Ooma Forums

Hi All, I'm a new Ooma customer and I have a few questions, actually lotsa questions.

I know I'm going to hear RTFM. I did Read The F'n Manual. These are just some of the points I'm confused about.

Yesterday I purchased Ooma. I'm quite excited to get my service up-n-running and fine tuned. I had to do a strange (ish) hook-up since my home Internet connection is not a typical plug-n-play deal. I tried the connections in the setup guide, but couldn't get data to pass through the hub, therefore, no Internet & no Ooma initialization. I'll explain it; if you know of a better connection, I'll try it, but keep in mind, this works fine as is, "I think". What I mean by this is, it's the only connection where I get both Internet & Ooma Dialtone.

Motorola SBV5322 Cable modem feeds a Cisco 851 router / switch that provides 5 Static IP's. Out of the first (Cisco) LAN port it feeds the WAN port on a D-Link Dir 655 wireless router. Out of a LAN port on the Dir-655 it feeds the Modem port on the Ooma Hub. Nothing on the Home port of the hub. This router has Qos. I just set it to Auto, I'll fine tune if necessary. But as it stands the VOIP test run all seems to be OK.
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My home has 7phns. They are all home runs back to a punchdown block. That's where they meet Verizon feed. BTW all the phones are cordless Unidens, the old 900Mhz jobs that you know is in your hand while holding. Each has its own base station & spkrphn.


The Phn & Wall ports are not switched on the hub. I assume the only way to have Ooma work on the other 6 phn's, is having them switched? When I do switch, I get no dialtone, and one of the two Ooma line buttons stays Red, indicating a short on the line.
Also, I want to port my number. I read somewhere (forum or Guide) that the phn line switch is necessary if you want to port your number. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.


I plan to test drive the Ooma service for 29days. If all goes well, I plan to keep the service as well as enrolling in the Premier plan. How can I save the $39.00 porting fee if I do not pay the $99.00 fee for Premier until after my test drive is up? My Guess --> I wait to port number until my test drive is up?

I have the Hub & 1 Scout. These two phones have the Ooma Dialtone. The other phones do not have the Ooma Dialtone. Are they still on the Ooma network / service? Or do I need to have a Scout for every extension? Quite frankly, that would be a drag.


Disable Call Waiting Tone: Is this service an "either or" type. Either have a second line -or Call Waiting tone? Some of the manual is (at least to me) poorly written.

Thanks for reading my rant. If anyone has any questions, comments, or solutions, feel free to jump in here. I'd like to hear anything anyone has to say.

...screamer

screamerUSA1 wrote: The Phn & Wall ports are not switched on the hub. I assume the only way to have Ooma work on the other 6 phn's, is having them switched? When I do switch, I get no dialtone, and one of the two Ooma line buttons stays Red, indicating a short on the line.
Also, I want to port my number. I read somewhere (forum or Guide) that the phn line switch is necessary if you want to port your number. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.


I plan to test drive the Ooma service for 29days. If all goes well, I plan to keep the service as well as enrolling in the Premier plan. How can I save the $39.00 porting fee if I do not pay the $99.00 fee for Premier until after my test drive is up? My Guess --> I wait to port number until my test drive is up?

I have the Hub & 1 Scout. These two phones have the Ooma Dialtone. The other phones do not have the Ooma Dialtone. Are they still on the Ooma network / service? Or do I need to have a Scout for every extension? Quite frankly, that would be a drag.

The ooma hub and scout wall ports are for communication between these two ooma devices via HPNA over your house wiring. No phone will work plugged directly into a wall port or a home phone jack that is connected to an ooma wall port elsewhere in the home.

The ooma hub and scout phone ports are for communication between these two ooma devices and a phone, either connected directly or through your house wiring. The phone ports provide dial tone to phones but not instant second line capability (premier).

In order to use instant second line, each phone must be connected to a separate ooma device's phone port, and the ooma devices must in turn be connected to each other's wall port.

Since most homes have at least two wiring pairs in their home phone wiring, a lot of ooma users will use the hub's phone port to send dial tone to all of their phones connected to Line1 of their home's wiring, and then use Line2 of the home's wiring to create the HPNA network between the wall ports of the hub and scout(s). Additional phones can be connected to the phone port of a scout to provide instant second line capability to that phone, as well as the broadband answering machine features built into the scout.

You said you plan to port your Verizon number later, so I'm assuming you did not establish ooma service with your Verizon line provisioned to your hub. If you can forward your Verizon number to your temporary ooma number so that inbound calls ring your ooma line, consider disconnecting the Verizon line at the demark box since the voltage from that line may interfere with your ooma devices connected to the same line in your house.

