Outgoing Calls dropped at 32 seconds on Verizon DSL

[usa2k]

I like your determination

[bwyatt]

I'm the newbie here, but I like the vibes.

Not mentioning names or my past 3 years experience as a voip consumer, but I think I found a home here.

After today I've got 4 accounts with VOIPO. Looking forward to the discussions and continued development.

[Russell]

FarmerMike have you tried searching http://www.dslreports.com using "Actiontec Verizon". I see numerous hits - you can narrow it down by selecting more specific forums like "VOIP Tech Chat" or "ViaTalk" which have 39 and 71 hits respectively. Not sure it'll help but thought I'd mention it since you're prepared to spend some time researching.

[caseydoug]

I had two Actiontec GT701s , one with wifi and one without, when I had Qwest DSL. I still use the wifi one as a wireless access point. I never had a problem with VoIP (Lingo). As I recall, you could configure the Actiontec to work in transparent bridging mode (RFC1483), PPPoE, and possibly even PPPoA. I don't know what Verizon supports, but Qwest supported all of those IIRC. VoIP worked fine in all modes, even PPPoE, which involved double NAT.

If you put the modem into transparent bridging mode, you can let your router do the PPPoE authentication. Because the PAP2T is not a router, it cannot do the PPPoE authentication. But for testing purposes, you could set up a soft phone on your computer and let your computer do the PPPoE authentication. This would avoid NAT altogether. Or you could do the same thing by using an ATA/Router and having it do the PPPoE authentication, with the Actiontec in transparent bridging mode. This would essentially allow you to take the router functions out of the picture for purposes of testing this problem.

All of this is pretty speculative, since I don't know how Verizon is set up. But I do think the Actiontec is configurable enough to let you figure out whether this problem is caused by the router function of the Actiontec.

[FarmerMike]

I have spent lots (probably too much) time on dslreports researching (this and other issues). I'll look again now that I have more of an understanding why the calls are being dropped. Vonage has their ACK timeout set at 60 seconds. Here is what one of their evangelists said in response to a similar problem:

The issue is exactly what I described to you in my initial response. On outbound phone calls, when the call is connected at the far end, a SIP 200 OK message is sent to your telephone adapter and this is where the audio stream starts. However, in the SIP protocol this 200 OK requires an ACK to let the far end know you received the 200 OK. Vonage is not receiving this ACK from you but we know your getting the 200 OK since you have 2 way audio when the call starts. Vonage continues to send a 200 OK for 3 retries and is not successful. At the 60 second mark, when the Gateway has not received an ACK from you, the call is disconnected.

As for the inbound calls, I am not seeing an issue however it may still be the same. On an inbound call, the signaling is the opposite. So when you pick up, you send a 200 OK which starts the audio stream and the Gateway send back an ACK which I can see. But, it is possible your device is not getting the ACK which I can't see from the proxy logs. It might not retry the 200 OK messages like the Gateways do.


I have tried several softphones, all have the same problem drop outgoing at 32 seconds (still going thru my actiontec). The Verizon Actiontec has a special version of the firmware that does not provide for bridge mode, so they have dumbed down a questionable product even more. As soon as I have the "backup" box from VZ, I will flash my current one with the non-Verizon firmware - if I brick it, no loss, one has to go back anyway.

[caseydoug]

FarmerMike, I re-read your first post, and I see that this happens with a softphone also, and now you mention that it happens with Vonage. So it looks like is is not a problem with the PAP2, nor is it unique to VOIPo. Since this does not happen with all Actiontec modem/routers, you may be right that this has something to do with the special firmware loaded by Verizon. What we don't know is whether the problem is built in to the router functions or the modem functions of the Actiontec. In either case, loading the default firmware may well give you an answer. Keep us posted.

[FarmerMike]

The Vonage report I copied was form their forums, it was not me he was responding to, but the same issue.

I should have both my backup VZ actiontec and a Westell 6100 (from ebay) here in a few days, then we can resolve this. Sometime in the evening/night when I have some free time and family internet use is minimal I will try re-configuring the Actiontec to see if I can get it to work as a mostly transparent bridge with the VZ firmware (no nat, no dhcp).

[caseydoug]

The problem is that with transparent bridging you will still need a router if more than one computer will be using the internet connection. But it certainly would work for testing (unless the problem is with the VZ firmware itself). If Verizon uses PPPoE, I don't see how you can do without NAT and DHCP using the PAP2, since that device is not capable of doing the PPPoE login. However, you could let your computer do the login (I believe there is a built-in Windows PPPoE client), and then test the VoIP connection using a soft phone.

[FarmerMike]

The quick update - new Verizon modem/router/wireless showed up today (next day UPS). BUT it is NOT the same unit, they sent me a Westell 7500 (with VZ firmware). Afters some messing to get the modem activated, I set up the port forwarding. The softphone worked, pap2t would not connect. I changed the static ip to dhcp on the pap2t (I had set the port forwarding using mac address) and all is working. Now I can finally use Voipo, it has taken 22 days to get up and running including 2 pap2t devices and a change in the VZ modem/router. The Westell offers much better control and even a stronger wireless signal (even with only an integrated antenna).

In the next few days I will be trying to get the Actiontec Verizon unit to actually work. I do have another router/wireless box to use if I can make the Actiontec into just a bridge.

I don't know if it was pure chance that I was shipped a Westell or the fact that when talking to VZ support I reported voip not working. Perhaps they know the AT have problems with voip and swap them when the customer complains.

I'll post an update after I mess with the Actiontec, I'm sure others will be handed that box by Verizon and want to use voip.

[Russell]

The quick update - new Verizon modem/router/wireless showed up today (next day UPS). BUT it is NOT the same unit, they sent me a Westell 7500 (with VZ firmware). Afters some messing to get the modem activated, I set up the port forwarding. The softphone worked, pap2t would not connect. I changed the static ip to dhcp on the pap2t (I had set the port forwarding using mac address) and all is working. Now I can finally use Voipo, it has taken 22 days to get up and running including 2 pap2t devices and a change in the VZ modem/router.

Nice to hear that all appears to work with the new box. I'm sure you must pretty pleased after all the frustration.