FB7170: no dialtone (sometimes)

[Edward Velo]

Hi,

Sorry for writing in English, but I can not speak German...

I am using the 7170 for long time without problems. However, since a few months it is acting strange: a few times per week, I have no dial-tone (on none of the 3 Fon exits). However, I can still dial numbers, and people hear me speak - but I can not hear them. I solve it by power off and power on the box. But it's annoying, as this happens a few times per week.

I always update to the latest (beta) firmware (currently 29.04.67), so I was thinking that that was the problem (as it only started a few months ago). So I tried to do a fresh "restore to default settings" + entering all the data manually again, but the problem remains :-( I also tried with a *completely different* 7170, and the problem still persists!

Anyone knows what this could be? I think it's very strange, because it

- happens on all my phones -> phones are ok
- even happens with another 7170 -> so 7170 must be ok
- even with resetting of all settings -> so settings can not be corrupt (because of firmware upgrades or so)

Thanks for any help!

 

[loeben]

... no dial-tone ... people hear me speak - but I can not hear them ... - happens on all my phones -> phones are ok

I agree

- even happens with another 7170 -> so 7170 must be ok

I disagree - could be a software bug

- even with resetting of all settings -> so settings can not be corrupt ...

- unless you reimport the settings be using the previous config file. One way to make sure would be to key the settings in manually after a reset to factory setting, followed by power off with all cables removed for at least 5 minutes (PoR).

However, the problem is not unknown and seems mostly related to VoIP.

 

[Edward Velo]

I agreeI disagree - could be a software bug -

Yes, but I assume more people should have that problem then? And I couldn't find described it here (although my German is not so good).

unless you reimport the settings be using the previous config file. One way to make sure would be to key the settings in manually after a reset to factory setting, followed by power off with all cables removed for at least 5 minutes (PoR).

At first, I tried the 2nd 7170 with the imported config file. But since the problem persisted, I tried a "reset to factory settings" (that's what I (maybe not so clearly) meant with "restore to default settings") and manually entered everyting in it again. But still the same problem.

However, I did not power it off for 5 minutes, and removed all cables. Could that make a difference?

However, the problem is not unknown and seems mostly related to VoIP.

I see. Can you please explain in what circumstances this odd behavoir is known to occur? Any solutions? I am using the internal fax, internal answering machine, several voip providers, and the fixed phone line. Maybe I should try to disable them one by one, to see if it helps...

Thanks for your reply!

 

[loeben]

... I did not power it off for 5 minutes, and removed all cables. Could that make a difference?

Not neccesseraly, however, in some (quite different) cases it did. I would give it try.

... in what circumstances this odd behavoir is known to occur? Any solutions? ...

I wish I knew. A quite famous German IT-magazin (c't) has been writing about it in 22'2008 in the editorial, essentially saying that this behaviour is owned to the very nature of VoIP - or possibly your specific provider?

Anycase, complaints of the kind of yours are common place, e.g. here, here,...
Which codec are you using? The second link hints that a codec might influence this behaviour.
Is your hardware a single FRITZ!Box only or are other machines involved as well? Any additional NAT converter might have caused this effect.

 

[Edward Velo]

Hi,

I found out that if I disable the internal answering machine, that is it working stable again! (at least for 4 days now, so that looks good)

Thanks for your help.