Google Voice with Google Apps

[cwmm]

I've found small mentions of using the Obi devices with a GV number that is associated with a Google Apps account but no specific thread discussing it. The Obi FAQ says this works but my experience has been inconsistent. And when I inquire with support they say to move the number to a @gmail.com account w/o any explanation.

My situation:

1) An Obi1062 that is connected to 3 google voice numbers - each on google apps accounts. This unit is connected wirelessly to my home network. The numbers work flawlessly.

2) An Obi200 that is connected to 1 google voice number - the number is on a google apps account. When connected wirelessly to the network, it connects to the GV number fine and works for a while. But then voice stops working on incoming calls; the phone rings but when answers neither party can hear the other. When connected wired to the network, the google voice SP will never connect, just times out.

My problem is obviously the second one where the unit won't consistently work with the google voice number associated with google apps. For my purposes I control the google apps domain - it is a set of family accounts - and I'd really like to keep the number associated with the google apps domain rather than move it out to gmail. Especially since it seems to work fine with the 1062.

I am hoping to prompt a discussion of what the problem is that the google apps stuff doesn't 100% work and perhaps prod the Obihai folks into addressing it. At least I can hope :-)

Any thoughts?

Chris

[SteveInWA]

About all I can tell you is what you've already found:  some Apps accounts work.  In your case, have you tried swapping accounts around between the two units, to isolate the issue to the device vs. the account?

[billsimon]

It has nothing to do with Apps. You mentioned "connected wirelessly" so is there some difference in the network situation between the two devices? If properly configured, Apps accounts will work just as well as gmail.com accounts, 100% of the time. The "properly" refers to enabling Google Talk in your Apps administrator area.

[SteveInWA]

It has nothing to do with Apps.  If properly configured, Apps accounts will work just as well as gmail.com accounts, 100% of the time. The "properly" refers to enabling Google Talk in your Apps administrator area.

Well, that's no longer true, in all cases, by default.  New Apps accounts now default to using Hangouts, and specific steps need to be taken to go back to using XMPP (Chat/Talk).  Since the OP is the domain admin, and the other user IDs on the domain work, we can assume that the domain is set up to use XMPP.  I asked him to swap user IDs with devices because it's a quick and easy way to eliminate any issue with one of the accounts.

https://support.google.com/a/answer/60767?hl=en

Note that the OP described working, but unreliable performance over WiFi, but no connection over Ethernet.  That suggests a poor WiFi network issue, along with a possible mess caused by two different local IP addresses being cached in the router for the same OBi device.

The next step would be to power down the router and the OBi, remove the OBi WiFi dongle, connect the OBi to the router via Ethernet, not WiFi, power up the router and then power up the OBi, and troubleshoot from that point.

[cwmm]

Is it the case that a properly configured apps account will work with the Obi 200? billsimon & SteveInWA seem to be in disagreement on this. It would be super helpful to know that if setup properly this will work -- if not, if it is less deterministic based on the apps account, that may prevent me from solving the problem.

For me the situation is a little less straight forward than Steve lays out; if the unit Obi200 is connected via Ethernet, it never establishes the connection to GV but the unit is reachable for ObiTalk and the local web interface and the setup works fine. If it is connected via WiFi, it will establish the connection to GV and works for a while (day or more) but then ends up in this no voice scenario.

The Obi1062 works fine with the apps account(s). But the Obi200 fails after some time -- it starts working fine with the apps account (same one as continues to work fine on the Obi1062) but after some time (which I can't quantify yet) calls ring but there is no voice. I take this to mean that the apps account is setup correctly since the 1062 works fine & the 200 starts out working fine when connected via WiFi.

Thinking the WiFi scenario might be a marginal connection, I relocated the Obi200 to close proximity to the WiFi access point so signal is not an issue. The access point is a year old Netgear with current firmware so unlikely it is flaking out and no indication from other devices that it is.

More detail - the Obi200 and the Obi1062 are in different locations on different home networks and different network providers. Comcast for the 1062, Charter for the 200. Of course, murphy's law, the 1062 is right in front of me working fine, the 200 is across the country being a bit flakey.

[SteveInWA]

Like Bill said, if the account is properly configured, then it will work.  Since you are the domain administrator, you're the only person that would know how your Apps control panel is set.  See the linked help article for more details.  Essentially, you must have the old Google Talk/Chat system enabled for all users, not just Hangouts.

Why not do a quick test with the failing account, just to remove any doubt from your mind on this point...configure that account on your OBi phone, and see if it works properly.

I do think you've got some sort of network issue at that location, but I don't have any advice as to how you will be able to diagnose it, beyond my original suggestion to temporarily remove the WiFi dongle, power-cycle everything to clear out the ARP cache, etc, and try it on Ethernet.  If it's consistently failing, you may have a firewall rule blocking the ports to GV, or perhaps that ISP is blocking it (which I believe is now illegal under FCC net neutrality rules).

[drgeoff]

For me the situation is a little less straight forward than Steve lays out; if the unit Obi200 is connected via Ethernet, it never establishes the connection to GV but the unit is reachable for ObiTalk and the local web interface and the setup works fine. If it is connected via WiFi, it will establish the connection to GV ....

Something wrong there then!

1. A wired ethernet connection on an OBi200 should never have worse performance than a Wi-Fi one.

2.  Nothing upstream of your router can know if the OBi to router link is wired or wireless.  That the connection to GV is never established when using the ethernet connection can only be down to a problem on the LAN side of your router.

[cwmm]

Yes, or perhaps the LAN side of the Obi 200. And, I know I am repeating, but the other functions of the Obi 200 seem to work fine when connected on the LAN, just not the GV connection (which in my case is to an apps account).

For me the definitive "this should work" is the most important thing. I got shut down by ObiHai support when my question involved a google apps account - they simply said move it to gmail which doesn't work for me. I'm not sure why they shut me down from support so definitively when I have a google apps account & their own FAQ says that works.

Regardless, knowing it should work gives me renewed determination to figure out why.

[drgeoff]

Yes, or perhaps the LAN side of the Obi 200.

My words "LAN side of your router" were intended to convey "anything, even external to the router on the LAN side of its functionality".  I didn't mean that only the router could be the cause.

[billsimon]

For me the definitive "this should work" is the most important thing. I got shut down by ObiHai support when my question involved a google apps account - they simply said move it to gmail which doesn't work for me. I'm not sure why they shut me down from support so definitively when I have a google apps account & their own FAQ says that works.

I usually lurk here quietly but spoke up this time because I was annoyed at support's bad advice. It was a lazy way for them to be done with your ticket.

[cwmm]

Thanks for all the advice on this -- I'll report back on what I find when I'm able to get in front of the unit again.
And I appreciate the remark on support; ultimately I had that sense which prompted me to post here. Nice to have a community of folks being so helpful with this product.