loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

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jw56947
Posts:7
Joined:Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:39 am
loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by jw56947 » Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:00 am

I have had ooma since Nov of 2011. I have not had any problems with the Hub until the last few weeks. More and more frequently I am losing my internet connection from Ooma Hub to my computer. This requires me to reboot Ooma and then everything is OK. This morning I was in the middle of a conversation and the call dropped and said "no vpn" I was using an ooma telo handset. I went to the hub in the next room and the Hub was blinking red. I unplugged it and rebooted and everything is working. Two days ago the answer portion would not record messages.
My setup is modem, ooma hub, router Netgear WNDR3300.

thunderbird
Posts:6388
Joined:Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:41 pm

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by thunderbird » Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:19 am

jw56947 wrote:I have had ooma since Nov of 2011. I have not had any problems with the Hub until the last few weeks. More and more frequently I am losing my internet connection from Ooma Hub to my computer. This requires me to reboot Ooma and then everything is OK. This morning I was in the middle of a conversation and the call dropped and said "no vpn" I was using an ooma telo handset. I went to the hub in the next room and the Hub was blinking red. I unplugged it and rebooted and everything is working. Two days ago the answer portion would not record messages.
My setup is modem, ooma hub, router Netgear WNDR3300.
To help stabilize your Ooma Internet connection turn off MAC address Spoofing, which can cause disconnects, dropped calls and garbled voice, by doing the following:
If your Ooma device is connected Modem-Ooma-Router, access your Ooma Setup pages by typing http://172.27.35.1 in your computer browser window. The Ooma Setup pages open. Click on Internet, go down to INTERNET Port MAC Address: and change setting from Automatic to Use Built In. Click on Update device. Remove power from your Modem and the Ooma Device. Repower the Modem. When the Modem is done booting repower your Ooma device.

If your connection is Modem-Router-Ooma, temporarily connect a network cable from your Ooma device home port, to the wired LAN port of a computer. Temporarily turn off Wi-Fi in the computer, if turned on. Reboot the computer. Access your Ooma Setup pages by typing http://172.27.35.1 in your computer browser window. The Ooma Setup pages open. Click on Internet, go down to INTERNET Port MAC Address: and change setting from Automatic to Use Built In. Click on Update device. Remove power from your Modem, your Router and Ooma Device. Repower the Modem. When the Modem is done booting repower your Router. When the Router is done booting, repower your Ooma device.

harry12
Posts:32
Joined:Sun Nov 07, 2010 7:09 pm

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by harry12 » Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:10 pm

.
Quick thought... I had the problem of the 'phone and/or Internet dropping off, and coming back on.
After starting to mess around with a few things, I had an epiphany! Replaced the wall wart on my
Cisco DPC2100R2 modem and all was well.

May not be your problem but it's something to keep in mind. It also helps that I have a bunch of
different types of wall wart power supplies in my junk box. Some things I'm just unable to throw out. :shock:

teddmf
Posts:8
Joined:Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:28 am

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by teddmf » Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:23 pm

I have also started having this problem. Could it have to do with the latest code update? It seems the more pc's (network traffic load) I have, the more likely I have the issue occur. I have my telo using built in mac for year now. I wanted to clear the dhcp addresses it has served to see if that helped but can't find a way to do that. Btw-the phone continues to work when the pc's don't. Using switch-ooma-modem setup

thunderbird
Posts:6388
Joined:Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:41 pm

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by thunderbird » Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:38 am

teddmf wrote:I have also started having this problem. Could it have to do with the latest code update? It seems the more pc's (network traffic load) I have, the more likely I have the issue occur. I have my telo using built in mac for year now. I wanted to clear the dhcp addresses it has served to see if that helped but can't find a way to do that. Btw-the phone continues to work when the pc's don't. Using switch-ooma-modem setup
Access the Ooma Setup by typing http://172.27.35.1 in your computer browser window. Click on the Advanced tab. Under Quality of Service set both the Upstream Internet speed and Down Stream Internet speed to 80% of the measured Upload and Down load speeds as measured by http://www.phonepower.com/speedtest. After running Phonepower Speedtest, click on the Advanced tab at lower left side. Take the Download Speed and the Upload speed, and multiply .8 times for each number. The resulting numbers are the numbers that you enter into Ooma Setup, Advanced page under Quality of Service Upstream Internet Speed (kbps): and Downstream Internet Speed (kbps): boxes. Click on Update. Then test making and receiving calls.

If you continue to have problems:
Run http://speedtest.phonepower.com/ to see how your modem and Internet connection is doing. Then click on the Advance tab on the lower left side of the Phonepower page, and post the following values here in this thread, by clicking on "Quote" in the upper right hand corner of this Ooma Forum post. Then fill in the blanks.

Download Speed: ________________
Upload Speed: ________________
Download Consistency of Service ________
Upload Consistency of Service _________
Maximum TCP Delay _____________
Jitter you server __________
Jitter server you _________
Packet loss: you server_______
Packet loss: server you ______
Packet discards _________
Packets out of order _________
Estimated MOS score ________

If you do the Java fix in your computer, instructions located at viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12085. Then you can click on the Speedtest Phonepower Advanced tab, then "view test" at the bottom. Instead of filling in the blanks above, you can select CTRL+A to highlight, CTRL+C to copy; CTRL+V for paste into the Ooma Forum.

