Obi 100 and Callcentric CNAM

[Mark55]

All I'm trying to do is this:

When someone calls my GV number, the callers name and number will show up on the phone thats plugged into the Obi100. I've followed the step by step instructions do this, given on page 1 of this forum. Doesnt work, either. The CNAM shows up on the Callcentric dashboard as an incoming call, yet the phone plugged into the Obi does not even ring. And yes, GV is set to forward to the Callcentric number, and not Google chat, as described in the instructions. Its getting pretty frustrating. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Mark55]

These are the instructions which appeared on a another forum. I've followed these to the letter, and have had no luck. Even making the changes described below, when I use my landline to call my GV number, still only the number shows up, not the name. However, the name does show up on the Callcentric dashboard on their website. Any help would be appreciated!

Callcentric and Google Voice Setup Guide (with CNAM)

With several now asking for setup instructions for using Callcentric (CC) Caller ID Name (CNAM) in conjunction with Google Voice (GV), here is a general guide with basic setup information to achieve this goal.  This post can be edited when necessary.


Overview

Your friend calling your GV Number ==> GV Forwards to your CC Number ==> CC Forwards call to your OBi


Account Setup:

    Purchase the OBi.  Any of the existing OBi models 100, 110, or 202 will work.
    Sign-up for a Google Voice Account, unless you have already done so.
    Configure the OBi for your GV account using the instructions located here.
    Sign-up for a Callcentric Free Phone Number, unless you have already done so.
        CC's Free Phone Number presently incurs a $1.50 monthly fee.
        This CC fee offers 911 service through CC if setup correctly on the OBi.  For more information, see What about 911? (Thanks Jimates)
    Write down the account information provided to you by CC during sign-up.
    Enable CNAM on your CC Account. (Thanks MRTT)



Within Google Voice's Account -> Settings -> Phones:

    Add your CC Phone Number (516/631/845/914/917) to your GV account
    Un-check Google Chat as a forwarding phone
    Check your Callcentric number as a forwarding phone



Inside your OBi 100/110/202:

    Choose which Voice Service you will use with CC (SP1, SP2, SP3, or SP4)
    Configure the following based on which SP/Profile you chose to use with CC:
        Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > General -> Name: Callcentric
        Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> ProxyServer: callcentric.com
        Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> RegistrarServer: callcentric.com
        Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> UserAgentDomain: callcentric.com
        Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> OutboundProxy: callcentric.com
        Voice Services > SPX Service -> AuthUserName: 1777nnnnnnnn
        Voice Services > SPX Service -> AuthPassword: yourCCpassword
            Substitute your personal setup details with the above green fields
            Make sure you are entering your CC 1777 account number and not your CC phone number for AuthUserName
    Ask someone to place a call to your GV number to test your setup.



Troubleshooting:

    1) Make sure that your GV Number is set to Forward to your CC Number (Area Code 917/914/845/631/516)
    2) Make sure that your GV Number is not set to Forward to Google Chat
    3) Make sure that CC is successfully registering (Status -> System Status)



Following these steps, you "should" be able to view Caller ID Names on your incoming calls.  If not, let us know, and we will do our best to quickly find someone to blame. Cheesy  For $1.50 per month, you now have CC incoming Caller ID Name, GV incoming/outgoing calls (free until end of 2012), and CC 911 service if setup correctly.

[giqcass]

From the two different post it sounds like you are saying your phone does not ring but you see the caller ID on it.
Is that the case?
If your phone is not doing anything my first guess would be a problem with your password or a problem with a firewall.

What ports should I keep open on my router/firewall?
In order for your OBi to be able to send packets w/o interruption, please configure your router as follows:

Allow Outgoing:
TCP Ports: 6800, 5222, 5223
UDP Ports: 5060, 5061, 10000 to 11000, 16600 to 16998, 19305
Allow Incoming on UDP Port: 10000

Check you logs on your OBi to see if the call is coming through.

[Mark55]

From the two different post it sounds like you are saying your phone does not ring but you see the caller ID on it.
Is that the case?
If your phone is not doing anything my first guess would be a problem with your password or a problem with a firewall.

What ports should I keep open on my router/firewall?
In order for your OBi to be able to send packets w/o interruption, please configure your router as follows:

Allow Outgoing:
TCP Ports: 6800, 5222, 5223
UDP Ports: 5060, 5061, 10000 to 11000, 16600 to 16998, 19305
Allow Incoming on UDP Port: 10000

Check you logs on your OBi to see if the call is coming through.

Thanks for the info. Heres the situation:

Without making any modifications to the Obi setup, as described 2 or 3 posts above, when I call my GV # from my landline, the number shows up, but no name. That is normal and to be expected.

When I make the modifications to the Obi setup as described 2 or 3 posts above (there are detailed instructions on how to do this) to allow GV to forward incoming calls to Callcentric, which in turn is supposed to forward them to the Obi and ring the phone with caller name and number showing up, this is what happens:

-  The phone plugged into the Obi does not ring at all.
-   The callers name and number does not show up on the caller ID, but it does show up on the Callcentric dashboard (on their website).

