[roundaway]

Greetings,

Still not ready to cut the POTS cord and I'm using an unlocked Zoom 5801 in a residential setting. It was very difficult to get working and there's very little documentation to help set it up. The issue I have is the device locking up and requiring a reset to be able to use the VoIP account. This wife rating is very low.

I'm thinking of going to Linksys due to brand name and plenty of documentation on configuring. For those of you with 3102s, have you noticed the same issues with the device locking up? Complicated configuring?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Nipper]

Had my SPA3102 for a couple of months now and it has worked perfectly throughout with no lockups or crashes.

However I wouldn't agree with your statement about there being plenty of documentation. The Linksys User manual is not much use, I only got mine setup up with the aid of this and other forums and still have one or two configuration issue's I'm trying to iron out.

I still use POTS line (via 3102) for most outgoing calls as I have an all inclusive call package and use the 3102 mainly for incoming VoIP and VoIP to PSTN bridge which is all working well.

[yf]

I am a Linksys user myself. I have so far the 3102 and 2102. I did not experience any hanging or lockup that requires hard reboot. Actually I am managing both ATAs remotely and the soft remote resetting is working fine with me.

I am using the PSTN line to access the VoIP service through dialing the PSTN connected to it. I use it also to gain access to the PSTN through the VoIP service. It is working fine except with the echo which varies. I could not nail the reason down because there are a lot of factors involved in the routing of these calls. The echo mainly is heard at the side of the VoIP before the ATA. For example PSTN-1 (echo heard) – VoIP Service – ATA - FXS (or FXO – PSTN-2). The echo is heard that the PSTN at the side of the VoIP Service and not by the caller (or recipient) behind the ATA. I am trying to manage this echo by reducing the volume of the PSTN-1. It still exists but acceptable.

I agree that there are unfriendly documentation for the SPA 2xxx and 3xxxx family. The reason given by Linksys is that these products are not meant to be programmed by end users and the documentations are written for professionals. The Internet got a lot of lesson learned and Do IT Yourself (DIY) documents that helped a lot. Also this forum was instrumental for me to learn how to install my ATAs effectively. I was not lucky with my VoIP provider because I was given a locked SPA3000 that did not do the VoIP/PSTN gateway despite their assurance that the settings are working fine. I had send their ATA back and they reimbursed me back for what I paid. Now I am using their service with my own unlocked SPA. The unlocked SPA3102 opened the door for a lot of potentialities. I am now using 5 SIP servers for outgoing calls which even reduced more my VoIP bill as I am directing my calls to the least cost routes. I am encouraging my friends and family members who have broadband internet to buy ATAs and I help them in configuring them. The more the free SIP accounts increases the smaller my budget will be for VoIP calls.

Few days ago I bumped into the Zoom site by coincident and wondered how it is working. I heard about the Zoom dialup modems long time ago. I am glad to hear the industry is expanding. I wonder if the software is as powerful as Linksys or not. There is also GrandStream which is slightly less expensive than the Linksys. Recently I also accidentally put my hand on a site (http://vanaccess.com/) for a manufacturer of VoIP products. They always market their product as (alternative to Linksys xxx). Their prices are also less than Linksys. The attractive thing in their products is they have a different blend of ATAs that Linksys does not have. For example they have an ATA with 2 FXS and one FXO. Another is with 4 FXS while another one is with 2 FXS and 2 FXO and so on up to 8 FXO and 8 FXS. I never tried their products so I cannot vouch for them. I am just amazed by the flexibility of their products to meet everyone’s needs. It will be nice to hear from users who used this product.

Right now I will stick to the Linksys as it is the devil I know. After analyzing my calling pattern, I found there is a friend who has broadband Internet yet I am doing a lot of PSTN calls with him. I am buy a SPA3102 as a birthday present so I hit two birds with one stone.

[priller]

I recently replaced my Linksys SPA-3102 with a Zoom 5801 and couldn't be happier.

With firmware version 1.2, on the Zoom, you can configure four registered VoIP accounts. Very nice if you have DID's from multiple VoIP providers. I currently have it registered with Junction Networks, Vitelity and InPhonex.

The driving factor for wanting to replace the SPA-3102 was a slight echo on PSTN calls. I tried everything suggested in posts on this forum and Google results, but it still lingered. PSTN calls were also slightly muffled, adjusting levels did not help. No issues at all with the Zoom, everything is perfect (so far).

The Zoom documentation is a little lacking, but not awful.

The Zoom does not have to be rebooted after every little config change.

The 5801 doesn't have full statistics (jitter, dropped RTP packets, etc) like the SPA.

One caution: The 5801 arrived with firmware 1.2.2. I allowed it to contact Zoom's update server and I got downgraded to 1.1.2, which does not allow multiple registered services. I opened an online support case with Zoom. They responded in a couple of hours (sure impressed me!) and made a change to get me back to 1.2.2. I now have auto update disabled.

I still need more time on the Zoom to give it a full endorsement, but as of now, it's kicking SPA-butt.

BTW .... The GrandStream HT-503 is in the same class. I got one. Don't care for it ... got problems.

[yf]

Priller:
I am very interested to know how your experience with Zoom will go. Please keep me posted with remarks and observation. The 4 SIP accounts registration is impressive. I don’t know why Linksys does not upgrade its software to accommodate such feature.

