set so if the main number is busy it forwards to the next phone (PH#)

What do you mean by "main number is busy"? If the caller receives "busy signal", then the call didn't reach your home, and you can't forward it anywhere. Most SIP providers allow fallback number to be set on their website - I don't think Google Voice has this capability. But I am almost sure that you mean something else!

I plan to have another person helping me who may get a call and like me put the person on. Hold and call another party to check on availability or status of what we are doing for the first caller.
.

So, you need to have two receivers (whether those are two independent phones, or two stations of two-line phone is completely irrelevant). Again, you never mentioned that you actually have two receivers - and I don't want to make assumptions. Everything else (holding, conferencing, transferring) can easily be done with your current equipment.

I know I ultimately have to get some IP phones but I thought I read something that made me thing I could get all 4 lines going outbthrough the phone 1 & 2 port so I could have all 4 lines on my 4 line analog phone

I love IP phones; mainly for voice quality - but nothing that you described tells me that you have to get IP phones. I have no idea what the rest of the sentence (after 'but') means

[CoalMinerRetired]

If you have a 2-line phone, both pairs of wires would be used in a single connector and 4 wire cord. Single line phones ignore pins 1 and 4.

So the Obi devices supply phone line 1 on pins 2 & 3 of port 1 and line 2 on pins 1 & 4 of the same port.

Obi supplies line 2 on pins 2 & 3 of port 2.

In the above picture, the Obi Line port #1 would be an rj-14 and line port 2 would be an rj-11.

Yes, exactly.

[vich]

I am pretty sure I have confused everyone. 

My set up now is a RJ14 from Obitalk Phone1 to the Line1/2 of the Analog phone.  Both lines work perfectly.

as for the busy part I shouldn't have thrown that in at this time.  I just Configured obitalk to on line 1 busy (ph1) roll it over to (ph2).  But let's not get this side tracked with that

What I was hoping to be able to use all four SP lines with GVoice I've set up in Obitalk.  And has hoping i could get SP1 & 2 to come out of phone port 1 and SP3 & 4 out of phone port 2.  then on the phone I would have
SP1 => Line 1
SP2 => Line 2
SP3 => Line 3
SP4 => Line 4 

But as I understand it I can't do that.  All I can get is SP 1 & 2 out of the phone ports on the OBITalk.  CoalMinerRetired told me that last night. 

So to recap the only way I can use SIP 3 & 4 is either dialing **3 or **4 on line 1 or 2 or get an IP phone.  Correct? 

But then I got another reply that made me think maybe it is possible.

Sorry if this is taking so long, I do appreciate the help very much.

[Felix]

I promise, this is the last time I'll hector you... If I still can't understand what you are saying - I'll leave you alone.

Try to explain as if you are explaining to your 70-year old aunt.

My set up now is a RJ14 from Obitalk Phone1 to the Line1/2 of the Analog phone.  Both lines work perfectly.

I don't know what RJ14 stands for... I assume it's some kind of wire. And what is definition of "perfectly" - can you explain in layman terms?

What I was hoping to be able to use all four SP lines with GVoice I've set up in Obitalk. 

So - what's stopping you?

And has hoping i could get SP1 & 2 to come out of phone port 1 and SP3 & 4 out of phone port 2.  then on the phone I would have
SP1 => Line 1
SP2 => Line 2
SP3 => Line 3
SP4 => Line 4 

Again - explain in layman terms - what do you want to happen? Seriously - stop thinking about ports, and start thinking about real life scenarios. John calls this number... Sally calls that number when I am on line with John, etc.

So to recap the only way I can use SIP 3 & 4 is either dialing **3 or **4 on line 1 or 2 or get an IP phone.  Correct? 

I don't think it's a correct statement; I guess when you say "use" you mean "call out"; and when you say "SIP 3 & 4" you really mean your upcoming GV numbers (GV is alternative to SIP; not SIP)