[giqcass]

Log in to callcentric and go to your account.  Right under the balance check to see if there is a message saying "Your phone is not registered."  Let us know what you find.

Edit: also make sure call treatment are turned off in callcentric.

[Mark55]

Yes, the phone is registered, and call treatments is off.

[Mark55]

I dont know if this is relevant or not, but in the step by step instructions listed a few posts above, there is one that states: Voice Services > SPX Service > your CC password

When I get into the Obi configuration and put the Callcentric password in, it doesnt seem to want to store it. It shows up when I type it in and save the changes, but then when I exit and go back to that particular page the password is gone. That field is now blank. According to Obi tech support, that is normal. That doesnt sound right, however. Why would it be blank? Could this be causing the problems?

[CoalMinerRetired]

I dont know if this is relevant or not, but in the step by step instructions listed a few posts above, there is one that states: Voice Services > SPX Service > your CC password

When I get into the Obi configuration and put the Callcentric password in, it doesnt seem to want to store it. It shows up when I type it in and save the changes, but then when I exit and go back to that particular page the password is gone. That field is now blank. According to Obi tech support, that is normal. That doesnt sound right, however. Why would it be blank? Could this be causing the problems?

That is because you're editing through the direct IP address into OBI access method (other names for this are used on here) but your Obi is configured to be accesses via the ObiTalk portal method (link at the top and to the right of Forum Home.

I'm shortening a reply I had earlier posted here. In thinking about this more, it's highly likely the suspect calls with the missing CNAM are coming from GV and not CC, even though it might appear otherwise.

Try these things:

-   Call you CC number directly. Does your Obi ring, and does CNAM appear? If not, why not?

-    Assuming you only have one forwarding phone in GV, your CC number, disable forwarding (i.e, in GV uncheck) to it. Call your GV number. Your Obi should not ring. Why? Because of these instructions in the setup guide/thread: "Un-check Google Chat as a forwarding phone" and this point under troubleshooting "Make sure that your GV Number is not set to Forward to Google Chat"

-   A couple points for previous item.
--   The forwarding to your CC number can be unchecked but superseded in the Groups & Circles tab in GV settings. Make sure you have no -- none whatsoever -- individual groups set to forward to "Goggle Chat."

--   In the Obi, there is a not very obvious way to tell where the call came from, GV or CC. This is important in your case because you have symptoms of the call actually coming in via GV when you think the call is coming from CC. There are two ways to tell how the call came in:

-   1. In the Obi Call Status window: Look at Active calls, this shows info when a call starts ringing (doesn't have to be answered yet) through to hangup. Calls will show as GoogleVoice3 or SP4.  Assuming you have GV on SP3 and CC on SP4.

-   2. The Obi Call History will show:
  From 'Fred Flintstone' SP4(12155551212) or  From GT3(12155551212).
Note SP4 and GT3, and no CNAM on GT3. Again assuming you have GV configured on SP3 and CC on SP4. GT3 seems to stand for "Google Talk on SP3", and SP4 is obvious. Both strings are for an Obi202, the exact format may vary for an Obi100.

Reply back if still stuck after these tests.

[Mark55]

- I used the ObiTalk Portal to make the configuration changes, in Expert Configuration mode.

- If I call the CC number directly, the Obi does not ring at all, but the CNAM shows up on the CC Dashboard (on their website)

- In Google, the number to forward to is the CC number, not the Google Chat. That is unchecked.

- There is no one in Groups or Circles on Google voice.

- In ObiTalk, the Obi 100 is configured with GV on SP1 and CC is configured as SP2.

- I dont use the Obi to do Obi to Obi talk.

- I have a CC "Free Phone Number" which is supposed to enable to enable the CNAM to show up. ( Actually its $1.50 per month for 911 service)

- There are detailed instructions given a few posts above, which I copied from the other forum, on how to configure the Obi so that incoming calls to a GV number get forwarded to the CC number, which in turn is supposed to ring the phone hooked up to the Obi and display the CNAM. I have followed all instructions to the letter, several different times, and nothing works.

[CoalMinerRetired]

- If I call the CC number directly, the Obi does not ring at all, but the CNAM shows up on the CC Dashboard (on their website)

This is your problem. Correct it and one other issue below and you'll see the CNAM on the incoming calls.

There are some contradictory things in your description. You said your phone is showing registered in the CC portal, but is not ringing your obi, that is one contradictory thing. For calls forwarded from GV to your CC number to 'come in' to your Obi the CC number must ring when you call the CC number directly.

You didn't answer this point: The Obi Call History will show either: "From 'Fred Flintstone' SP2(12155551212)" or  "From GT1(12155551212)."  GT1 or SP2 indicate your SP slots.  This is part of another contradictory thing, you said forward to Google Chat is unchecked, but if you look at the call history I'm sure you'll see the calls are coming in via GT1, i.e., via Google Voice with no CNAM.  Address this, or else a call to your GV number will come in via both SP1 and SP2 and SP1 (GV) will likely win and you'll not see a blank CNAM.

