Ooma bandwidth problem

[EDog]

My config is DSL Modem->Linksys Router->Ooma Telo->PC. The PC in this setup is upstairs in the kitchen running Beyond TV Link. The Beyond TV Server is downstairs coming off the same router. I've been using Ooma for about 1 week now with no problems what so ever. Last night my wife was complaing Beyond TV in the kitchen was 'hanging' for a few seconds at a time every few mintues, which is what happens if there is a bandwidth problem between the BTV server and BTV Link. I rebooted the BTV server and the PC in the kitchen (BTV Link) and the problem did not resolve. This morning I tried to watch TV on the PC in the kitchen and it was a complete no-go. I tested the BTV server downstairs to see if it was able to watch live TV, and had no problems. I unplugged the power cable on my Ooma for about 30 seconds, plugged it back in, and once it was booted up, tried BTV again, and it worked perfectly.

Is there a way to boot the Ooma programatically? If not, it would be a nice feature on the ooma setup screen so I could write a script that periodically booted the Ooma telo, assuming this problem will continue to plague me. I know, I know, I could fix it by putting a switch upstairs and plug the PC and Ooma into it, but that means more cables (and a new switch).

[Groundhound]

No way to reboot now except to power cycle. Since you're running your Telo behind your router anyway, why not use a switch to connect both the PC and Telo instead of having the PC routed through the Telo? Switches are cheap and your PC would not be on a separate network like it is now.

[daet]

I know, I know, I could fix it by putting a switch upstairs and plug the PC and Ooma into it, but that means more cables (and a new switch).

If you have an extra port in your Linksys router, you can solve your problem without running any new cable. Buy two RJ45 ethernet splitters - they run about $5 at places like Amazon. Connect two short cables from two ports of your router to the two ports of your splitter. Run one cable from the splitter to another splitter in your kitchen. In the kitchen, run one short cable from the splitter to the Ooma, and the second to your PC. This will work as long as both the devices in the kitchen will work with 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps ethernet (I know the Ooma will, and I'm assuming the Beyond TV PC will also - because you have it plugged into the HOME port of your Ooma). Here's an example of a splitter on Amazon, and here's another one.

These splitters get bad reviews on Amazon because most people don't know how they are to be used. They do not split a single ethernet port into two. They permit combining two ethernet ports to run over a SINGLE cable, and split back into two ethernet lines at the other end. Very useful when you already have a single CAT5/CAT6 cable running in your walls, and don't want to pull another.

Generally a cheaper solution that a switch, and you probably don't need any additional cables to get this working. I've used combiners/splitters on several occasions.

DG

[EDog]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look at a splitter, and possibly a switch. Problem with the switch is more cables. Not a big deal, but none-the-less, a deal.

[amoney]

If your deperate to reboot, you can use a electrical timer to do the job.

[gregnuj]

You probably need to disable QOS in the OOMA. If you are using the default settings it may be limiting your throughput on your LAN.

[EDog]

I've been running just fine for the last 3 days. I'm still in the monitor phase. I'm hoping the bandwidth problem I had last Saturday was a fluke, so I'll watch it for a month or so and see what happens. I've got an under-utilized switch downstairs I can grab if I have to. It'll mess up my two networks do to physical location of the routers, but I can live with it if I have to.

I'll post here any new Ooma related problems on the downstream PC (connected to the Home port). So far, so good. I get my number ported next week. Whoo hoo!!

[EDog]

The bandwidth problem must have been some type of fluke, as I have not had the problem since, and my wife watches TV on the PC connected to Ooma's Home port about 4 - 5 hours per day. Still, it would be nice to be able to programatically reboot Ooma.