EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

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Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am
EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:58 am

Recently got a new fiber optic internet service, so decided to drop my landline in favor of VoIP. The experience has not gone well.

The internet fiber enters my home and terminates to a EdgeRouter X SFP, which is part of the ISP's installation. From there, it goes directly to my home router which is an ASUS RT-AC3200. The Telo would end up blinking double red when downstream of my ASUS router, so then connected the Telo directly to EdgeRouter. Same double red blinking.

I was told by Ooma tech support that there was a firewall preventing the connection. When I entered the Ooma Telo's device settings I used the port scanning tool. It told me UDP:53 and UDP:123 were denied. The Telo otherwise has a green check next to Internet, but red checks otherwise. The Tunnel is disconnected.

I contacted my ISP and was put in touch with their network engineer. I was sure that the EdgeRouter (which I could not access) was responsible for blocking the ports. The engineer said that wasn't likely. I then set up a conference call with my ISP engineer, Ooma tech, and myself. Much of the conversation was over my head as I am chemist and know very little about networking. The Ooma tech still said the problem was with a firewall. My ISP says it is highly unlikely to be an issue on their end. OK, so now what?

I have tried various tools found on the web to verify whether or not it's the EdgeRouter but all tests were not very conclusive or I otherwise just don't know how to interpret the results. Is there any way I can check the port issue on my end with certainty? I've read that the Telo tries to set up a VPN, which I guess is the tunnel? How does someone like me check that out?

I really want this service to work but am getting worn out.

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by murphy » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:57 pm

It appears the EdgeRouter is set to 192.168.1.1. What is your personal router set to? Hint: It must not be 192.168.1.1.
Try 192.168.2.1.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:07 pm

Murphy, thank you kindly for the advice.

I changed my personal router to what you suggested: 192.168.2.1. It didn't occur to me that there could be a conflict.

Re-booted everything with the Telo plugged directly into the EdgeRouter. It didn't blink double-red, but instead settled into a single red blink. Not sure what that means.

I then took the Telo to one of my PC's and plugged the ethernet cable coming from my personal router into the INTERNET port of the Telo. My PC was plugged into the Telo's HOME port. This is so I could get access to the device setup. Didn't work here either, but now had double-red blinking.

One interesting problem I have when using a PC downstream of the Telo is I can't open any forum.ooma.com sites. But, I can reach any other internet site. Does that mean anything?

Device Status
INTERNET Port: connected [192.168.2.198]
HOME Port: connected [172.27.35.1] - my PC
Ports Status
BroadCast Address (Internet Port): 192.198.2.255 - this bothers me because I don't know what it really means.

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by murphy » Sun Feb 16, 2020 4:49 pm

Assuming that was a typo and the broadcast address is 192.168.2.255, sending a packet to the broadcast address allows it to be received by all of the devices on the subnet 192.168.2.x at the same time. Valid IP addresses for devices range from 1 to 254.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:42 am

Thanks again for the information. Anything down-stream of the Telo (connected to its HOME port) will not connect to any ooma.com website. No problem connecting to an ooma.com website when the Telo is not in the way. My suspicion is that is why I get the UDP:53 denial. For whatever reason, seems my Telo is being specifically blocked from connecting to its server(s). That is my current working theory and will try to see if this makes any sense to an ooma tech. If not, I'll be looking for a different service.

Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Tue Feb 18, 2020 9:56 am

Today I contacted Ooma tech support to give this one last shot at getting fixed. To the tech support folks credit, they have worked hard to try and resolve my issue. At this point they have amassed enough notes to quickly elevate me to level 3 support. Long story short, they are sending me a new box. They actually seemed a little perplexed that I could not reach an Ooma website from behind the Telo. I guess between that and a few other tests they concluded the box must be faulty. I'll let you know how this goes once I get the new box.

Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Sat Feb 29, 2020 12:46 pm

Just wanted to wrap this up for anyone who is interested.

Ooma technical support sent me a replacement Telo. Same problem. Still doesn't work. My ISP is done trying to help, as there is simply nothing else to try. Very frustrated and disappointed. Not sure what service I will try next, but I intend to press on to find a VoIP that will work.

Will be calling to try and return and cancel the service.

Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:07 pm

OK, so Ooma talked me into trying a 3rd device. The tech told me they would send me an "A" device, not a "B" device. Unbelievable, but I blinked and I just got the 3rd device. It doesn't work.

While I wait for a chance to get back with Ooma, I learned about how to run a taceroute. It was quite revealing as I was able to spot the router that was causing the trouble. Outside of my local fiberoptic network I have to go through a NTT Communications router (129.250.4.174). It timed out during the tracert to go.ooma.com. I pinged it and it timed out. So, this is probably my problem but still leaves me dead in the water. I alerted my ISP to this and have not heard back. Pretty unlikely that I'd have any luck calling Japan to straighten this out. VPN tunneling seems to be a huge problem in general and a huge mess. About ready for a couple tin cans and a length of string.

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by murphy » Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:46 pm

Not all servers are configured to respond to ping commands.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

Uscharin
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:18 am

Re: EdgeRouter X SFP Port Issue for Telo

Post by Uscharin » Sat Mar 14, 2020 5:25 am

Hi murphy.
Yes, thank you, I've since discovered that.
My ISP has pretty much washed its hands of all this. No apparent reason for the telo not to work. I'm on a brand new state-of-art fiber network. The fact that the telo can't see any ooma website is still something I have no answer to. I've brought this issue up with ooma tech a half dozen times with no real response. I'm officially done trying and want to cancel the service and return the telo. Ooma just seems to intentionally make that impossible to do. I'll be calling them again this coming Monday to try again. I should have headed all the warnings about this company.

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