One last test: Disable CC on SP2, put in the wrong password or something. Make a call to your GV number and you'll see the Obi still ring. Why is that happening? This is the problem you are having.

Let us know what you find,

[Mark55]

Where do you find the Obi call history? I've looked for it in various places but cannot find it.

[Mark55]

Also, even using the Expert Configuration mode in ObiTalk, that password for CC will not stay stored in its location. And of course I am hitting "submit changes" and the Obi reboots. Now Obi tech support says that is normal, but I dont see how. Even after saving all the required changes, and the automatic reboot, when I go back to that specific page (Voice Service > SP2 Service > AuthPassword > your CC password) that field in now BLANK and the "device default" box is checked. Is that normal?

[CoalMinerRetired]

Where do you find the Obi call history? I've looked for it in various places but cannot find it.

It will be easier if you look at the Call Status via the ObiTalk portal while a call is ringing or answered. See instructions above.

Call History is only viewable via "Web Server-Based Local Configuration" (i.e., direct IP Address access) to your Obi device.  See here: http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506078 for how to do it.

Also, even using the Expert Configuration mode in ObiTalk, that password for CC will not stay stored in its location. And of course I am hitting "submit changes" and the Obi reboots. Now Obi tech support says that is normal, but I dont see how. Even after saving all the required changes, and the automatic reboot, when I go back to that specific page (Voice Service > SP2 Service > AuthPassword > your CC password) that field in now BLANK and the "device default" box is checked. Is that normal?

Yes.

[Mark55]

CoalMinerRetired - thanks for all the suggestions. I've tried them all, and nothing seems to work. I cant even log into the Obi using the IP that ***1 gives me. Something is clearly wrong.

[CoalMinerRetired]

>  I've tried them all, and nothing seems to work.
In all honesty, I don't think you have tried them all. Your replies seem to selectively skip some.

What happens when you do this?

One last test: Disable CC on SP2, put in the wrong password or something. Make a call to your GV number and you'll see the Obi still ring. Why is that happening? This is the problem you are having.

I expect you'll see the call still rings your Obi, proving that the call is coming in via GV. 


What does it show when you look at this, which you can view this in the ObiTalk Portal with a ringing or active call:

-   1. In the Obi Call Status window: Look at Active calls, this shows info when a call starts ringing (doesn't have to be answered yet) through to hangup. Calls will show as GoogleVoice3 or SP4.  Assuming you have GV on SP3 and CC on SP4.

Same as above, I expect you'll see the call is coming in via GV, not via CC.

[Mark55]

I received this message from CC today, after opening another trouble ticket:

"Additionally, we apologize as we were mistaken regarding CNAM support with Free Phone Numbers. Please note that with Free Phone Numbers, while it may work for some and not for others, CNAM is not supported on this product."

So that explains it all.

[CoalMinerRetired]

I don't buy that explanation. You're getting CNAM in your CC call history. And it works for everyone else on here, and no one else has reported what CC is suggesting to you, and of course many would report it because many, hundreds, of people use it.

Your problem is the call is coming in via GV/SP1 without CNAM but you think it's coming in via CC/SP2. The simple, two minute test here is either:
- look at the Call Status, or
- disable CC (put in the wrong password) in your Obi and make a call to your GV number and observe the Obi ringing. 

I think we're run out of options for this troubleshooting until you actually try these things. 

[MikeHObi]

I agree, that message from Call Centric is incorrect.  Whatever you see in your calls received list on the call centric site is what should be presented on your phone.

If it's not being presented, then the call isn't coming to your phone via call centric sip through the obi, and instead is going a different way.

[Mark55]

While I appreciate your suggestions, some folks on here are talking SP3s and SP4s. I have an Obi 100 - there is no SP3 or SP4.  I have no idea on how to check "call status." Looked for it, but cant find it, even in expert mode. Obi support refers me to CC support, who refers me back to Obi support. Its a never ending nightmare. Some of you may have different model Obis, and I'd imagine the software is different and what you are seeing is not what I am seeing with the 100. In short, I dont even know how to do much of what has been suggested. I am new at this, and many of you have far more experience. Try to understand that not all of us are experts, such as you are. If you want me to do all this stuff that you have been suggesting, where EXACTLY do I find it??

WTF, I may just stick with ATT. Sure, you pay them alot, but everything works, and they can answer your questions without making a person feel like a total dumbass.

[CoalMinerRetired]

Your problem is the call is coming in via GV/SP1 without CNAM but you think it's coming in via CC/SP2.
The simple, two minute test here is either:

- look at the Call Status, or

- disable CC (put in the wrong password) in your Obi and make a call to your GV number and observe the Obi ringing. 

I think we're run out of options for this troubleshooting until you actually try these things. 

Have you tried the thing in red? Otherwise we're at the point in blue.