I have set up a Grandstream HandyTone-286 ATA so that I can become familiar with VOIP, which is new to me.
My broadband connection is from Eircom, through a Netopia router.
The router allows me to set up a Static Nat which is directed to the HandyTone device with an internal IP address. I have specified Eircoms DNS servers in the HandyTone.

The Problems
When I call my VOIP (076) number from my landline I sometimes get the ringing sound, but the VOIP phone doesn't ring. Most of the time I get the 'engaged' tone on the landline phone and the VOIP phone doesn't ring. Sometimes the VOIP phone will ring.
If I hang up the failed call, and immediately call again, the VOIP phone always rings. In all cases the HandyTone is registered.

Can this be 'fixed'? Is it a setup problem with the HandyTone, a problem at Freespeech end, or maybe a hardware problem with the HandyTone? Is anyone else experiencing this?

If this cannot be fixed then I can't really use VOIP as a reliable connection. I hope you can point me to some setting that I have misconfigured.

Thank you.

try updating your firmware

moderator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> try updating your firmware


I had thought the firmware was to be updated automatically, but when I checked it had the wrong IP address entered.
I successfully updated the firmware tonight to the latest for the device, but unfortunately no improvement.

Phoning from my land line still gives me an 'engaged' tone at the first attempt and proper connection at the second attempt.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

I have had the same problem with a Grandstream Handytone 486 ATA over the past 2 months.

The strange behaviour I observed was that the 076 number was often engaged (invalidly) when I dialled from a mobile or a landline, but the local Irish number (for me an 051) and the UK-number did not exhibit this behaviour even though they all three mapped through to the same ATA in my home network.

Thus I thought it may be due to a load on the server(s) processing the 076 requests in Freespeech..... do the non-076 numbers use exactly the same infrastructure as these alternatives?

>Thus I thought it may be due to a load on the server(s) processing the 076 requests >in Freespeech..... do the non-076 numbers use exactly the same infrastructure as >these alternatives?

076 and Geographic both use the same. It's more than likely a routing problem with the local providers or mobile providers. It seems 076 numbers still have a problem being routed sometimes and as calls can be using load sharing across different 'routes' this may be your problem.

Quote:

It seems 076 numbers still have a problem being routed sometimes and as calls can be using load sharing across different 'routes' this may be your problem.

As I don't understand the implications of this, I need to ask - Can anything be done to 'fix' it?

You can report the issue to the local provider

Okay, I have read this useful response, and it took me a few minutes to work out what it meant. I think I have understood now and I am restating your response below.

Restatement of response:
So you reckon the problem isn't in the ISP/VoIP infrastructure at all, but in the telephony infrastructure of the calling party (either the landline provider making the call, or the mobile provider making the call).

Follow-on-question:
This raises the interesting question of whether this is being done on purpose (treating 076 unfairly) to minimise potential VoIP competition for landline and mobile telephony, or if it is an honest misconfiguration..... You probably cannot comment in public on this :-)

I only seem to have this problem when using my landline (Eircom line). I have only recently tested with my O2 mobile and have connected properly each time.

If I wished to complain to my supplier (Eircom) can anyone give me an idea of what department or whatever I should address my complaint to? What I mean - is there a specific department rather than just general customer complaints?

Also I wondered if this situation should concern Com Reg?
If so is there an email address that would be suitable to use to report this?

I am not adverse to dropping a couple of mails to where they might do some good!

JohnBoy

Is this in any way related to the problems experienced (and resolved) today?

No, this was a carrier fault. Problem with their multiplexers at our main site.