Problems With New Telo 4G Adapter

[52JPrivate]

Mine is working better than it did with the previous setup (the black stand with the corded USB connection.) I'm having fewer "outages" -- however, it still disconnects FREQUENTLY. I get the same error messages -- either "no VPN" or "no internet" or "can't find base" on the handset. And the modem itself goes to red/flashing green often. (And of course the base is flashing red while all this is happening.) Perhaps some of this is being caused by the new provider (T-Mobile) but I don't have a problem with my cellular service (Google Fi, which uses T-Mobile) in the same room

The whole thing is very confusing -- as I mentioned before, I'm actually getting a blue light on the modem quite often -- this NEVER happened with the Sprint modem. But it's completely unreliable and certainly will not serve the purpose for which I intended to use it -- which makes me think that I need to find out about returning ALL my equipment for a refund and looking for another option as a landline replacement. I'm glad I never ported over my landline number.

[PhxAzUser]

Add me to the count of users where the new LTE adaptor is not working. I received the two pack 90 degree USB-A adapters from Amazon, no email or instructions. I assume Ooma sent the adapters because I completed the survey stating my new LTE adaptor was not working. The Netstick still does not work, seems to be in an infinite boot loop. After power-up the NetStick goes solid green for a few seconds, then starts an infinite boot loop. Made the mistake of sending back the old LTE adaptor after receiving the new adaptor and prior to verifying the new adaptor worked. At least the LTE adaptor is a backup method not the main access method for my Ooma Telo device.

[8459130052]

Well it worked for a couple of days, now it's doing the same damn thing.

Has anyone tried plugging it into a PC and checking the firmware version? That will be my next step. EDIT: computer sees it but it's showing as an ethernet device.

I found USB power injectors on Amazon but they aren't cheap. EDIT: Ordered one today, $30. Will post an update, expecting delivery Wednesday. The Netstick gets warm so the USB bus of the Telo must be unable to feed adequate power to it.

[DisasterRecovery]

Before going nuclear on these folks -- I have looked into this issue a little more this past weekend while at my parents. I took a USB2 powered hub and made sure it was powered up before connecting to the Telo. The new "net-stick" seemed to go into a boot loop -- constantly resetting and appearing to look for a signal. I would assume the net-stick would power up and obtain a signal -- even if just having power and no data applied. It did not matter how I powered anything up -- it still looped.

The first time I tried this the other day: it powered up -- took several minutes with the sim card warning that I had to reseated and properly latched the sim card in -- but upon powering up again -- it settled on green/blue statues -- and the Ooma box took a several more minutes and finally stopped flashing RED -- and without much more fanfare -- there was phone service on the new "net-stick".

It decided not to work sometime in the middle of the night -- as my mom said she made a few calls before bed and it worked -- so I am unsure what is going on here.

What I noticed however when I arrived the other day to hook the old antenna back up -- the "net-stick" was clearly powered on and showing a good signal -- it was not red or yellow or flashing or anything -- just a solid good signal -- but the Ooma was not happy.

I am suspect of something being wrong with this batch of sticks.

I have found spec sheets and compared both -- the first red flag is the new "net-stick" claims to use less than 3W of power -- where the original Ooma USB antenna stick looks to use MORE power -- stating to use less than 5W -- 2W more than the new "net-stick" is stated in the specs.

So we have a power issue huh? As stated above when supplying the stick power only through a hub -- it still seems like something else is wrong.

Any other info I can decern from the specs is these are essentially the same devices -- one made for Ooma's purpose and one made for T-mobile's purpose (additional channels) -- but it looks like they both support the same 3 bands??? While I am sure T-mobile is re-purposing some of the bands obtained from Sprint -- it seems they could leave services like this on an LTE carrier in the B25/26 B41 bands. I would swap the sim card from the new net-stick to the old antenna -- but would suspect it is locked or something -- and I do not want to screw things up anymore than they are.

Maybe they will realized this and just let us swap sims?

[8459130052]

I connected the stick to a Windows box and it went to steady green- twice. If it's a USB 3.0 device it may be consuming surge power on startup, out of spec with this data sheet...

The power injector I ordered will add 16' of cable run and allow the use of the base unit again. More on this soon.

[skitahoe]

The new elbow connector also failed to make our Ooma happy. Bummed.

[DisasterRecovery]

8459130052 -- I think I am thinking the same thing you are -- a powered active usb cable -- they used to carry them at Best Buy and other places like Officemax, Office Depot or even Wal-Mart -- but I could not find any local.

