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another noob question

Started by fred999, January 28, 2022, 10:45:58 AM

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fred999

Hi all,

Sorry if this is a dumb question...

I have a Obi202, currently using it with my ISP and their VOIP service.  I'm thinking of taking it to a different location which only has internet - the ISP there doesn't offer VOIP service.

My question is, my understanding is that I could connect the Obi202 to Google voice, and that would provide me with (mostly free) VOIP service.  Am I correct?

If I'm correct, could someone please point me to any setup documentation for that?

Thanks for any advice.

fred999

I guess I have to answer my own question.... I discovered Google Voice is not available in Canada, so that's out.

Now a more technical question... I've seen some suggestions to put the Obi in between the modem and the router, and apparently this is the recommended approach, as compared to just having the Obi attach to the router.  I've had the Obi hanging off my router for a couple years with no issues, so I'm wondering if it would be better the other way, and why...

Thanks for any thoughts...

dircom

#2
Quote from: fred999 on January 28, 2022, 10:45:58 AM
Hi all,

I have a Obi202, currently using it with my ISP and their VOIP service.  I'm thinking of taking it to a different location which only has internet - the ISP there doesn't offer VOIP service.

re: "Sorry if this is a dumb question..."
FYI to people who post questions -- It helps to provide specific details... like : Their VOIP --- Who is that? .... different location --- Where is that? Is it Alabama or Canada?

That being said,
[if you setup your Obi 202 with GV in the USA and it's working fine.]
        It should work fine in Canada.

fred999

Thanks dircom, but actually I've never used GV, and thought it was universal, but I take your point.

What about part 2 of my question, does it make a difference if you put the Obi between the modem and the router, or just let it hang off the router?
Is one method better than the other?

Thanks.

drgeoff

Quote from: fred999 on January 31, 2022, 07:17:35 AM
Thanks dircom, but actually I've never used GV, and thought it was universal, but I take your point.

What about part 2 of my question, does it make a difference if you put the Obi between the modem and the router, or just let it hang off the router?
Is one method better than the other?

Thanks.
The only reason to place the OBi between modem and an ethernet switch (not router - see below) is if you are experiencing sound dropouts on phone calls caused by low internet connection speed and contention from other services using that connection to your ISP.  In that situation the 202 can use QoS to prioritise the audio packets and ameliorate the problem.

An additional consideration is that the 202 is a slow router by current standards.  Its throughput is only about 30 Mbit/s.  If your internet speed is more than that, the 202 will be introducing a limit.

Putting the Obi202 between modem and another router (as opposed to an ethernet switch) means you have two routers in series which results in a double NAT. That makes port forwarding more complex should you need it.  That double NAT can be avoided by not using the WAN port of the router.  Connect the 202 to one of the router's LAN ports.  (Ie use the router as an ethernet switch.)

In summary, if everything is working fine without putting the 202 between modem and router, do not place it there.   

fred999

Thanks drgeoff, you brought up another point I was wondering about.

If the 202 is between the modem and the router, then I don't understand how QoS could work, because how could the router control a device which was in front of it?

My 202 is currently connected to one of the LAN ports, and in that position, I think I could use QoS if I needed.

Please correct me if I'm not understanding.

I''m also thinking of temporarily putting another ATA, a Grandstream, into another LAN port, so I can test the 202 with other VOIP providers while the Grandstream will be my main ATA, pointing to my ISP VOIP provider.  Then later on, I'll remove the 202 and put it in a different location.

Is that doable, as long as both ATA's point to different providers?

Thanks.

drgeoff

Quote from: fred999 on February 01, 2022, 07:29:56 AM
Thanks drgeoff, you brought up another point I was wondering about.

If the 202 is between the modem and the router, then I don't understand how QoS could work, because how could the router control a device which was in front of it?

My 202 is currently connected to one of the LAN ports, and in that position, I think I could use QoS if I needed.

Please correct me if I'm not understanding.

I''m also thinking of temporarily putting another ATA, a Grandstream, into another LAN port, so I can test the 202 with other VOIP providers while the Grandstream will be my main ATA, pointing to my ISP VOIP provider.  Then later on, I'll remove the 202 and put it in a different location.

Is that doable, as long as both ATA's point to different providers?

Thanks.
If the 202 is between router and modem then all traffic is going through the 202.  Somewhat simplified, when the upstream link is getting full and some traffic would be delayed or discarded the 202 is able to selectively let its own packets though to the modem at the expense of packets from other devices on your LAN.

As to your second question, yes you can do that.  You can even have multiple ATAs point to the same provider, even to the same SIP account if the ITSP supports that.

fred999

Thanks drgeoff, appreciate your help.

fred999


"As to your second question, yes you can do that.  You can even have multiple ATAs point to the same provider, even to the same SIP account if the ITSP supports that."

I was wondering about this - if you have two ATA's in two different cities, both pointing to the same provider and the same phone number, and then someone phoned you - would both of your phones in the two cities ring?


drgeoff

Quote from: fred999 on February 21, 2022, 06:37:45 AM

"As to your second question, yes you can do that.  You can even have multiple ATAs point to the same provider, even to the same SIP account if the ITSP supports that."

I was wondering about this - if you have two ATA's in two different cities, both pointing to the same provider and the same phone number, and then someone phoned you - would both of your phones in the two cities ring?


Yes

fred998

Quote from: drgeoff on February 21, 2022, 07:31:42 AM
Quote from: fred999 on February 21, 2022, 06:37:45 AM"As to your second question, yes you can do that.  You can even have multiple ATAs point to the same provider, even to the same SIP account if the ITSP supports that."

