HELP! IPkall + Localphone weird issues

[mo832]

So I just decided to test out the proposed workaround for when GV stops working with my Obi, and I signed up for Localphone, and then got an IPkall number and pointed it to my Localphone account. I used my cellphone to call the IPkall number and answered it on a pc softphone client. The softphone rang and I could answer it and hear both sides of the conversation. So far so good.

Now, the hard part. I deleted GV/gchat from SP1 on my Obi. Then, I configured the localphone SIP credentials on SP1. I went to Google Voice and stopped forwarding calls to google chat, and added a new forwarding number which is my newly issued IPkall number (which points to localphone on my Obi). If I tried to dial OUT using the GV website callback button, my handset rings, but when I pick it up I hear silence. It appears to place the call, but one side of the call cannot be heard. When I use my cellphone to call IN to the IPkall #, the caller ID on my Obi handset shows a generic 206-682-0185 number, and only one side of the voice can be heard.

Is this what I am stuck with? Or did I configure something wrong?

In theory, I should be able to set GV to forward to IPkall, which forwards to Localphone SIP, which answers on my Obi, and everything should be just as it is now with Google chat on my Obi.

I am trying to have a proper setup in place for a seamless transition when GV support goes away.

[carl]

Okay, what in heaven is the IPkall function in all of this?  Why don't you forward directly to Localphone ? 
Even that is not something I would recommend, considered the unreliability of GV. If your GV DID is important to you, you should start the process of porting out your GV DID to localphone or whoever else.

[giqcass]

Ipkall has been showing issues with CID.  As for the silence try setting a Stun server up for localphone.  In my  opinion you should try another free DID provider for incoming or get a paid DID from localphone.  $3 one time setup and $0.99 monthly for localphone paid DIDs. 

If you decide to use another incoming route like Callcentric Localphone can be set up as a Voice Gateway.  I did it that way so it doesn't take up a SP slot.  Voice Gateways are useful when a service will be used for outbound only calling.

[mo832]

The purpose of Ipkall is for a free DID that requires no maintenance or ongoing billing. There has to be a DID in order to point to a voip number. I would love for GV to point to SIP directly, but it doesn't, and it won't point to Localphone without a number.

I do NOT want to port out my GV number because I have too many desired features on the dashboard and it filters ALL junk calls like nothing ever seen.

Giqcass- can you explain more detail about the STUN server and do you know that this will work? I am using the famous Uverse 3600 gateway. Never a problem with GV/Obi, or callcentric/Obi. Localphone/software IP phone works fine. But Localphone/OBi cuts out one side of the audio.

Are the other DIDs good with caller ID? Is the "free" one from CC still passing CNAM? Only IPkall is flaky? Have you tried ipcomms?

[OneForTheTeam]

Are the other DIDs good with caller ID? Is the "free" one from CC still passing CNAM? Only IPkall is flaky? Have you tried ipcomms?

Not quite FREE. But LocalPhone does offer US DIDs for 99 cents a month depending on the CLEC. It supports caller ID spoofing as well. You may want to see if it is worth your hassle. I use it as my backup provider should my primary ObiVoice go down.

In my limited testing LocalPhone service outperforms ObiVoice in terms of time it takes to ring a number when dialling in or when dialling out.

[mo832]

I appreciate everyone's input so far. My primary concern at this point is to get localphone to actually WORK on the Obi with 2-way audio. If localphone won't even make a good phone call, there's no point in buying their DID no matter how cheap, and no point in paying anyone anything until I know the dry-run tests are successful. I'm worried that I cannot use localphone as my provider if I can't get it to work. But I have believe there is something I can fix. Too many people have this working.

The secondary issue is the Ipkall caller id (if in fact this is the cause). But again, I'm looking to test before I start paying good money that is going to be burned up for nothing.

[jazzy]

I'm also fowarding my GV > IPKALL # and OBi pickups up the calls. But CID is not working. I get
the infamous 206-682-0185 on all incoming calls.  But the incoming calls do get picked up by Obi
and there is decent 2 way audio.  And it is free incoming calls.  So I just have to live with no CID.

As for my outgoing calls, I too have been testing Localphone, for outgoing calls. I've setup Localphone
as a Voice Gateway, since it's just for outgoing calls.  It works fine, and quality is good.

