Obihai on sale at Amazon?

[MikeHObi]

Got an email from Amazon today with a bunch of voip stuff on sale including Obihai stuff.
Bluetooth adapter for $25.23
Wireless adapter for $25.23
Obi100 for $37.98
Obi200 for $49.99
Obi202 for $59.99

[gderf]

I picked up my OBi200 in October at Amazon. When I ordered it it was $50.24 with free shipping but the price dropped before they shipped, so I got the lower price of $39.99 with free shipping.

[giqcass]

I would like a deal on the Obline adapter.  I have a deal alert set up on fatwallet for it.

[sdb-]

Thanks Mike.  I picked up a '202.  I'll keep watching for a better deal...  Maybe the '202s will go out at firesale prices as the expected life of google voice diminishes?  A two-pack for $80?

I would have picked up a '302, but I expect Obihai will do something to keep using google voice/hangouts on the '1x0 and '20x products.  If they don't, the '20x does not offer anything extra over the '30x and I'll start buying '30x.

[giqcass]

Thanks Mike.  I picked up a '202.  I'll keep watching for a better deal...  Maybe the '202s will go out at firesale prices as the expected life of google voice diminishes?  A two-pack for $80?

I would have picked up a '302, but I expect Obihai will do something to keep using google voice/hangouts on the '1x0 and '20x products.  If they don't, the '20x does not offer anything extra over the '30x and I'll start buying '30x.

Does the 302 do anything the 202 doesn't? 
After XMPP dies I had considered spoofing the DNS on my network so my Obi points to a custom XMPP server instead of Googles.  Then I can see if there is anything cool I can do with it.

[MikeHObi]

I would like a deal on the Obline adapter.  I have a deal alert set up on fatwallet for it.

I noticed obi has their form showing their stuff on Amazon on the left.  If you are blocking some adds you may not see it.  The OBiLine is currently $34.99 on amazon.

[giqcass]

I don't "need" one but if the price hits around $25 I'll probably buy one.  I wouldn't mind combining it with a Fretalk-1200 for Skype.  Right now the Raspberry Pi is higher on my list.   I might use a PI for Google Voice integration after XMPP dies.

[sdb-]

Does the 302 do anything the 202 doesn't? 
After XMPP dies I had considered spoofing the DNS on my network so my Obi points to a custom XMPP server instead of Googles.  Then I can see if there is anything cool I can do with it.

I think the '302 is normally cheaper than the '202 but it appears to me to be the same hardware with different firmware.  (It does not have GV support.)  The rest of the functionality I cared about appears the same, so if there is no GV I'm buying the cheapest option.

Instead of spoofing DNS it is a lot more reliable to intercept and redirect the port (5222 or sometimes 5223) it uses to talk to GV.  If using a Linux router between the OBi and the 'net then a rule like this causes that router to "capture" all 5222 traffic to its own 5222:

Code Select Expand

iptables -A PREROUTING -i eth0 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 5222 -j REDIRECT --to-ports 5222

I do this for smtp, ntp, dns and some other traffic coming from my home lan.

The advantage of the DNS approach is you do not have to route all traffic, just point the OBi's DNS to your own DNS server.  The disadvantage is a firmware change can easily change the hostname they use or they might simply hard code an IP address.  Either might already be in the firmware as a backup and could be used at any time.  When you intercept the port(s) they will always end up talking to you.