OBI100 Stopped Working after Firmware Upgrade

[splendid]

I have an Obi 100 that is configured with Google Voice.  I have been using it with GV for just over a year.  Recently, I changed my Google password.  Then I logged in to my Obi account and it downloaded a firmware update.  I then started to get the "There is no service available message."  I tried a lot of things (rebooting, factory reset, deleting and re-adding the device) and found that after a factory reset and re-adding the device, the service will work for a short time, but soon reverts to the "There is no service available" message again.  I have a solid green power light and have the IP address in a DMZ on the router.  I submitted a ticket to Obi, and this is the response: "Per your description, it appears this OBi is no longer working properly (electrically damaged), and it is already outside of the 1 year warranty. We suggest you get a replacement OBi such as OBi200 model at amazon.com, it is a newer device and has many more features.  Best Regards,
Obihai Technology" We have not had any electrical bumps and the power supply is on a quality surge protector.  I metered the power supply, and the power is perfect and constant.  Any ideas?

[Mango]

Placing an OBi100 in DMZ is a security risk, but as long as you have strong passwords set up, we can worry about that later.  Curiously, the reply you received is word-for-word the same as this other user's and also this one.

1) To make sure I understand it correctly, you mentioned that after a factory reset and re-add that the device works for a short time.  If you simply reboot the device, it will still not work.  Correct?

2) While the problem is happening, what is the SPx Service Status, for the SP that is configured for Google Voice?

3) What router are you using?  Since you have the device in DMZ and GV doesn't use SIP, I can't think of a reason the router would cause the problem, but it would be good to know as a matter of course.

Since you have a solid green power light, I am not yet convinced that your OBi is electrically damaged.  I hope I am right and we can solve your problem.

[splendid]

1) Up until my post, that was the case in that I had to perform a factory reset to get the device to work.  Simply rebooting would not work.  However, after your response, I rebooted three times.  The first two times, the device would not work.  The third time was the charm and the device started working.  However, it did not work for long.  The device was connected for about twenty minutes before it stopped working.  I tried rebooting it again, and it started working again.  Five minutes later, it was not working again.  The green power light was solid the entire time.

2)  When the problem is happening, the service status shows "Offline".  I currently only have GV configured.  Previously, I had Anveo e911.  Since the device stopped working, I deleted the Anveo configuration.

3) I have an Actiontec PK5000 router. 

[Mango]

From within your router's configuration, navigate to Advanced Setup >> Security >> Firewall.  Set your Firewall Security Level to Off.  Then reboot your OBi (a couple of times if you have to - or leave it unplugged for a while if that helps) so that it reconnects to Google Voice.  If that solves the problem, try to increase the security level and leave it at the highest level at which it still works.

If you're able to get it to work consistently, try removing the device from DMZ and see if it still works.

If your Firewall Security Level IS already set to Off, then I don't know what the problem could be.  Hopefully someone else has some mroe ideas.

[SteveInWA]

Given that there are now at least three reports of this, it would be a useful trouble-shooting step if somebody in this situation would delete their device from the OBiTALK portal, do the 30-second paper clip lobotomy factory reset on their device, obtain (if you don't already have one) a free or paid DID from a SIP service provider, and then try to use the OBiTALK portal to add that provider, instead of GV.

If the device succeeds in doing that, and "lives" for a while, then it would suggest something other than bad hardware is the culprit.

As has been mentioned in another thread, this could be end-of-life flash memory or the circuitry that supports writing and reading the flash, and the extra memory space and write cycles needed to update the firmware AND write the new Google Voice authentication code on it, could be the proverbial last straw.

[Mango]

I think the OP has a different issue.  The light on his device is green, and he's able to access its configuration via a web browser.  But, your suggestion is a good one and would confirm my guess that the OBi is not physically damaged.  Callcentric's free 1777 number that is included with the IP Freedom account would be sufficient for this test.

[SteveInWA]

I think the OP has a different issue.  The light on his device is green, and he's able to access its configuration via a web browser.  But, your suggestion is a good one and would confirm my guess that the OBi is not physically damaged.  Callcentric's free 1777 number that is included with the IP Freedom account would be sufficient for this test.

Good point!  Thanks.  I was too lazy to go post my suggestion in the other thread(s) with the dead 1xx boxes.  I can see where a few of these would start failing now, with the extra write cycles, but it does seem odd.  Of course, as with all forum discussions, we only see the people with problems, not the many users whose devices are happily working.

[splendid]

I checked the router and the firewall was already off.    So, I deleted the device and signed up for a Callcentric account.  It registered just fine and so far is working.  I'll check it tomorrow and see if it still works. 

BTW, my device was purchased in March of 2013.

[splendid]

The OBi lost the connection with Callcentric as well.  I have a solid green light, but the status says "Offline".  I also had trouble logging in to the OBi device to change the default password.  I'm assuming this means my OBi is all but dead.  I'm now wondering what the average life of an OBi device is.  Any ideas?

[drgeoff]

Is it possible to flash an older firmware, disable auto-updating and try again with Callcentric only?

[Mango]

You can try to open a ticket with Obihai and ask them to downgrade your firmware.  Though they can do this, they have historically refused.

[Abe1]

I ran into this issue today Jun 14, 2016.  I have my Obi100 configured with SP1 for Google Voice and it worked fine till yesterday. Today when I checked, it was on 1.3.0 build 2872 FW. And saw this message on their portal ("Acquiring Service (0)", or "OFFLINE" in ObiTalk DashBoard).

After spending some time googling, found a fix - Manually upgrade the FW to OBi110-1-3-0-2886.fw. Even though it is for OBI110, it will work for OBI100. Just wanted to share this and hope it helps someone out there !!

[drgeoff]

Manually upgrade the FW to OBi110-1-3-0-2886.fw. Even though it is for OBI110, it will work for OBI100.

The OBi100 and OBi110 use the same firmware.

[EllenL]

I ran into this issue today Jun 14, 2016.  I have my Obi100 configured with SP1 for Google Voice and it worked fine till yesterday. Today when I checked, it was on 1.3.0 build 2872 FW. And saw this message on their portal ("Acquiring Service (0)", or "OFFLINE" in ObiTalk DashBoard).

After spending some time googling, found a fix - Manually upgrade the FW to OBi110-1-3-0-2886.fw. Even though it is for OBI110, it will work for OBI100. Just wanted to share this and hope it helps someone out there !!

Thank you. My experience was identical.  After upgrading and reboot, my GV is working perfectly again.

[notconfident]

Mine is still not working, even with build 2886.

[HCream]

Same situation. After updating the firmware to build 2886, my OBi100 is working again. However, the echo test call to **9 222 222 222 is no longer working.

[drgeoff]

Same situation. After updating the firmware to build 2886, my OBi100 is working again. However, the echo test call to **9 222 222 222 is no longer working.

I've just tried calling the echo test number and it failed.  I suspect that is nothing to do with the firmware but just another of the not infrequent weekend wobblies of the Obitalk network. If so it will probably be up and working again tomorrow.

[SteveInWA]

Same situation. After updating the firmware to build 2886, my OBi100 is working again. However, the echo test call to **9 222 222 222 is no longer working.

I've just tried calling the echo test number and it failed.  I suspect that is nothing to do with the firmware but just another of the not infrequent weekend wobblies of the Obitalk network. If so it will probably be up and working again tomorrow.

my OBi100 is working again

You successfully fixed the problem.  Like drgeoff said, the echo test number is temporarily down (HTTP error 404, not found), but the OBiTALK network is still up.  I tested calling one of my OBis from another one, via **9 <obi number> and it works fine.