You can test out your Localphone for outgoing calls by setting up Obi like this:

Voice Services > Gateways and Trunk Groups >

Voice Gateway2

Enable      (checked)
Name      Localphone         
AccessNumber   sp2(localphone.com)         
DigitMap   (1800xxxxxxx|1888xxxxxxx|1877xxxxxxx|1866xxxxxxx|)
this will only route 1800 calls to Localphone ( 800 calls are free on Localphone )
if you want to route all calls to Localphone, leave DigitMap blank
      
AuthUserID   8xxxxx      
AuthPassword   yourpassword

Physical Interfaces > Phone Port
OutboundCallRoute

{(Mvg2):vg2}   must place this to the far left of the Outbound call route ( ie..first entry )

that should allow you to test Localphone outgoing calls to 800 numbers.
   

[mo832]

1. So is it pretty certain that it's the IPkall DID that is corrupting the caller id? In other words, if you forward GV to another DID issued by another source, and then to a SIP provider including localphone or anyone else, it still passes the caller id info thru all those steps?

2. HOW CAN I FIX MY OBI AUDIO for localphone? Nothing else can move forward until I clear up this problem. I already can register the Obi with localphone's server, and the OBi can ring with the DID number, but once connected, the calls are not usable. One way audio only. Fixing the audio is the goal.

[Again, my hunch is it has something to do with my Uverse gateway, since I've read that others have had issues. Still, other phone providers work fine with my current setup]

[jazzy]

#
1. So is it pretty certain that it's the IPkall DID that is corrupting the caller id? In other words, if you forward GV to another DID issued by another source, and then to a SIP provider including localphone or anyone else, it still passes the caller id info thru all those steps?

When I call my IPKALL # directly, the CID passes correctly.  It must be GV that is messing up the CID
by using that generic 206-682-0185 CID.  Been reading that  it's because the IPKALL # has been used so many times with a GV fwd  number, that  GV is banning the IPKall #.  When I forwarded my GV > Obivoice #, the CID passed correctly. It has something to do with the free DIDs. 

Try setting up Localphone as a Voice Gateway and see if you have the same issues with audio. Just be sure that when you fill out the Access Number   sp2(localphone.com) under Voice Gateways and Trunk Groups to be certain your SP2 is set up as a SIP, not  GV

[mo832]

The problem with that is I don't have any calling credit on Localphone in order to place an outgoing call. Even so, it would not be a long term solution if I cannot take incoming.

I still need more details on how to set up STUN. That sounds promising...

[OneForTheTeam]

The problem with that is I don't have any calling credit on Localphone in order to place an outgoing call.

I believe you may be able to dial out toll free numbers even without any credit. You can either dial a calling card number to test it out. Or you may call an airline flight status line. Most of them have voice recognition and you can  test if it can hear you. HTH

[mo832]

I just tried another round and no good. I once again removed GV on sp1 and setup Localphone instead. I tried many combinations of localphone.com, proxy.localphone.com port 5060, port 5070, port 5061. The only thing that would register was proxy.localphone.com with 5060, but that caused audio issues. Other combos wouldn't even register.

Erased the settings and replaced them with Callcentric. Boom! First try worked. Port 5060. So localphone is temperamental.

After the trial, I put GV back on sp1 since that is the most reliable.

The main targets seem to be, (based on readings):

-port 5060 on uverse router is flaky (don't know how to make this work)
-need STUN (I need instructions)
- disable SIP/AGL on router (don't think is possible on uverse 3600)

Why is only Localphone so screwy?

If I want to test the voice gateway, what do I need to do, and do I again need to remove GV from the SP slot? Can you have Localphone on a gateway even if you have the sp set to another provider? What is the likelihood 2way voice will work on a gateway even though it fails on sp?

I know that's a lot of questions, but I'm trying to give all info I have, and not really a whiz at this stuff.

[giqcass]

Let's try this first. Forward the following port range to your Obi for whichever service provider slot (SPx) you have localphone set up on.  (Select udp in step 11)
http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB413180&cv=812#fbid=ARTAlArp4KY

SP1 16600 -16798
SP2 16800 - 16998
SP3 17000 - 17098
SP4 17100 - 17198

Stun server setting on the Obi
Service providers >>> ITSP profile X >>>> General

Localphone does not provide it's own stun server so you would need to find a public stun server.  Just Google it.

EDIT: The above is assuming you are using ITSP profile A for SP1, profile B for SP2,profile c for SP3, and profile D for SP4.

[mo832]

@giqcass
-------------

That was very helpful. I'm going to set aside some time, (maybe tomorrow) to test this. I have some minor follow up questions, before I dive in,  please:

First of all, FWIW, I have an Obi100, so I just have sp1 and sp2
sp1 is where I want Localphone

1. After the test, whether it works or not, if I want to change sp1 back to GV or even CC, do I need to remove the port forwards?
2. Which of the above steps (port forward or stun) do you think is more likely to fix it?
3. Is port 5060 a non-issue here? (works on CC)
4. Why do you think only localphone acts weird when other ITSPs don't?