You don't need to wait until your premier trial is up to subscribe, you can call customer service and they will append your paid year to the end of your trial period. If you pay to port before signing up for premier, they will only charge you the difference if you sign up for premier during your trial period.

screamerUSA1 wrote: I plan to test drive the Ooma service for 29days. If all goes well, I plan to keep the service as well as enrolling in the Premier plan. How can I save the $39.00 porting fee if I do not pay the $99.00 fee for Premier until after my test drive is up? My Guess --> I wait to port number until my test drive is up?

You can begin your port for $39.99 whenever you're ready or you can sign up for a yearly subscription to premier for $99.99 and the port is included. Just make sure you keep your existing service for the phone number you want to port until the port is complete or you will lose your phone number.

You get a 60 day trial (6 months if purchased from Costco.com) of ooma premier. If you order a port for $39.99 and then decide to get a yearly subscription for $99.99, you can call customer service and they will refund the $39.99 if you're still in the trial period.

screamerUSA1 wrote: Disable Call Waiting Tone: Is this service an "either or" type. Either have a second line -or Call Waiting tone? Some of the manual is (at least to me) poorly written.

You can have both or either. If a call comes in while you are already on line 1, the call waiting tone will signal on your phone and all other phones connected to scouts will ring as well. You can then press flash on your phone to place the first call on hold and answer the second call or you or someone else can answer the second call on another phone connected to the scout.
Or you can press *70 at the beginning of your call on line 1 and then the call waiting tone will not signal the other call on your phone but other phones connect to scouts will ring. If you have no other phones connected to scout(s), the call will go to voicemail.

Note - If the flash doesn't work correctly you have to contact CS to have a configuration change to ooma.

Groundhound wrote:

screamerUSA1 wrote: The Phn & Wall ports are not switched on the hub. I assume the only way to have Ooma work on the other 6 phn's, is having them switched? When I do switch, I get no dialtone, and one of the two Ooma line buttons stays Red, indicating a short on the line.


Also, I want to port my number. I read somewhere (forum or Guide) that the phn line switch is necessary if you want to port your number. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

The ooma hub and scout wall ports are for communication between these two ooma devices via HPNA over your house wiring. No phone will work plugged directly into a wall port or a home phone jack that is connected to an ooma wall port elsewhere in the home.

The ooma hub and scout phone ports are for communication between these two ooma devices and a phone, either connected directly or through your house wiring. The phone ports provide dial tone to phones but not instant second line capability (premier).

In order to use instant second line, each phone must be connected to a separate ooma device's phone port, and the ooma devices must in turn be connected to each other's wall port.

Since most homes have at least two wiring pairs in their home phone wiring, a lot of ooma users will use the hub's phone port to send dial tone to all of their phones connected to Line1 of their home's wiring, and then use Line2 of the home's wiring to create the HPNA network between the wall ports of the hub and scout(s). Additional phones can be connected to the phone port of a scout to provide instant second line capability to that phone, as well as the broadband answering machine features built into the scout.

Here's a sketch of my wiring scheme. I have a 4cond. pulled throughout the house. I also have two lines each using 2cond. Everything goes back to the punchblock.

After I get all the lines working I will loose the Verizon connection in the Network Interface.
GroundHound, I need to read your reply a second and perhaps a third time. Just to have everything clear before I start to pull more wire. Or, perhaps I'll go buy one of those new dect 6 jobs that has extra handsets and one base. All I really need is two business extensions. One for my office and one for my shop / basement. Those phns are just like feathers, there is no substance to 'em. My mind is kinda fried right now so I'll be alot clearer in the morning.


You said you plan to port your Verizon number later, so I'm assuming you did not establish ooma service with your Verizon line provisioned to your hub. If you can forward your Verizon number to your temporary ooma number so that inbound calls ring your ooma line, consider disconnecting the Verizon line at the demark box since the voltage from that line may interfere with your ooma devices connected to the same line in your house.

I have my existing number in service now. I guess I'll call cust. svc. and work something out w/ them.

You don't need to wait until your premier trial is up to subscribe, you can call customer service and they will append your paid year to the end of your trial period. If you pay to port before signing up for premier, they will only charge you the difference if you sign up for premier during your trial period.

Looking at your sketch, I assume that behind the block (the part we can't see) all Line1 runs are connected in parallel and the same is true for all Line2 runs. Also, you have two lines at present with Verizon? If so, do you plan to port both numbers?

With this setup as I understand it, I would connect my ooma hub's phone port to Line1 at the jack in that room (use a simple duplex splitter if you also need a Line1 phone in that room). This will provide Line1 dial tone to all jacks. I would then connect the hub's wall port to Line2 using a Line1/Line2 splitter (http://www.abccables.com/308-4324.html) or separate jack and then place scouts in your den, basement, and office with wall ports connected to Line2 and phones connected to their respective phone ports to handle both lines.