I wonder how is the programming feature of the Zoom 5802 vs. Linksys 3102 when it comes to the PSTN tab.

Linksys by all means is the leading manufacturer in this field. Other will capitalize on this success either by offering comparable products at more competitive price or enhance by far the existing products.

I am surprised that the echo disappeared when you used Zoom. Are you sure that all other conditions remained unchanged?

[priller]

Originally Posted by yf

I am surprised that the echo disappeared when you used Zoom. Are you sure that all other conditions remained unchanged?

I wonder how is the programming feature of the Zoom 5802 vs. Linksys 3102 when it comes to the PSTN tab.

Nothing else changed .... I just now switched between the two. Echo on SPA ... perfect quality on the Zoom. Same phone, same PSTN line.

Here are some sample shots of the Zoom low level configuration areas ... it looks like a complete box.

[roundaway]

priller,

I've decided to stay with my Zoom 5801. I'm also experiencing echo issues and have decreased the CODEC RX gain. I'm thinking of increasing the echo chanceller tail length from it's default of 16ms.

[yf]

roundaway:
I guess the ability of the echo chanceller tail length is the key success to Zoom. I believe this paramter is fixed in Linksys ATAs so if there is a lag in the network or you are using cellular telephone you cannot help reducing the echo.

[josiegross]

So I have a pair of the Zoom 5801's that I bought earlier in the year and they have been sitting on the shelf as life got in the way of me working on them.

I am looking to have them act as an FXO and FXS bridge from a Trixbox installation and have it working to allow calls can be placed to and from the PSTN and get bridged to SIP. I also have it working to bridge calls to and from the FXS so an analog phone can place calls via SIP and then out the 5801 to the PSTN if that is where the appropriate trunk points things.

The primary issue that I have is that calls over the FXO are two stage which is not what I want and I have a call into Zoom to see if there is a way around this. I am currently running a beta version of firmware,
1.0.13beta4, which Zoom gave me earlier this year and I would like to get confirmation on the latest/best version of firmware for this device.

Does anyone have:

1. Recent experience with this device in the configuration that I mentioned above.

2. Solid documentation for this device ?

3. A way to completly unlock this device ? I have no intention on using this with a provider.

Thanks

Jack

[ratinahat]

Originally Posted by yf

I am a Linksys user myself. I have so far the 3102 and 2102. I did not experience any hanging or lockup that requires hard reboot. Actually I am managing both ATAs remotely and the soft remote resetting is working fine with me.

I am using the PSTN line to access the VoIP service through dialing the PSTN connected to it. I use it also to gain access to the PSTN through the VoIP service. It is working fine except with the echo which varies. I could not nail the reason down because there are a lot of factors involved in the routing of these calls. The echo mainly is heard at the side of the VoIP before the ATA. For example PSTN-1 (echo heard) – VoIP Service – ATA - FXS (or FXO – PSTN-2). The echo is heard that the PSTN at the side of the VoIP Service and not by the caller (or recipient) behind the ATA. I am trying to manage this echo by reducing the volume of the PSTN-1. It still exists but acceptable.

I agree that there are unfriendly documentation for the SPA 2xxx and 3xxxx family. The reason given by Linksys is that these products are not meant to be programmed by end users and the documentations are written for professionals. The Internet got a lot of lesson learned and Do IT Yourself (DIY) documents that helped a lot. Also this forum was instrumental for me to learn how to install my ATAs effectively. I was not lucky with my VoIP provider because I was given a locked SPA3000 that did not do the VoIP/PSTN gateway despite their assurance that the settings are working fine. I had send their ATA back and they reimbursed me back for what I paid. Now I am using their service with my own unlocked SPA. The unlocked SPA3102 opened the door for a lot of potentialities. I am now using 5 SIP servers for outgoing calls which even reduced more my VoIP bill as I am directing my calls to the least cost routes. I am encouraging my friends and family members who have broadband internet to buy ATAs and I help them in configuring them. The more the free SIP accounts increases the smaller my budget will be for VoIP calls.

Few days ago I bumped into the Zoom site by coincident and wondered how it is working. I heard about the Zoom dialup modems long time ago. I am glad to hear the industry is expanding. I wonder if the software is as powerful as Linksys or not. There is also GrandStream which is slightly less expensive than the Linksys. Recently I also accidentally put my hand on a site (http://vanaccess.com/) for a manufacturer of VoIP products. They always market their product as (alternative to Linksys xxx). Their prices are also less than Linksys. The attractive thing in their products is they have a different blend of ATAs that Linksys does not have. For example they have an ATA with 2 FXS and one FXO. Another is with 4 FXS while another one is with 2 FXS and 2 FXO and so on up to 8 FXO and 8 FXS. I never tried their products so I cannot vouch for them. I am just amazed by the flexibility of their products to meet everyone’s needs. It will be nice to hear from users who used this product.

Right now I will stick to the Linksys as it is the devil I know. After analyzing my calling pattern, I found there is a friend who has broadband Internet yet I am doing a lot of PSTN calls with him. I am buy a SPA3102 as a birthday present so I hit two birds with one stone.

I use the SPA3000 and all works fine. Do not reboot at all. I believe this is not much different fro the 3102.

I have a question, how do I remotely manage the SPA. I would like to access an ATA in another part of the world. There is no computer there permanently.