A small computer shop in town lists and shows one for sale for $15 -- but I am unable to tell from the pictures presented --if I can add a power supply to it or not.

I found some on Amazon that were $30-40 but come with the power supplies -- which I think was making them so much more expensive -- so I lucked up and found a few that are 15 feet for $6 each without the power supplies.

I have a few extra cables laying around that are USB on one end and 1.35mm on the other -- perfect for supplying 5v DC to hubs and such. If this works, I will have to get a Y-splitter for the battery to power the Telo and the net-stick in a power outage -- but will use a regular 5V 2A power supply to test with leaving the Telo hooked up to the battery as it is.

This is exactly what I was thinking from get-go when I took the USB2 powered hub and tried that this past weekend. It more than likely didn't work because the Telo did not recognize the hub. But I am still a little confused why the net-stick would not act like it was obtaining a signal and just looping -- when powered by the hub.

Hopefully this is all that is needed. The Telo should be unfazed by the repeater chips (driverless) and the net-stick would draw power for itself from the 5V injected into the cable. Amazon said it would be here 06/30/2022. I have posted a pic of what I ordered and a photo of the power cable I am talking about using to power the cable with.

[twofingerrightclick]

Update from me.
Was able to visit Grandma and install the NetStick with the tiny elbow adapter. Success!
To reiterate the 2 issues I had with the NetStick were:
1. usb data disconnection do to the loose port (discovered when stick would stay on but lose usb data connection with PC whenever there was the slightest misalignment of the pins).
- Solution: hot glued netstick into the 2 foot adapter port. Worked great with PC, but then
2. Apparently a power drop issue with the cheap 2 foot adapter it came with and the Telo USB port.
- Solution: don't use cable - use the short elbow connector.


So what worked for us was combining the 2 solutions. securely mounting the netstick with hot glue:


So far made it through 1 day of solid blue on the Telo. And specifically (though I dont really think sequence matters) the Ooma was turned off (unplugged), the old modem removed, telo turned back on, telo then sat for a few minutes. then I was done hot gluing and so I attached the netstick modem, and the telo sat for about 10 seconds, appeared to restart itself, and then after about 1-2 minutes was blue. Will report updates.

I think the power hub is a great Idea if you need the modem/antenna to be placed far away from the Telo. It should work. Just make sure the netstick is securely attached.

@ 52JPrivate blue on the NetStick indicates strong connection. Green decent...see manual here: https://manualzz.com/doc/53258515/sprin ... odem-guide

[DisasterRecovery]

The Telo 4G is pictured as all black now... Coming soon...

I wonder if it works with the Net-stick in the base as it is pictured... unless they have upgraded something on the Telo -- I am sure it is not working...

At least if you have to use the elbows they provide and attach the Net-stick to the back of the Telo -- it is not so unattractive since it is all black.

Fingers crossed the active usb cable ordered fixes the problems for me and also would allow me to place it back in or closer to the window.

Since the Net-stick is black, I am not wanting to attach it back to the glass like the old white one -- I will attached it to the window frame -- velcro should do the trick -- to keep it out of reach and not let anything bump it.

[DisasterRecovery]

Mom called and said the parts come for the phone -- before leaving -- I decided to ask if it was the parts the phone company sent or parts I ordered. Seems she is finally getting these elbows everyone has already tried and failed with --

My! They are cutting it close on this shut-down of Sprint services and keeping their customers up and running

Not sure why it has taken so long for her to get anything as reported here by others. She has answered any and all questions sent from Ooma -- and gotten all of the communications and US Mail. At least they are trying I suppose.

I will await my active cable to arrive Thursday -- and hopefully -- report back positive results.

If anyone else has had rock solid service with the Net-stick like the old Ooma antenna provided -- please fill me in.

It has worked rock solid with only 2 hiccups since install -- approximately 9 months and no noticeable down-time except for when an upstream provider -- I think it was Bandwidth.com was being cyber attacked. That was the only hiccups we have had -- the original antenna never lost signal or anything during this time -- just service degradations from I would think the cloud. My mom is very picky too -- since she was used to her old landline "it just works no matter".

The only reason they sent this elbow was a quick fix on bad cables/stand that was sent out to customers.
-- You can not plug the net-stick itself and Telo in at the same time is the reason we can't just plug the sticks directly into the Telo -- is what I kept noticing before she got the elbow shipment. When I was directly plugging into the Telo, then I could not put the power cable back -- to power on the Telo/net-stick.

I do agree however that all of the USB ports/cables are very suspect of being loose and causing connection problems. I question is -- is this how this net-stick product is really suppose to be??? lol