Hub stays red - after router config

[jader201]

I received and activated my ooma a few weeks ago, and also initiated the phone number port. I never touched the ooma other than to take it out of the box to get the MAC address.

Three weeks later (today), the port was completed -- I'm assuming so, anyway... ooma never sent me a confirmation on the day (I was told I would get one?), but today is two days after their expected port date from a previous email, and our Vonage was disconnected and the service was canceled today. So I took out the ooma and started reading about hooking it up.

My configuration is as follows:

modem > router > ooma hub > switch > PCs

No land line. My router out line goes into the "modem" jack in the ooma hub, and "home" jack goes to the in jack on the switch. The phone is connected to the "phone" jack on the ooma hub. The "wall" and "usb" jacks are not connected.

I hooked the hub up without powering off modem/router/computers (mistake, I know). Got the red ooma tab and buttons, but I knew not long after I plugged the ooma in that I should've powered everything off first. Thinking it was too late to continue and expect it to work, I stopped and jumped online to see how to reset the hub. After figuring that out, I did the following:

1) Powered *everything* off (modem, router, ooma hub, switch, PCs)
2) Powered the ooma hub on with a reset (held tab down prior to turning on, and held for 30 seconds after powering up)
3) Let it cycle until it looked like it wasn't going to do anything else
3) Powered modem
4) Powered router
5) Powered switch
6) Powered main PC
7) Opened browser on PC and surfed for 10 minutes

Ooma tab is still blinking red, and the 1 & 2 lights and > and >> lights are all solid red. Internet connection is fine (I'm on now posting this). No dial tone to phone.

What might be wrong, and what else can I try? Or is this something ooma support will have to help with (I haven't tried that, as they're closed -- will try tomorrow if no one here can help before then).

Thanks in advance.

[dtalwar]

Did you ask to use Ooma with a landline or without when you activated it?

[Groundhound]

The router-assigned IP for the Ooma hub should be placed in the router's DMZ (assuming your router has that feature).

[WayneDsr]

That's a good question dtalwar, AND:

Is there a reason why you have the switch plugged into the ooma hub?

You should be connecting the pc's and the ooma hub directly to your router, with nothing connected to the HOME port of the ooma hub, just the MODEM port.

This setup is called "ooma behind the router."

If you do not have enough ports on your router, use the switch connected to the router to expand the ports and connect ooma to the switch, just as you would a pc.

modem-->router-->ooma and pc's
OR
modem-->router-->switch-->ooma and pc's.

Wayne

[dtalwar]

Groundhound's suggestion is good ... If you need help configuring the router, let us know which router you have. Also, as WayneDSR suggests, I would do Modem -> Router -> Switch and Ooma (with all PCs/devices connected to the Switch) OR Modem -> Router -> Ooma and PCs (if all the PCs/devices can connect to the router ports).

[jader201]

Thanks guys, for the replies. This may help, but I may need some more info (after I give you more info ).

- When I requested the port, I said to not use a land line.

- I have a Linksys WRT54G router. When you say to place the ooma's IP in the DMZ, how do I do that?

- The only reason the switch is behind the ooma hub is because this seemed to mimic more closely the router behind the ooma configuration, and this seemed to be ooma's recommended setup. It seemed to want ooma as close to modem as possible, and in front of the router was not possible, so this seemed to be the next best thing. But if you're saying having ooma after the switch will work better, that won't be a problem. I'll try that now.

Thanks again guys.

[Groundhound]

what firmware version for the WRT54G?

EDIT: If original firmware, then look in the “Applications and Gaming” section. If Tomato firmware, you can find DMZ settings if you expand the Port Forwarding menu on the left side.

[jader201]

what firmware version for the WRT54G?

v1.00.9, May. 12, 2006

Also, I tried the suggestions above:

- Put ooma behind switch, so it's a sibling to the PCs now
- Made the ooma IP the DMZ host

Neither of these worked.

A few more questions:

- I noticed that the MAC address getting registered under DHCP is 1 digit off the actual MAC on the back of the ooma -- is this normal?

- Do I really have to keep power cycling my whole house and reset ooma every time I change something? When do is this really necessary? Because it's a pain, and is making troubleshooting time consuming.

- If setting up the ooma as the DMZ host on my router is supposed to be a long-term solution, should I (and how do I) set it up with a static IP instead of DHCP? Also, would it be better (and is it possible) to use port forwarding instead of setting it as DMZ?

Thanks again.

[Groundhound]

- If setting up the ooma as the DMZ host on my router is supposed to be a long-term solution, should I (and how do I) set it up with a static IP instead of DHCP? Also, would it be better (and is it possible) to use port forwarding instead of setting it as DMZ?

Yes to both the static IP and port forwarding. You can search here and find what settings for port forwarding are needed.

[jader201]

Yes to both the static IP and port forwarding. You can search here and find what settings for port forwarding are needed.

Thanks, will do. Once I get it working.