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GV works, landline does not

Started by cjsmack, October 20, 2013, 01:01:11 PM

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cjsmack

I have a VTECH CS6649 phone and OBI110. GV works fine, call comes in, answering machine picks up, leave a message, all is good. However, if someone calls via the landline, the answering machine answers yet the person on the other end does not hear it, just silence. I tested this out using a cell phone and calling the landline. Phone rings then nothing, just silent yet the connection does not drop. Found that it is actually recording. So it is like a one way communication. I bypassed the OBI and hooked the phone directly into the landline and it worked fine so definitely having an issue when the OBI is connected. I've been telling people to use the GV number but nooooo, they keep using the landline and I keep hearing about how it doesn't work...Blah! So, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

RFord

What happens if you completely bypass the Router and connect the OBi to the Moden and reboot both?

Did the problem always exist or is it a new issue?

What happens when you answer an incoming PSTN (Land Line) call on the OBi110?  Do you get a 2 - way voice?

IS this a "true" Land Line or a service through the Cable Operator or another VOIP Provider (via an ATA)?

Do you have access to another answering machine to see if the problem persist?

To get around the problem temporarily, you could transfer all PSTN calls to your GV Number.

cjsmack

This is a true landline from my phone company. I had a previous phone to this one and thought it was shooting craps or just old so thought i would replace it. The previous phone was a uniden cordless but it echoed real bad. I contributed this to having DSL. The answering machine on the uniden does work. I changed out the phones this evening and did a test call, however, the message coming through was very faint as I could barely hear it. When calling through GV however, it came through fine. I do have a DSL filter on the line but it is still echoes with the uniden. The PSTN does not echo when I have a corded phone connected to it, that is why i bought this VTECH to test it out...but came across this issue of not hearing the answering machine.

As for getting a 2 way voice on the PSTN, yes, it is a 2 way but the quality is pretty sad.

I connected the OBi directly to the modem and rebooted but still the same.

I just bypassed the OBi and plugged the PSTN directly to the phone. Called it via my cell phone and heard the answering machine. 

cjsmack

Played around a little more with it and found some information on volume (ChannelRxGain). I adjusted this to 6 then called and heard the answering machine but it was very faint. I adjusted this up and down but the best I could get was a whisper. When I tested the other answering machine it was faint but could still hear it before adjusting the volume.

Shale


For the LINE Port, increase your ChannelTxGain. It can go as high as 15. This one only affects the audio out the PSTN.

For the PHONE Port, you can increase ChannelRxGain as high as 12.  This would affect audio from your phone to both the PSTN and to GV.

Both of those are in the the audio path from the answer machine to your PSTN.

The RX and TX directions are as viewed by the OBi110.

cjsmack

Thanks Shale, that info has gotten me a bit further but looks like I have some playing around to do though. Am getting some serious feedback and echoing on the PSTN. When the answering machine answers it first sounds ok then it sounds like I'm in an empty room then I get feedback and goes all sorts of nuts. Fun times.

Shale

Quote from: cjsmack on October 22, 2013, 06:04:44 AM
Thanks Shale, that info has gotten me a bit further but looks like I have some playing around to do though. Am getting some serious feedback and echoing on the PSTN. When the answering machine answers it first sounds ok then it sounds like I'm in an empty room then I get feedback and goes all sorts of nuts. Fun times.

When you use a phone instead of an answering machine, is the audio out on the PSTN much different, or is it attenuated? The fact that the answer machine works fine with SP1 seems to say the problem is not the answer machine or cord. Very strange.

You may get some improvement in echo by changing the Line port ACImpedance setting.  I don't know what the choices are; I don't have an OBi110. The admin guide shows the choices for the Phone line Impedance. I doubt that would have much effect for a short distance between the phone and the OBi.

cjsmack

The phone is basically the same as the answering machine, hard to hear and echos. Am starting to think the PSTN side of the OBi may be to blame as I can use a phone connected to another jack just fine. I moved the phone that is connected to the OBi to the same jack as the other phone and it was fine. Hooked the OBi to that jack and using either phone created the same mess that I am dealing with, low volume. I've been playing around with the gains and it seems to be quite the dance, mess with one a change in echo occurs so have to modify them as a group to find the best result.

I setup another GV account and had my PSTN forwarded from SP1(GV) to SP2(GV) and can hear the answering machine a touch better but it is basically the same result. Getting to the point of disconnecting the PSTN from the OBi and putting an answering machine on a different jack. Not the best way but it is starting to seem like the least pain in the butt.

I downloaded the admin guide you mentioned and will take a look at the ACImpedance. I'll try anything at this point.

Thanks again for your help.

cjsmack

Due to not wanting to give up and to make this work like it should I contacted support. They mentioned what I should change some gains to but that didn't work. The next one was to change everything back to defaults, remove it from my dashboard and to basically start fresh. Did that and....am back to the drawing board. GV works fine, nice and loud but PSTN doesn't even sound like it is there. PSTN rings then silence when the answering machine picks up. I then plugged the phone directly into the wall jack, called it and answering machine was perfect. Really thinking my OBi PSTN is done.

Shale

When you receive or make a voice call (without using the answer machine function) via the PSTN line, is everything fine? I think you indicated that, but I am not sure I understood correctly.

cjsmack

When connected to the OBi and talking on the PSTN it would echo and both parties could barely hear or tolerate one another. This evening I connected the phone directly to the wall jack (bypassed OBi), called it with my cell and wife picked it up and had a clear conversation.

Within the last 15 to 30 min the PSTN no longer answers, it just rings. GV is still working though.

Shale

Your theory of a failed OBi110 makes total sense.

cjsmack

Thanks for trying to help me work through this Shale, it is greatly appreciated. I just sent another email to support to tell them about the latest. Found that it is still in warranty so will see what happens.

N2VWZ

Quote from: cjsmack on October 23, 2013, 05:42:42 PM
When connected to the OBi and talking on the PSTN it would echo

If you are located in the USA, the Phone Port and Line Port impedances should be changed from the default 600 ohm setting to 900 ohms.  The US Central Office impedance standard (Bellcore) is 900 ohms.

I had severe sidetone echo only on incoming and outgoing PSTN calls. This resolved the problem.