Self Help Articles: Packet Loss and QoS

Posts: 2257

Based on some recurring questions we get, I decided to put up some articles with diagrams, etc, that can serve as a reference. These are meant to be general self-help articles explaining some of the issues with VoIP in general, and offering steps to diagnose the problems.

The articles can be found at:

http://vonage.nmhoy.net/

I intend to expand on these articles, and improve them. Feedback is encouraged, as I want to make them as useful as possible.

Current articles are:

Packet Loss and Discards - an explanation of the causes of packet loss and packet discards, and what steps you can take to try and fix them.

QoS Explained - an explanation of QoS and what it does (and cannot do), and some tips on how to implement it.

As I complete more articles, I'll link them to the main site listed above.

Dan - feel free to make this "sticky" if you feel it is useful.

Everyone else - if you find the articles useful, feel free to post links here on the forums (and elsewhere) as you see fit. Also, if you see errors in the articles, or places where you have other information you feel is useful, please post the information here, email me on the address you see on the "About" page, or private message me if you prefer.

Posts: 1123 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1123

Awesome idea, man! Dan, is there any way we can make this sticky? I think this'll go a long way in helping with the recurring issues.

Posts: 4722 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4722

Nate,

Good stuff, thanks.

On your "about this page" entry you refer to an email address, but I don't see one there.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:55 pm Post subject:

Steve48 wrote:

Nate,

Good stuff, thanks.

On your "about this page" entry you refer to an email address, but I don't see one there.

There is an (at) instead of the "@" symbol, to prevent the spamscrapers from getting ahold of it.

Posts: 4722 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4722

Color me blind. Embarassed

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject:

I just made it a little more obvious by putting it all together and also put it in bold to make it easier to locate - it was really not all that visible before. Wink

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:03 am Post subject:

Added very crude prototype for "What to do with two routers" page. Feedback encouraged.

http://vonage.nmhoy.net/tworouters.html

Posts: 4722 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4722

More good stuff. Some people have referred to configuration 3 as "bridge mode". If you agree with that terminology, you might want to include it.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject:

Steve48 wrote:

More good stuff. Some people have referred to configuration 3 as "bridge mode". If you agree with that terminology, you might want to include it.

Hmm. Not technically correct as to what the router is doing, since you're simply hooking two switches together in a direct cable connection, then hooking LAN to WAN from a switch. But it is pretty descriptive of the end result, even if it is done bass-ackwards. Wink

I finally gave up on #3. The constant loss of the config screens for the Vonage router was too disturbing, like the router was trying to whisper "you really don't want to be doing this to me". I never had any other problems, but My Network Guy in my head kept screaming at me, and I had to Make The Voices Stop. Wink

The router was over $100. I don't want to let the smoke out just to gain two more Ethernet ports. A $10 hub can get me that.

Posts: 4722 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4722

NateHoy wrote:

The router was over $100. I don't want to let the smoke out just to gain two more Ethernet ports. A $10 hub can get me that.

Sounds like a discussion of hubs would be a good addition to the article.