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Echo on incoming land line calls

Started by WI_John, April 15, 2014, 11:17:53 AM

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WI_John

I have owned my OBI-110 for a while now but hadn't pulled the trigger on converting phone service because I had a slow internet connection.  Recently I upgraded to cable internet and so I setup OBI through Google Voice for outgoing calls.  Quality was great so after a week of testing we cancelled long distance but kept the land line for incoming calls (I was planning on cancelling the land line when I have to change from GV).  This worked for about a week or so and then I ran into trouble.

For the past week all incoming land line calls have a severe echo on my end (I hear my own voice repeated loud) and the party on the other end can barely hear me.  To clarify: all outgoing calls are through GV and sound good, all incoming calls from GV sound good, all incoming calls from land line are terrible.

I tried bypassing the OBI on the same phone and phone jack and the incoming land line call sounds perfect.  So I am sure it is the OBI that is causing the problem.  I'm not sure if there is a setting that is incorrect or if the OBI has a hardware issue.  I checked and the firmware is the latest version.

Any ideas on what I can try to fix this issue?

One other side note: The plan I was on for the land line was all-inclusive local and long distance.  I'm not sure how long the phone company actually took to remove the long distance and convert to the new local plan.  I can't think why but perhaps this change is what triggered my problem?

Thanks in advance for any help!

MikeHObi

bad phone cords can cause issues like that.  If possible try a new phone cord connection between the wall jack and the obi.  You might also try a different wall jack, perhaps one closer to the dmark where the connection from the phone company is.
Obi202 user & Obi100 using Anveo and Callcentric.

WI_John

MikeHObi, thanks for the suggestion.  I tried several different cords and there is no difference.  I also tried reducing Tx on the phone port as well as Rx on the line port.  None of these improved the situation.

I don't have the option of another phone jack because the obi needs to be near the router which is near the cable modem.  But I don't think it is the wall jack because if I plug the phone directly to it (bypassing Obi) I don't have the issue.

I also tried changing the impedance of the line port to 900 (as suggested for a similar problem on this forum) but that didn't work.

Any other ideas?
???

ianobi

QuoteFor the past week all incoming land line calls have a severe echo on my end (I hear my own voice repeated loud) and the party on the other end can barely hear me.

These are classic symptoms of an impedance mismatch between a device and a physical telephone line. As MikeHObi suggested, this can be caused by faulty cords / connections. If that's not the cause, then try some of the many other ACImpedance settings for the Line Port.

If that does not work, then you may have a faulty OBi110. Before changing it it's always worth doing a factory reset (paper clip method - see OBi faqs) just in case there's software glitch somewhere. You will have to set up the OBi110 all over again, but that's going to happen if you replace it anyhow.

Good luck!

WI_John

ianobi, thanks for your ideas.  I tied every impedance option.  The 600+2.16uF made a difference in echo but not volume.  I tried modifying the Tx and Rx gains for the line port and just a small change made everything squeal like there is major feedback.  Returning to the original Tx and Rx settings continued the squeal.  Even returning to the original ObiTalk settings continued the squeal.  Strange!

I also tried the factory reset and the squeal went away but the echo and low volume was still there.  I tried going only to the "better" impedance setting and had low volumes.  Tried changing Tx and Rx but the squeal returned.  This time reverting to ObiTalk settings made the squeal go away.  But I still have the echo and low volume problem.

I also tried using a long cord so I could use a wall jack in an adjacent room but there was no change.  I'm really thinking I have a bad Obi110.  I have been in contact with customer support by email so we'll see if they replace it (I am about 10 days outside the 1 year warranty but the problem started before the warranty expired).

ianobi

Please let us know how you get on. I don't remember any reports of an OBi failing in this particular way before.

MikeHObi

The only other thing I can say is to check the dmark to make sure the wires are well connected and nothing is causing them to touch each other or anything metal.

If you have verified the cord.  Have a phone plugged in and it works.  And you have verified the wiring in and out of the house all that remains is a bad obi.  You can open a support ticket and get them involved.
Obi202 user & Obi100 using Anveo and Callcentric.

WI_John

Thanks MikeHObi.

I verified the cord.
Phone with same cord plugged directly to the wall jack works excellent.
Obi to wall jack trying 3 different wall jacks all have the identical issue.
I looked at all wiring to the house and through the house and could not find any issues.

I guess I will have to wait for Obi support to get back to me...

WI_John

Just tried one more thing with strange results.  I set the primary phone line to PSTN and tried calling out.  The dial tone sounds excellent as well as the first ring, then i get loud screaching and the call never actually goes though.  Don't know if this points to anything.

drgeoff

Quote from: WI_John on April 18, 2014, 03:05:47 PM
Just tried one more thing with strange results.  I set the primary phone line to PSTN and tried calling out.  The dial tone sounds excellent as well as the first ring, then i get loud screaching and the call never actually goes though.  Don't know if this points to anything.
The dial tone you hear is generated within the OBi.  To hear the telco's dial tone from your line dial a single '#'.  You can then try dialling a call.

WI_John

Thank you drgeoff.  I wondered if that was an Obi generated dial tone.  I tried # and got the horrible noise right away.

drgeoff

I suspect that your OBi110 is indeed faulty.  Possibly the 2-wire to 4-wire hybrid circuitry.