Buzzing type noise in the background

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new2voip
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Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by new2voip » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:18 pm

I just purchased and installed today. Everything went smoothly, but I'm getting a buzzing noise on phones attached to both the hub & scout. Initially I thought it was because of my cordless phone base station and wifi router all right next to each other. I confirmed it can be heard by others by leaving myself a VM on my cell. After reading several similar posts, I disconnected the 'wall' port, and the problem went away. So it's not my phones or interference from the router/cordless base station. Call quality is really AWESOME, and very worth the $$. I hope that OOMA is around for a long time. Unfortunately, after a few minutes the lights all went red and I lost dialtone. Once I plugged the 'wall'port back in it restored service immediately. Is the 'wall' port even necessary if you're not using the scout? ie, 1 phone, 1 hub, 1 jack....why did mine go RED?

I had read somewhere that you can disconnect the telco service at their main line outside, but I'm not sure the noise is coming from AT&T, since my house phone had always been clear on POTS & POTS+DSL.

Could someone explain any other options I might have here? I saw someone had plugged a line from the 'phone' port into their wall jack to get service around the house. Would that help here? Any other suggestions?

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Bobby B
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by Bobby B » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:41 am

This blurb answers the question on why an active phone connecton is required (from a previous post):
When you choose to use ooma with your existing phone service (e.g. so you can make and receiving calls on your same phone number during the porting process), the ooma Hub requires an active phone line (e.g. something that supplies voltage) to be plugged into the WALL port.

There's ways to work around the above requirement (e.g. you could plug the Scout directly into the WALL port), but then you wouldn't be able to receive phone calls on your existing phone number during the porting process.
As the buzzing issue -- sometimes buzzing can occur due to improper electrical grounding either of the ooma Hub or the surrounding network devices (e.g. the router). First -- are you planning on keeping your existing landline with ooma? Do you hear the buzzing only on local calls or does it also occur on long distance calls? Is the buzzing present as soon as your pick up the phone (without dialing)?
Bobby B

djcentinno
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by djcentinno » Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:10 am

I have to agree with the original person who posted this message. I, too, am experiencing the same type of buzzing noise on my phone line. I will run down what my configuration is and answer the questions Bobby D asked.

1) I have a landline connection with the required "cheap" local plan with Verizon. I use a Panasonic 6.0 DECT cordless phone set and an old corded phone. The cordless phone base is connected to the ooma scout and the corded phone is connected to the ooma hub.

2) My internet is through their DSL service at download up to 3 Mbps / upload up to 768 Kbps.

3) I am currently connected to a D-link DIR-655 router. My connection goes Modem - ooma Hub - Router - CPU. All of these devices are plugged into my CyberPower UPS battery backup.

4) Question 1 - I am keeping my ooma with a landline for the 911 backup and my home alarm.

5) Question 2 - I hear the buzzing noise on most every call I make, local or long-distance.

6) The buzzing noise does not occur until AFTER someone picks up the other line. When I pick up the phone without dialing, the buzzing noise does not exist. This occurs with both cordless and corded phones.

I'm not sure if my router QoS is configured correctly as I have not touched any of the settings. The ooma has worked wonderfully right out of the box and with my initial setup. My only complaint (and my fiancee's) is the buzzing noise. Other than that, we love it!

P.S. I'm assuming since I have a landline, none of the extra ooma goodies (i.e., call waiting, caller ID, etc.) are available since I am not strictly using the ooma alone. I had to pay for caller ID as mentioned in the FAQ's.

Thanks for any assistance with this matter!

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Mojo
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by Mojo » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:13 am

Sounds like this buzzing is due to improper grounding. Usually this can occur if you're using a landline AND a connected networking device is improperly grounded. I'd contact support and ask for a "3-prong" Hub power supply - we've seen this resolve most buzzing issues due to grounding.

djcentinno
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by djcentinno » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:29 am

Thanks for the tip! I just finished emailing tech support with your response and my contact information. Hoping this truly works! Love the service too!

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navarre
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by navarre » Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:27 pm

For what it is worth, if you are sending the phone line back into your "house" wiring, you may want to make sure that they are properly wired, e.g. ring/tip configuration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tip_and_ring

You can use a phone line tester that will ensure that you have all of the outlets in the house correctly configured.

One thing you may want to examine also is the answer to this question: "does the hum change in volume or frequency when you change the brightness on the ooma Hub?"

If the answer is, "yeah a little" then this is exactly where I would look for the problem--phone line parity.

.mws.
.mws.

bluerose
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by bluerose » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:09 am

I just installed my ooma and my scout. I called tech support about the buzzing in the background. They told me to run a speed test 5 times, take the average and then update the info. Does anyone know if this works or not? I do not have the ooma hub hooked up to the wall or landline. The buzzing happened before i installed the scout to my cordless landline. I am the only one hearing the buzzing. It happens as soon as i pick up the phone to make a call. Also, i hear music before any of the calls go through. And when i tried to set up the VM, it kept telling me that i needed to input a password etc. I kept punching in my numbers, but apparently they did not get it on their end. Help!

djcentinno
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by djcentinno » Sun Mar 01, 2009 8:27 am

I can officially confirm the buzzing noise in the background has completely stopped after Ooma (won't mention the person's name who was on the address label) graciously sent me, at no charge, a 3-prong grounded Hub power supply! I cannot thank Ooma enough for taking my problem seriously and delivering wonderful customer service in the process.

Ooma is Oomawsome!

P.S. A suggestion would be to provide this type of power supply with all future products. In turn, this may eliminate many of the buzzing noise or even static problems other users are experiencing.

dlong
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by dlong » Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:52 am

Good for you. I cannot get anyone at ooma on the phone. In fact, I have been trying and I haven't been able to get anyone since last Thursday. I give up. Can someone tell us how we can do this grounding ourselves, please? Is it a matter of just connecting the hub shell to the ground wire of the powerline?

trim81
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Re: Buzzing type noise in the background

Post by trim81 » Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:13 pm

djcentinno wrote:I can officially confirm the buzzing noise in the background has completely stopped after Ooma (won't mention the person's name who was on the address label) graciously sent me, at no charge, a 3-prong grounded Hub power supply! I cannot thank Ooma enough for taking my problem seriously and delivering wonderful customer service in the process.

Ooma is Oomawsome!

P.S. A suggestion would be to provide this type of power supply with all future products. In turn, this may eliminate many of the buzzing noise or even static problems other users are experiencing.

Very interesting, can you snap a photo of this infamous power supply?

I like to see it for future reference...

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