[giqcass]

1. After the test, whether it works or not, if I want to change sp1 back to GV or even CC, do I need to remove the port forwards?

Since you will end up using some sip provider on SP1 I wouldn't bother changing it back personally.  If you were to use other sip devices or sip software you could have conflicts.  Should that become an issue you can set the Obi to use an entirely different set of ports.

2. Which of the above steps (port forward or stun) do you think is more likely to fix it?

A stun server is easy and it can't hurt anything.  Start there.

3. Is port 5060 a non-issue here? (works on CC)

The Obi should open that port up by talking to the sip provider. If you plan to take direct IP calls without registration you should forward 5060 and 5061 to your Obi.  You should read the following post if you open ports 5060 or 5061.  I recommend method 4 in this post.  We call it the "Oleg Method".

4. Why do you think only localphone acts weird when other ITSPs don't?

It's hard to say.  It might have something to do with which rtp port they use.  The Obi uses a range of ports Localphone could choose to use any of them.

Obihai recommends port forwarding UDP Port 10000 also but don't worry about it unless you use Obi to Obi calling.

[OneForTheTeam]

Not sure if Obi110 supports it. But you can try putting the Obi in the router mode directly behind the modem but before any firewall to rule out any port forwarding issues and STUN issues.

[mo832]

Regarding port 5060, I mentioned that because I read somewhere that the Uverse gateway device doesn't like 5060 (but again no issues with CC as the sp), but I don't know if this is the issue with Localphone
http://forums.att.com/t5/Features-and-How-To/Using-Third-party-VOIP-service-with-ATT-Uverse-internet-Call/td-p/3426287#.Uw1Pa670LdM

So in the Obi SP setup for Localphone, should I put in proxy.localphone.com or just localphone.com? I still haven't heard from LP support on this, but the proxy one is the only one I could get to register, though it doesn't fully work. What is everyone else using for the localphone settings? The wizard automatically puts in port 5060.

The Uverse gateway has a built-in modem/router combo, so I don't know any way to bypass the firewall.

[jazzy]

If I want to test the voice gateway, what do I need to do, and do I again need to remove GV from the SP slot? Can you have Localphone on a gateway even if you have the sp set to another provider? What is the likelihood 2way voice will work on a gateway even though it fails on sp?

I just made a test call with Localphone to United Airlines 1-800-241-6522 and the voice system and keypad responses
registered fine.  BTW I don't have any credit on my Localphone account, and when I check history online, it shows the call to UAL as $0.00 cost  2 minutes.

See if you can setup Localphone as a Voice Gateway.  Use the same SP that you have Callcentric on.
If it is on SP2, then set up VG like this

Voice Services >Voice Gateways and Trunk Groups
Enable       (checked)
Name         Localphone
Access Number          sp2(localphone.com)
DigitMap                   (1800xxxxxxx|1888xxxxxxx|1877xxxxxxx|1866xxxxxxx|)
AuthUserID           your localphone ID
AuthPassword        your password


and under Physical Interfaces > Phone port
put this in the OutboundCallRoute

{(Mvg2):vg2}   be sure it is the first rule (all the way to the left)


Now when you dial any 800,888,877 or 866 number it will route through VG2 using Localphone.

[giqcass]

Not sure if Obi110 supports it. But you can try putting the Obi in the router mode directly behind the modem but before any firewall to rule out any port forwarding issues and STUN issues.

He has a 100 NOT a 110 and no his Obi does not support it. That feature is exclusive to the 202 and I believe the brand new 508.

Putting Localphone as a gateway will not help the situation for incoming calls.

No need for proxy,sip, or www just register the Obi directly to the following.
localphone.com


If you think the port is the problem then try 5063.

On the Obi
Voice services
>>>>>>>>>>>>>SP1 Service
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> X_UserAgentPort  = 5063


This number is completely free to call from localphone.  It is an echo test so you can make sure you have good 2 way audio on outbound calls.
883 5100 0000 0091

[mo832]

No need for proxy,sip, or www just register the Obi directly to the following.
localphone.com


If you think the port is the problem then try 5063.

On the Obi
Voice services
>>>>>>>>>>>>>SP1 Service
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> X_UserAgentPort  = 5063

Just to reiterate, in the past when I put in localphone.com, it failed to register. Using proxy.localphone.com and 5060 appears to "register", but is not fully functional. I have not yet tried the proposed suggestions (stun and port forward), so the preceding is simply what I've noticed so far.

Thoughts?

p.s. Let me also repeat that localphone works just fine on a softphone with no special changes, although the softphone does do STUN. Also the softphone uses 5070, but that wouldn't work when I tried it with Obi.