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How to block a caller?

Started by Richards, October 17, 2013, 04:30:27 PM

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Richards

I use Obi100. How to block some numbers from calling in?  Hope these is such a feature in the product.  Please advise the setting. Thank you.


ianobi

Richards - welcome to the forum.

There's a big issue with sip scanners, which may appear as random calls from odd numbers. See here:

http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=5467.msg35387#msg35387


If you just want to block a few CallerIDs, then this can be done by changing the relevant InboundCallRoute. For example:

Voice Services > SP1 Service > X_InboundCallRoute:
{(12222222222|13333333333):},{ph}

12222222222 & 13333333333 will be blocked. All other CallerIDs will ring the phone.


Make changes via the Obi Expert Configuration pages. From your OBi Dashboard, click on your OBi number and follow the prompts to get there. To change a value uncheck both boxes to the right of the value and leave them unchecked. After changing the value, press submit at the bottom of the page and wait a few minutes for the Obi to reboot.

Shale

I would add that if the problem is not SIP scanners, but instead is some real known callers, it is generally easier to do that blocking with your VOIP provider....

Your VOIP provider cannot filter out SIP scanners, because those are not going through your VOIP provider.

Richards

Quote from: ianobi on October 18, 2013, 07:40:46 AM
Richards - welcome to the forum.


Thanks.  I am only going to block some nuisant guys.  They are known numbers.  How to put their numbers into the block list?  I use "admin" to log into my ATA, and then where can I find the place to add those numbers?  Thank you.

Richards

Quote from: Shale on October 18, 2013, 11:31:07 AM
I would add that if the problem is not SIP scanners, but instead is some real known callers, it is generally easier to do that blocking with your VOIP provider....

Your VOIP provider cannot filter out SIP scanners, because those are not going through your VOIP provider.

Thank you too, Sir. But my VOIP provider "Freephoneline" doesn't seem to have this function to add some blocking numbers.

Shale

Quote from: Richards on October 18, 2013, 11:48:22 AMHow to put their numbers into the block list?  I use "admin" to log into my ATA, and then where can I find the place to add those numbers?  Thank you.

In reply #1, ianobi wrote
Voice Services > SP1 Service > X_InboundCallRoute

So in your web interface, see Voice Services in the left column. Click (always left-clicks) the
  • in front of Voice Services. That will open up your choices. Then click "SP1 Services", that became visible.

    Note X_InboundCallRoute off to the right. If the little box in the Default column is ticked, click that to clear the box. The enter your new value in the bigger box. Then scroll down, and click Submit.


Richards

Quote from: Shale on October 18, 2013, 01:44:21 PM


Good.  I tried myself, and in fact it can't really block the caller, as it just lets the blocked caller goes to the voice mail instead of ringing. Is that true?

Thanks a lot, Sir!

chicobiker

If you're not "married" to your VOIP provider I would suggest you take a look at Callcentric for USA at least.  They have a way to block callers and recently updated their website to make it ever easier.  They had a very bad time with hackers a few months ago but I think that is past them now.  Very good provider with excellent service in this subscriber's opinion.

Shale

Quote from: Richards on October 18, 2013, 02:47:40 PM
Quote from: Shale on October 18, 2013, 01:44:21 PM


Good.  I tried myself, and in fact it can't really block the caller, as it just lets the blocked caller goes to the voice mail instead of ringing. Is that true?

I guess that could happen with your provider. Maybe you could look into having the OBi forwarding the call to somewhere instead of just ignoring the call. Maybe  have the OBi forward the unwanted to a rejection line . That adds some complexity.

ianobi

QuoteVoice Services > SP1 Service > X_InboundCallRoute:
{(12222222222|13333333333):},{ph}

12222222222 & 13333333333 will be blocked. All other CallerIDs will ring the phone.

My suggestion above results in your OBi sending SIP message "486: Busy Here" back to your voip provider. FPL sees that message and diverts the call to your voicemail.

As Shale suggests, you could divert the call on to a free message line to annoy the caller so much that they give up calling you. This requires some setting up. I'm assuming that you have FPL on sp1 and sp2 is spare.

1. Set up sp2 as a "fake" provider:

Service Providers -> ITSP Profile B -> SIP -> ProxyServer : 127.0.0.1
Service Providers > ITSP Profile B > General > DigitMap: ([^*]@@.'@'@@.)

Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> Enable : (checked)
Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> AuthUserName : 12345678
Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> X_RegisterEnable : (unchecked)
Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> X_ServProvProfile : B
Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> X_UserAgentPort : 5471
Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> CallerIDName : Anything

2. Set up your InboundCallRoute:

Voice Services > SP1 Service > X_InboundCallRoute:
{(12222222222|13333333333):sp2(wbdemo@conf.zipdx.com)},{ph}

12222222222 & 13333333333 will be forwarded to wbdemo@conf.zipdx.com. All other CallerIDs will ring the phone.

I picked wbdemo@conf.zipdx.com because it's a long message about wideband calls. It goes on and on and on ...   :)


Richards

Quote from: Shale on October 18, 2013, 09:22:33 PM
Maybe you could look into having the OBi forwarding the call to somewhere instead of just ignoring the call.

Great idea.  How to forward it to another number, say their own number?   I tried your format to forward the unwanted caller to his own number 1222222222:    {(12222222222|13333333333):12222222222},{ph} 
But this doesn't work, is this right?


Richards

Quote from: ianobi on October 19, 2013, 02:24:35 AM
My suggestion above results in your OBi sending SIP message "486: Busy Here" back to your voip provider. FPL sees that message and diverts the call to your voicemail.

Thanks. Great idea too, though I have used up the sip 2 for Google Voice.  As I said above, I am trying to kick back the unwanted caller to his own number. I am looking for a formula. Thanks.

ianobi

QuoteI tried your format to forward the unwanted caller to his own number 1222222222:    {(12222222222|13333333333):12222222222},{ph} 
But this doesn't work, is this right?

You need to specify a trunk to send the call out on, so the correct format would be:

Voice Services > SP1 Service > X_InboundCallRoute:
{(12222222222|13333333333):sp2(12222222222)},{ph}

Now the call comes in on sp1 and is forwarded using sp2. However, I'm not sure that this would work to his own number. Maybe you could find an interesting free message number and forward him to that:

Voice Services > SP1 Service > X_InboundCallRoute:
{(12222222222|13333333333):sp2(18001234567)},{ph}

azrobert

#13
The better format when you're checking for multiple numbers would be:
{(12222222222|13333333333):sp2($1)},{ph}

$1 is a variable that contains the inbound CallerID.

I would think the caller would just get a busy signal with the above. Don't know what would happen if they had Call Waiting.

I send these calls to my Callcentric Fax to Email service like this:
{(12222222222|13333333333):sp2(17771234567@in.callcentric.com)},{ph}

17771234567 is my Callcentric account number.

Hopefully, when they hear the fax tone they will remove your number from their call list.

Callcentric with the Fax to Email service is free.

ianobi

QuoteThe better format when you're checking for multiple numbers would be:
{(12222222222|13333333333):sp2($1)},{ph}

Much better! I must have been having a "senior moment" in Reply #12   :-[

Maybe I'll switch on the tv for a while so I can switch off my brain   :)

Richards

Great!

1) I already use the Sip 2 for GV, can I still use the route sp2?
2) Your format {(12222222222|13333333333):sp2($1)},{ph} means it will direct the caller to his own phone, won't it?

Thank you so much!


azrobert

Quote from: Richards on October 19, 2013, 10:17:05 AM
2) Your format {(12222222222|13333333333):sp2($1)},{ph} means it will direct the caller to his own phone, won't it?


Yes, but the caller will have his phone off-hook calling you. I think he will get a busy signal.

QBZappy

Quote from: azrobert on October 19, 2013, 10:25:51 AM
Yes, but the caller will have his phone off-hook calling you. I think he will get a busy signal.

Clever use of the ($1) to get a busy signal. The cost of delivering that "busy signal" is that a second voice channel is used up and any related $ cost (if any). In a low call volume scenario this solution is interesting.
Owner of the 1st OBi110/100 units in service in Canada & South America. 1st OBi202 on my street. 1st OBi1032 in Montreal.

Richards

Quote from: QBZappy on October 19, 2013, 03:19:12 PM

Clever use of the ($1) to get a busy signal. The cost of delivering that "busy signal" is that a second voice channel is used up and any related $ cost (if any). In a low call volume scenario this solution is interesting.

Thanks.   Would you please explain a bit?  What does $1 really mean?  1 dollar?  What do you mean "2nd voice channel is used up"?

I use the sip 2 for my google voice. Can I still use the SP2 trunk?

Thank you.

QBZappy

$1=CALLER ID of incoming call. GV offers two voice channels. incoming call uses one voice channel, outgoing call to $1 (caller id) uses another. If by chance you receive a call while this is going on, then the call will fail (busy). At the moment there is no charge for using GV. If you used another service which charges for outgoing there would be a very small charge at the provider rate.
Owner of the 1st OBi110/100 units in service in Canada & South America. 1st OBi202 on my street. 1st OBi1032 in Montreal.