Edit: If your phones are two-line phones, you could feed dial tone to Line2 from a single scout's phone port in the same room as your hub (hub and scout wall ports connected directly without going through house wiring) and connect the phones to both Line1 and Line2 in the conventional manner.

Groundhound wrote:Looking at your sketch, I assume that behind the block (the part we can't see) all Line1 runs are connected in parallel and the same is true for all Line2 runs. Also, you have two lines at present with Verizon? If so, do you plan to port both numbers?

With this setup as I understand it, I would connect my ooma hub's phone port to Line1 at the jack in that room (use a simple duplex splitter if you also need a Line1 phone in that room). This will provide Line1 dial tone to all jacks. I would then connect the hub's wall port to Line2 using a Line1/Line2 splitter (http://www.abccables.com/308-4324.html) or separate jack and then place scouts in your den, basement, and office with wall ports connected to Line2 and phones connected to their respective phone ports to handle both lines.

Yes, all connections are as stated. Current setup, line 1 goes to every phone in the house. It's only line 2 that has three extensions.

If all works out well w/ line 1, I would like to also port my business line.
But there's time for that.

My office is directly (2 floors) above the room in the basement / shop that has the block / feed from network interface installed.
The line comes up from the basement (block) right into my office. 'puters fax, copy machine, *phones*... Like I said, I really only "need" 2 business extensions. One in the office and one in my shop. It would be nice to also have a Bus. extension in the Den / Family room. Then I would have a Buss. line on every level of the house. Cut down on doing the steps. But to pull a new cable into the Den is a real bitch. I've gotta get into a tiny crawlspace. Actually, come to think of it, it's nearly impossible. I pulled the existing cable 10yrs ago, not too long after we moved in this house. Since then I've got shelves, shelves and more shelves against every wall and one is covering the access to the crawlspace.

Just so we're clear. Say I want: Bath 1, Kitchen, Bedroom, & Bath 2 to have line 1. Basement, Den & Office to have line 1 & line 2. What do you suggest?

thanks guy,

...screamer

Where is the hub located now, basement or office? Are the phones in the basement, office, and den single line phones or 2-line phones? Which rooms do you want, in addition to 2-line capability, an ooma device to check voice mail?

Groundhound wrote:Where is the hub located now, basement or office? Are the phones in the basement, office, and den single line phones or 2-line phones? Which rooms do you want, in addition to 2-line capability, an ooma device to check voice mail?

Every Phn is an identical two line phone.

Upstairs - Office

Line 1
Hub is in the office: "Phn port of hub goes to phn" and "wall port on hub goes to wall/jack"

Line 2 (comes in on separate 2cond cable)
Business Line 2 is on a second phone, second desk. It's own answering machine. A total separate entity It's fine here.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Main Level - Den

Scout is in Den: "Phn port of Scout goes to phn" and "wall port on Scout goes to wall/jack"

This is fed w/ a 4cond cable. Since plugging into Scout only Line 1 is usable.

That's OK though. I can live w/ line 2 (Business line) in Office (upstairs) & Shop (Basement).

The current locations are best for Ooma devices as well. Everyone can get msg's off of Scout in Den and I can get msg's off of Hub in Office.

This doesn't solve the issue of not having the Ooma dialtone. Keep in mind that I only get the Ooma dialtone on the phones w/ the Hub & Scout connected to them.

I'd also like to use the other features of the premiere svs. Instant second line ...

...screamer

screamerUSA1 wrote: This doesn't solve the issue of not having the Ooma dialtone. Keep in mind that I only get the Ooma dialtone on the phones w/ the Hub & Scout connected to them.

To solve one issue at a time, set aside the scout for the time being and connect the phone port of the hub straight to a Line1 wall jack. If you have not already done so, disconnect the Verizon POTS line on Line1 inside the demark box. Once this is done, you should have ooma dial tone on all Line1 jacks in the house – let us know.

screamerUSA1 wrote:It would be nice to also have a Bus. extension in the Den / Family room. Then I would have a Buss. line on every level of the house. Cut down on doing the steps. But to pull a new cable into the Den is a real bitch. I've gotta get into a tiny crawlspace.

Simple suggestion for the Den / Family room. Either replace or add a DECT 6.0 phone in the Shop. I'd recommend either a Uniden or Panasonic. You can get a 2 handset phone from Costco or other places for about $40. Most have answering machine functions that you can just turn off. You could go 2-line for more $$'s, but there is probably no need. Place the extra handset and charger in the Den / Family room. When a business call comes in you just take it on the cordless. And you gain a cordless phone in the Shop in case you need to walk around as you talk.