EX Bell
Posts:401
Joined:Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:42 pm
Location:Toronto, Ontario

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by EX Bell » Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:30 pm

I'm beginning to wonder about the viability of even using the Telo as a gateway at all. I understand Ooma's reason for recommending it be configured that way. It allows the average non-technical user to get the Telo integrated with their router or single PC easily in a simple home network with little to no networking skill, but the problems this seems to be introducing may be outweighing the value benefit for even mildly technical users. Many people posting here seem to have a decent grasp of the concept or are quick to learn. I'm thinking this sort of goes hand in hand with the type of person who would even try to setup VoIP themselves in the first place. It's not just us cheap guys :P
It also seems that most users on this forum posting problems relating to technical issues between their modem, telo and router, might be better served to put the Telo behind the router and punch a hole in their firewall for the Telo using DMZ. It's not that hard to configure and I'm having really good results now that I've added a router with QoS before the Telo on my network.

I've tested the SPI firewall on my Cisco Linksys WRT160Nv3 router by using the All Service Ports test of SheildsUP! on Steve Gibson's site and it passes. If I check the DMZ IP I setup for the Telo, it's all open except for certain ports like telnet that should be stealth. This is perfect and exactly what I want. QoS is also controlling the upload exactly at 520 kb/s as I have set it to and my call quality has been high and stable since adding this.

So this begs the question, if you have a router that supports QoS, SPI firewall, NAT, DMZ, DHCP and DHCP IP reservations, why put the telo with limited routing functionality before a good router? With a mult-port ethernet and/or wireless enable router with the aforementioned features, there is no practical reason I can think of for placing the Telo before the router. Connecting the Telo after your properly configured and capable router, I personally would not care if the home port did not regularly forward packets, as long as it worked after reboot for the occasion where I needed to configure the Telo. This allows the telo to be placed in more convenient locations. Mine is in the kitchen, about 6 inches below our wall mounted Panasonic DECT 6.0 base unit. Working great. No magnetic field issues or concerns. It's very easy to check messages in the same location we always have.

By the way, it would seem that you should leave the Telo internal IP for the home port at the default IP of 172.27.35.1
Reserve an IP ending with a high number (well above the DHCP IP assignment range) using the Telo's Internet port MAC address. Use a completely different network address, so to avoid conflicts with the Telo's internal IP address. That way the Telo will automatically always pickup the same IP address from the router, for easy and problem free setup of the DMZ and QoS on routers that only allow these features to be setup using IP rather than MAC address. Some routers do not properly forward packets from the WAN port to static IP addresses when DHCP is enabled, even if you reserve a specific IP.

Make certain you use the latest firmware for your router as well. I've experienced problem configurations by people I've supported for other non-Ooma related router issues in the past or the configuration worked intermittently. Nearly every case was resolved with a simple firmware update.

My configuration=
DSL Modem (stand alone Siemens Speedstream 4200) > Cisco Linksys WRT160Nv3 (Cisco v3.03 firmware) > Apple Time Capsule 1st Gen (in Bridgemode, v7.6 firmware, Wireless N only @ 5Ghz) > Ooma Telo (direct ethernet from Time Capsule, v52474 firmware) > Panasonic KX-TG6655S DECT 6.0
Last edited by EX Bell on Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Customer Since: 1/17/12
Service: Premier 1/30/2012
BELL Canada Port: 1/30/12 - 2/13/12
TekSavvy via BELL FTTN: 25 Mbps/10 Mbps
Setup: Sagemcom 2864 > Cisco E2000 > Time Capsule v1 > Telo
Handsets: Panasonic KX-TG6655S DECT 6.0

EX Bell
Posts:401
Joined:Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:42 pm
Location:Toronto, Ontario

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by EX Bell » Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:30 pm

I'm beginning to wonder about the viabiliy of even using the Telo as a gateway at all. I understand Ooma's reason for recommending it be configured that way. It allows the average non-technical user to get the Telo integrated with their router or single PC easily in a simple home network with little to no networking skill, but the problems this seems to be introducing may be outweighing the value benefit for even mildly technical users. Many people posting here seem to have a decent grasp of the concept or are quick to learn. I'm thinking this sort of goes hand in hand with the type of person who would even try to setup VoIP themselves in the first place. It's not just us cheap guys :P
It also seems that most users on this forum posting problems relating to technical issues between their modem, telo and router, might be better served to put the Telo behind the router and punch a hole in their firewall for the Telo using DMZ. It's not that hard to configure and I'm having really good results now that I've added a router with QoS before the Telo on my network.

I've tested the SPI firewall on my Cisco Linksys WRT160Nv3 router by using the All Service Ports test of SheildsUP! on Steve Gibson's site and it passes. If I check the DMZ IP I setup for the Telo, it's all open except for certain ports like telnet that should be stealth. This is perfect and exactly what I want. QoS is also controlling the upload exactly at 520 kb/s as I have set it to and my call quality has been high and stable since adding this.

