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Required $10/year upgrade to update Google Voice Config?

Started by mivi, June 08, 2015, 08:09:12 PM

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mivi

I have an OBI100 device; I needed to update my Google Voice Config, and the ObiTalk page isn't lettingme saying that I need to pay $10/yr to upgrade support. I thought Obi advertises that there are no recurrent costs after purchasing the device.

How do I update the Google Voice Config?


SteveInWA

There hasn't been any official information on this policy change posted here on the forum.  Users can speculate, but why don't you open a ticket with Obihai and ask them directly?  Posting here, what you find out, would help other users understand the change.

This behavior seems to vary by device type and individual situation.  I tested deleting my GV configuration off of a SP slot on an out-of-warranty OBi 200, and I was able to add it back in, with no notice regarding a support fee.  It's possible that the fee is triggered if you're trying to add or update a device that is both out of warranty and has downlevel firmware.  All my devices have the latest firmware, so I can't test that theory.  Again, the only definitive answer has to come from Obihai, and they don't respond here in the forum.

mivi

I did reach out to Obihai, and got this response from them:

-------------------------------
This device is out of warranty and does not have an Extended Support on it.
To continue using Google Voice with the OBi, you will need to purchase a
Support contract to enable firmware upgrades.
To purchase it, please log into your OBitalk.com account and click on your
dashboard.
Further click on your device, and go to Support and Warranty tab.
-------------------------------


It's not very clear if you require Extended Support to enable firmware upgrade only, or is it required for GoogleVoice service as well. I have another Obi202 device which is out of warranty, and I was able to upgrade firmware w/ the expired support contract.

What is the latest firmware for Obi100 (I thought the latest firmware was released in 2014) - my unit doesn't have a "warning sign" telling me that newer firmware is available, so I think I'm running the latest. How do I confirm?



SteveInWA

Thanks for reporting your experience with Obihai support regarding this issue.

The behavior seems inconsistent from one device to another at this point.  It's possible that their recent change to this strategy has an implementation bug, resulting in invalid warranty or support status.  The linked discussion describes some devices in various warranty states, with different results.  In one case, it looks like the device just needed to be factory reset after getting it up to the latest firmware release.

In any case, there are 3 ways to find your device's firmware version:  on the OBiTALK portal, expert configuration menu, status page, or via the local web page, or via the attached telephone's voice interface.  For the latter method, use the attached phone, key in ***0, then 1#, and the voice will tell you the version.  For the 2xx series, the current version is 3.0.4738.  If you want to experiment by downgrading the firmware to 4581, you can read the information in the linked discussion thread that Robert posted.

Firmware information:  http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=9.0 (note that Mark no longer works at Obihai, and nobody has been updating the release notes since then).

mivi

Thanks for your help. after manually upgrading my firmware to 2872; I was able to re-configure Google Voice.


SteveInWA

Thanks for confirming that it eventually got sorted out.

Just to add another data point:  I tested my old OBi 110 (hardware ver. 2.8, long out of warranty) last night.  I had previously removed it from my portal account.  I factory reset it, and then added it back to the portal.  I was able to successfully configure a previously-unused GV test account with no prompt to pay for support service.  It appears to me that the pay-for-support issue may only surface if the device added to the portal is both out-of-warranty, and has a down-level firmware version installed.  Of course, the latter issue can be solved by manually updating the firmware.

rickame

Wonder if any more info is available on this as I got error message and another has posted they did too. I see you implied that one could just upgrade the firmware. I did but says I had latest. i still get note to purchase service and automatically will get software upgrade..not sure if they mean firmware, and if they now don't let you get, or not easily, manually. In any case when I try to reinstall firmware from site, says I have the latest but doesn't give firmware numbers...Any thoughts or advice?

SteveInWA

Quote from: rickame on May 19, 2016, 07:52:40 PM
Wonder if any more info is available on this as I got error message and another has posted they did too. I see you implied that one could just upgrade the firmware. I did but says I had latest. i still get note to purchase service and automatically will get software upgrade..not sure if they mean firmware, and if they now don't let you get, or not easily, manually. In any case when I try to reinstall firmware from site, says I have the latest but doesn't give firmware numbers...Any thoughts or advice?

https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=11252.msg73904#msg73904

Updesh

The issue I also faced and after lot of testing and trying..I paid.

Post payment it took less than 5 minutes to get the back up and working.

Thanks - Forum..

EllenL

I had the same notice this morning.  After reading through all threads, it is clear that the problem is firmware on the OBI100.  Mine was 1.3.0.2872, which is listed as the latest, but it is not. 

I manually installed the OBI110 update 1.3.0.2886 by logging in to my device's IP and travelling to the System Management page.  After reboot my GV was working properly

Nice attempt at a cash grab they promised us would never be required, though.

Thank you to everyone that weighed in on this issue.

mixofia

You just have to pay. I have an Obi110 set up for my Mom, so it's not worth it to not pay on principle.

But before I did so, I manually upgraded to SoftwareVersion 1.3.0 (Build: 2872) manually, which was the latest FW on the website at http://fw.obihai.com/OBi-latest.fw.  It still wouldn't let me configure GoogleVoice.

Then I paid and it upgraded to a new, secret FW, 1.3.0 (Build: 2886)

After that, it took a couple minutes and GVoice was back in action.


beaky1211

I just downloaded the firmware and updated it

http://fw.obihai.com/OBi110-1-3-0-2886.fw

It works for obi100 (which i what i have)

mo832

OK, here is a tricky issue that I have.

1 of 2 devices is located at my parent's house. The remote device is currently the only one that is having a problem connecting. I would like to do the manual firmware upgrade, but if I type the IP address on the REMOTE phone into my LOCAL browser, will it reach the remote device? Or must you be physically connected to the obi device in order to access it via the address?

I cannot travel to the remote location, and my father is not capable of performing these tasks himself. At least not reliably or a high risk of really messing up something.

hapollo

I just did with a family members OBI remotely

You can if you have set up Portforwarding to the Obi Webserver previously. (Which I did)

If not, you can try to Remote Desktop into a PC on that network and use that PC's browser to log in to the OBI.

If you do not know how to Remote Desktop, you can both download Teamviewer at

https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/

and then swap USER ID and PW (shown on each others Teamviewer screen) and Remote Desktop through each other's PC into the OBI IP address.

SteveInWA

Quote from: hapollo on June 14, 2016, 03:37:52 PM
I just did with a family members OBI remotely

You can if you have set up Portforwarding to the Obi Webserver previously. (Which I did)

If not, you can try to Remote Desktop into a PC on that network and use that PC's browser to log in to the OBI.

If you do not know how to Remote Desktop, you can both download Teamviewer at

https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/

and then swap USER ID and PW (shown on each others Teamviewer screen) and Remote Desktop through each other's PC into the OBI IP address.

Quote
and my father is not capable of performing these tasks himself. At least not reliably or a high risk of really messing up something.

mo832

1. How do you set up port forwarding?

2. After setting up port forwarding, how do you log into the device remotely and do the fw update procedure?


hapollo

Check your router's port forwarding section in the manual.

At this point, go for option 3. It's the least risky. Your dad should download Teamviewer QS, run it and just tell you the the user ID and Password so you can enter those credentials in your Teamviewer.

If you don't think your Dad can download and run a program, without risk, don't try it.


mo832

For this particular task, I will use an alternate method.

For future knowledge and use (possibly for myself), I still would like to know the detailed steps, if you would be so kind :).