I was wondering about this - if you have two ATA's in two different cities, both pointing to the same provider and the same phone number, and then someone phoned you - would both of your phones in the two cities ring?


Yes

Well, I tried this and doesn't seem to work the way I thought.

I have a Grandstream 812 in Toronto, and an Obi202 in Haliburton.
Both are setup with the same phone# and both have a status of Registered with VOIP.ms

I first setup the Grandstream, everything was working - I could call out and receive calls.
Then I setup the OBI, and it seemed to work, both incoming and outgoing.

Then I returned home, and the Grandstream works for outgoing, but when I call the number, the Obi answers in Haliburton.

I've been doing some reading - do I need to setup something like call hunting?

Thanks.

azrobert

I'm not familiar with VOIP.ms, but some providers will only send calls to the last device registered when you only have a main account defined. To verify this, just power cycle the Grandstream. It should now receive calls.

See Sub-Accounts and Ring Groups.

https://wiki.voip.ms/article/Features

Taoman

Very few ITSPs allow simultaneous registrations (using identical SIP credentials) where all endpoints will ring for incoming calls. Voip.ms isn't one of them.

An example of one that does is PhonePower. They allow up to 4 simultaneous registrations where all endpoints will ring for incoming calls.

As already mentioned, for voip.ms you need to use subaccounts and a ring group.

Lavarock7

I agree with Taoman.

I have a company here I set up with Voip.Ms where they use multiple phones that ring simultaneously. They turn on DO NOT DISTURB if they are not working. Each phone is remote from each other (a few in Hawaii the rest on the mainland).

I created a subaccount for each phone. Then I use a ring group with each subaccount to ring simultaneously. The first person to answer stops the rest of the ringing.
My websites: Kona Coffee: http://itskona.com and Web Hosting: http://planetaloha.info<br />A simplified Voip explanation: http://voip.planet-aloha.com

fred998

Thanks guys, I see I have some more reading to do.

It's never as simple as it first appears.

When you create the sub-account for each phone, do you use the same phone# for each?

Also, is there an advantage of ring-groups over call hunting?

Appreciate your help.

Taoman

Quote from: fred998 on July 11, 2022, 06:42:30 AMWhen you create the sub-account for each phone, do you use the same phone# for each?
Sub-accounts are to allow multiple devices/phones/locations to register using different SIP credentials. The only "phone#" used in a sub-account is for your outbound CID. DIDs are associated with phone numbers, not sub-accounts.

Quote from: fred998Also, is there an advantage of ring-groups over call hunting?
Ring groups ring simultaneously. Call hunting rings sequentially.

Create a sub-account for each device you wish to register.
Create a ring group that has each sub-account as a member of that ring group.
Configure your DID(s) to route to the ring group you have created.

fred998

Quote from: Taoman on July 11, 2022, 10:58:47 AM
Quote from: fred998 on July 11, 2022, 06:42:30 AMWhen you create the sub-account for each phone, do you use the same phone# for each?
Sub-accounts are to allow multiple devices/phones/locations to register using different SIP credentials. The only "phone#" used in a sub-account is for your outbound CID. DIDs are associated with phone numbers, not sub-accounts.

Quote from: fred998Also, is there an advantage of ring-groups over call hunting?
Ring groups ring simultaneously. Call hunting rings sequentially.

Create a sub-account for each device you wish to register.
Create a ring group that has each sub-account as a member of that ring group.
Configure your DID(s) to route to the ring group you have created.

Ok thanks.
The reason I questioned ring groups vs call hunting, it seemed at first glance to be easier to setup call hunting, as long as you don't mind waiting while the phone rings a few times at the other location.

I'll delve into it some more.  Thanks for your detail help.

fred998

Think I'm clear about everything except one point I'm confused about:

when creating the sub-account, you need a password.  Where is this password used?  Does this over-ride the password that you need in the Main SIP/IAX Password?

And this new password is used when you configure the Obi202 (and the Grandstream which is in the other city)?

Thanks.

Taoman

You need to start finding these answers yourself. Voip.ms has excellent resources. When in doubt go to the Voip.ms wiki. Azrobert already gave you the link and I'll give it to you again:

https://wiki.voip.ms/article/Features
Sub-accounts

Plus voip.ms has a boatload of how-to videos on Youtube:
Youtube

You use the username and password for each sub-account as your SIP credentials for your ATAs in each location.

fred998

Quote from: Taoman on July 15, 2022, 06:38:28 PMYou need to start finding these answers yourself. Voip.ms has excellent resources. When in doubt go to the Voip.ms wiki. Azrobert already gave you the link and I'll give it to you again:

https://wiki.voip.ms/article/Features
Sub-accounts

Plus voip.ms has a boatload of how-to videos on Youtube:
Youtube

You use the username and password for each sub-account as your SIP credentials for your ATAs in each location.

Thanks Taoman.

I did read the link, but it didn't specify where the password is to be used, hence my educated guess, which you confirmed, thanks.  Also have read other articles in the wiki.

I also had seen the voip.ms utubes and browsed through them all, looking for any related to sub-accounts, but didn't find any.  I did watch the one related to ring groups.

I have a fear of screwing things up and losing my phone service, so want to confirm stuff before I do it.  I already lost my home phone service last week because of having the two ATA's and don't want to make it worse.

Thanks again for your help, appreciate it.