So this begs the question, if you have a router that supports QoS, SPI firewall, NAT, DMZ, DHCP and DHCP IP reservations, why put the telo with limited routing functionality before a good router? With a mult-port ethernet and/or wireless enable router with the aforementioned features, there is no practical reason I can think of for placing the Telo before the router. Connecting the Telo after your properly configured and capable router, I personally would not care if the home port did not regularly forward packets, as long as it worked after reboot for the occasion where I needed to configure the Telo. This allows the telo to be placed in more convenient locations. Mine is in the kitchen, about 6 inches below our wall mounted Panasonic DECT 6.0 base unit. Working great. No magnetic field issues or concerns. It's very easy to check messages in the same location we always have.

By the way, it would seem that you should leave the Telo internal IP for the home port at the default IP of 172.27.35.1
Reserve an IP ending with a high number (well above the DHCP IP assignment range) using the Telo's Internet port MAC address. Use a completely different network address, so to avoid conflicts with the Telo's internal IP address. That way the Telo will automatically always pickup the same IP address from the router, for easy and problem free setup of the DMZ and QoS on routers that only allow these features to be setup using IP rather than MAC address. Some routers do not properly forward packets from the WAN port to static IP addresses when DHCP is enabled, even if you reserve a specific IP.

Make certain you use the latest firmware for your router as well. I've experienced problem configurations by people I've supported for other non-Ooma related router issues in the past or the configuration worked intermittently. Nearly every case was resolved with a simple firmware update.

My configuration=
DSL Modem (stand alone Siemens Speedstream 4200) > Cisco Linksys WRT160Nv3 (Cisco v3.03 firmware) > Apple Time Capsule 1st Gen (in Bridgemode, v7.6 firmware, Wireless N only @ 5Ghz) > Ooma Telo (direct ethernet from Time Capsule, v52474 firmware) > Panasonic KX-TG6655S DECT 6.0
Customer Since: 1/17/12
Service: Premier 1/30/2012
BELL Canada Port: 1/30/12 - 2/13/12
TekSavvy via BELL FTTN: 25 Mbps/10 Mbps
Setup: Sagemcom 2864 > Cisco E2000 > Time Capsule v1 > Telo
Handsets: Panasonic KX-TG6655S DECT 6.0

turbo9
Posts:61
Joined:Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:45 am
Location:Ottawa, Canada

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by turbo9 » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:18 am

EX Bell - we meet again.

I think the default instructions are for non technical people picking up a Telo at Costco. It works okay, and they will likely not be able to determine that the default deployment compromises things a bit. This maximized the acceptance of Ooma which is good for their business.

However, when I got my Telo, I just added it to my network and plugged a phone into the back. It worked pretty good. I never even knew you could connect to it and configure it until I had had it for about a month. I guess I should read the directions some time. You don't even need to punch a hole through your firewall because the Telo will tunnel back home.

When I tested voice quality while running a speed test, people reported issues. I merely applied QoS to the Telo port on my router to fix that. I also assigned a static DHCP address to the Telo because I like predictability and the future ability to apply firewall rules should the Telo start connecting to too many "other" things.

I think this setup should be for technical people who understand what they are doing. If one messes up here, Ooma pays the price.

Now, when I connect a PC into the back of the Telo and run speed test, I get about 1.5 Mb/s of the 24 Mb/s I pay for (and the 40 I normally get). I saw a similar problem at my Dad's place. I tried a bit to fix that, and gave up. I won't use that port for anything since I really can't / don't fully control that box.

However, I was not comfortable with Ooma punching hole through my firewall as now someone I don't know has root on a box in my network where I run my business. So, I segmented my network (I always wanted to do this, and now I had the excuse).

On my "Internet" segment, I have the Telo, my wireless access point, IP cameras and my Internet server. Now, if the Telo is compromised, an intruder can't get at anything interesting.

The "Internet" network then connects to a "private" network where my important files and desktop devices reside.

teddmf
Posts:8
Joined:Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:28 am

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by teddmf » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:36 am

I'm using my Telo as my primary router. The home port connects to a switch to avoid any double router NAT issues. I have upto 10 PC devices at times actively connecting to the internet thru the Telo acting as my router and dhcp server. For the most part it has worked well. I get throughput download 12 Mb/s and uploads 3 Mb/s using speedtest which is inline with my Comcast service. I have set both up/down QoS on Telo to 384K and not seen any phone quality issues but likely rarely have PC downloads and voice calls happening simultaneously. So as long as the router can continue to work reliably and not lock up forwarding to the internet, I will continue to use this config. I just hope Ooma tests this type of functionality thoroughly for reliablity with multiple devices PC/tablets/TV's etc in each code release they put out. There is no user control over what code version runs/downloads on my Telo so I am at their mercy.

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

Re: loss of internet downstream of Ooma Hub

Post by murphy » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:43 am

384K QOS is for a DSL connection.
With high speed cable set them both to 0 and see if you have any problems.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

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