[jethro]

I got a PG last nite but I cannot get it to register/configure. I have an SMC Barricade 7004ABR router. The status light shows it connected but the "10/100" status light is not on indicating no talkie. I assigned the PG a fixed DCHP addresss and put it in the DMZ but it still won't work. (I had to put the SR ATA in the DMZ for it to work before)

Could this be a compatibility problem?

[yiannis]

Try to connect it to another switch or hub to verify its' ethernet connectivity. Then connect this hub or switch to your router, and verify the PG gets an IP through the DHCP server of the router.

In most routers there is a page where all the connected devices show up along with their MAC address. Verify the PG's MAC address shows up. If it does not show up then you can safely conclude the ethernet port is defective.

I have had such a PG in the past, and I sent it back for replacement.

[jethro]

I am on the phone with PG support at the moment trying to sort it out. He says he can see it but it is sporadic.

The MAC of the PG does show up on the router.

[jethro]

Well we tried a few things but no joy. He is kicking it up to the next level. The saga continues....

[DracoFelis]

Originally Posted by jethro

I got a PG last nite but I cannot get it to register/configure. I have an SMC Barricade 7004ABR router.

I don't have a PG, but I do have experience with doing VoIP from behind an SMC router. And in my experience (and the experience of some others on the net), the default settings of the SMC firewalls (assuming you have the SPA firewall enabled) are "too strict" to reliably do VoIP. But with a little tweaking of the advanced firewall settings, you can bring the firewall into line.

If your router has the firewall enabled (assuming that model SMC router has a firewall), you might want to try looking at your "Intrusion Detection" tab (assuming your router is enough like the ones I've worked with to have an "Instrusion Detection" tab). In particular, some of the default settings are "too low" for VoIP to work reliably. IMHO the most common "too low setting" is the "UDP session idle timeout:", which is only a few seconds by default, but needs to be significantly over a minute (and maybe even longer) to reliably hold open UDP ports while VoIP is in progress. And I think I adjusted a few of the other settings up (larger than the defaults) as well. In any event, here are the settings I have found to work OK with VoIP. I can't promise they will help you with your PG, but it's worth a shot IMHO.

[jethro]

I do not have that level of control over the firewall in this router; I can enable or disable only. Tried it both ways but still no luck. Beside putting the PG in the DMZ should have gotten around that problem anyway.

PG support said something about it wasn't getting the info from the PSTN line for some reason. I'll see what their tech support comes up with next. Still don't understand why the status lights are not all on like the other 3 connections though. Maybe the PG is just bad out of the box?

[DracoFelis]

Originally Posted by jethro

I do not have that level of control over the firewall in this router; I can enable or disable only.

I see the problem now.

While I can't promise that your router has this option, I do know that SMC just put the basic Enable/Disable option on the main firewall page. But if you have the firewall enabled (because SMC will only show you your firewall options, when you have your firewall enabled), then you should be able to get to the detailed firewall settings by:

1) Login to your router.

2) Click on the "Advanced Setup" button/picture.

3) On the left click on "Firewall". This will both bring up the main "Firewall" page AND it should expand the sub-options under the "Firewall" list.

4) One of the sub-options under firewall, should (hopefully) be "Intrusion Detection". Click on the "Intrusion Detection" option, and you should now be at the "Intrusion Detection" page were you do the detailed firewall tweaks.

NOTE" The reason this is sometimes needed with SMC routers, is that their firewall is set to detect and block various "hacking attempts". But the problem is, that the default settings are so "sensitive", that they (incorrectly) treat some valid VoIP behavior as if it was a "hack attempt" (and thereby block that valid VoIP behavior). But, if you manually change the sensitivity down, SMC routers will then be happy to coexist with VoIP (even with their full firewall enabled).

5) Oh yeah, don't forget to "Apply" after making changes...

[jethro]

SMC hasn't put that functionality into the firmware for the 7004ABR (this is an old router that they no longer produce). Shot of my firewall setup page attached.


PG support now thinks that maybe the PG itself is bad so will send a new one and I'll see if that works.

[jethro]

Well the 2nd PG with my old SMC router had the same problem. Just hooked up a new DI-604 router and guess what - the PG works! Guess the new router did the trick.

Now if I cna just get this vbuzzer acount to work....