IP8100-2 refuses to make connection

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 14, 2006 Posts: 7

I bought an VTech IP8100-2 today. It looks sweet, if only it would work.

Here's the deal. I ordered at about 1AM on Valentine's Day over the phone. I let them send me the RTP300 I believe it was, plus the first month waived and activation fee, too. I quickly realized that Vonage could be a convienant little present, so I figured I would go out to a brick and mortar store and buy a setup via retail, then sell off the RTP300 on Craigslist or something.

For background, I set up my uncle's Vonage a few weeks ago. It was a breeze to do and only took a few minutes once the package arrived. I have been a pretty advanced user for the past ten years, and I can still work Win 3.1 better than most can work XP.

So here's the down low. Comcast Cable 6mbit connection. Modem <-> Router, Router <-> PC's, Router <-> VTech Device.

Router: Airlink101 AR504
Modem: D-Link DCM-202
Voip System: VTech IP8001-2

Yes, my cables are connected correctly. Yes, the cables are good. Yes, I have assigned the VTech device to a similar band of IPs (Router 192.168.1.1, VTech 192.168.1.110, PC's 192.168.1.101-103). No software firewalls. Windows Firewall is off on all PC's. No proxies. Roughly 15 calls to Vonage has yeilded about a hundred power cycles of all my equipment, and I'm frankly going to kill somebody through my cell if I have to do it again.

DHCP is off. Ports 53, 69, 123, 5060-5061, 10000-20000 are forwarded to VTech Device (192.168.1.110). No, they do no overlap with any of forwarded IPs.

I get a dialtone, but cannot place or receive any calls. The status light is solid red, meaning no connection. Using DHCP and assigning the IP to the VTech via the MAC Address with the router will allow me to get a solid or blinking amber light. I have never once been able to get it to go solid green.

I tried bypassing the router to see if that made a difference. It doesn't. Modem <-> VTech <-> PC allows me to surf the net, but I still get a solid red light. The status/setup pages yeild no help on the VTech Device.

I also took the device back to the retailer I bought it from and swapped it for an unopened box. Same problem.

Any ideas? Only thing I can think of is waiting for the RTP300 and putting it between the VTech Device and Router. Two routers in-line... the thought scares me, honestly.

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 27, 2006 Posts: 3

Have you try doing a factory reset?

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:03 am Post subject:

I'm a little confused about one thing:

The MAC address that you activated with Vonage originally is the MAC address on the RTP300. Did you sign up for a new account with the device you purchased retail, or did you inform the Vonage rep that you wanted to change your registered MAC to the new one?

Your best bet may be to use "retail activation" to sign up for a NEW account with the Vtech you bought retail, then cancel the account with the RTP300 and ship it back to Vonage under the 30 day cancelation policy.

Understand that, no matter what, ONE of those two devices is going to cost you full retail unless you sign up for a second account. Any rebates or deals on the Vtech would be based on your signing up for an account for that specific device using retail activation.

Whether you cancel the account associated with the RTP300 is your decision.

Personally, I'd wait for the RTP300 to arrive and test it, then decide whether you want to ask them if you can switch to a VTech by canceling the RTP300 account and shipping the unit back then separately activating the Vtech, or whether you like the RTP300 enough to just take the VTech back and buy a regular cordless phone (which, personally, is what I would do).

Posts: 60 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 60

Thadius856 wrote:

sell off the RTP300 on Craigslist or something.

Just so you know Vonage will not allow someone to activate a device that is not attached to an account they own. ie: Vonage does not allow reselling of devices.

So if you sell it the person will probably have an extremely hard time activating it, if they manage to do it at all.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 14, 2006 Posts: 7

Luckie8 wrote:

Have you try doing a factory reset?

Yes, I have. That little button on the bottom, right? Doesn't do a whole lot of anything useful.

NateHoy wrote:

I'm a little confused about one thing:

The MAC address that you activated with Vonage originally is the MAC address on the RTP300. Did you sign up for a new account with the device you purchased retail, or did you inform the Vonage rep that you wanted to change your registered MAC to the new one?

Your best bet may be to use "retail activation" to sign up for a NEW account with the Vtech you bought retail, then cancel the account with the RTP300 and ship it back to Vonage under the 30 day cancelation policy.

Understand that, no matter what, ONE of those two devices is going to cost you full retail unless you sign up for a second account. Any rebates or deals on the Vtech would be based on your signing up for an account for that specific device using retail activation.

Whether you cancel the account associated with the RTP300 is your decision.

Personally, I'd wait for the RTP300 to arrive and test it, then decide whether you want to ask them if you can switch to a VTech by canceling the RTP300 account and shipping the unit back then separately activating the Vtech, or whether you like the RTP300 enough to just take the VTech back and buy a regular cordless phone (which, personally, is what I would do).

Actually, that's not quite right. My RTP300 was only shipped yesterday, so I haven't received it yet. As such, its MAC Address is not on my account (though one tech offered to add it on). I'm not worried about the price, just the device working period.

ausbeer wrote:

Just so you know Vonage will not allow someone to activate a device that is not attached to an account they own. ie: Vonage does not allow reselling of devices.

So if you sell it the person will probably have an extremely hard time activating it, if they manage to do it at all.

I doubt there will be any problems, since it was never activated in the first place. I may keep it, but any buyer who would want it would be warned of the risks before the transaction was completed.

Anybody know how to get a device working? Confused

Posts: 60 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 60

The RTP is active on the account, as soon as it provisions (aka: before it ships). And, if you haven't already, the VTech has to be added to the account inorder to have it connect to the servers.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 14, 2006 Posts: 7

Yes, I had a higher tiered techie activate the VTech last night. All of my lines were switched to it, or so he tells me. I haven't found a way to view this information from any of the pages on the Vonage site to be sure he really did.

I just tried again, and got a mixture of amber steady and amber flashing lights when plugging straight into the modem. I can still surf the net through the device, and that's what I'm doing at this moment.

This is getting old, Vonage. *Sigh*

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:15 am Post subject:

I'm sorry, I don't think I'm making myself clear, or I'm missing your question.

Vonage shipped you a RTP300 for your account. They are expecting the MAC address for that RTP300, and ONLY the MAC address for that RTP300, to be on your account. Vonage devices are similar to cell phones. They are registered for a specific account, and can only be used on that account.

If you want the MAC address for your VTech to be recognized for the account you opened when you ordered the RTP300, good luck. Some reps may be able to do it, some may not. It's at least a Level Two issue if not Level Three.

If you want the VTech to be recognized immediately, sign up for a new account with Vonage using the "Retail Activation" link on the web page. This will associate the MAC address of the VTech with a valid Vonage account and allow the device to register on the Vonage network.

My apologies if I'm explaining something you already know, but I think that's the crux of the problem you are having.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:26 am Post subject:

Thadius856 wrote:

Yes, I had a higher tiered techie activate the VTech last night. All of my lines were switched to it, or so he tells me. I haven't found a way to view this information from any of the pages on the Vonage site to be sure he really did.

I just tried again, and got a mixture of amber steady and amber flashing lights when plugging straight into the modem. I can still surf the net through the device, and that's what I'm doing at this moment.

This is getting old, Vonage. *Sigh*

OK, sounds like the MAC address switcheroo went badly. How soon is the RTP300 due in? Maybe that will work and you can at least call them using that and save cell minutes while you try to clear it up. Wink

Then you can ship them back the RTP300 and hopefully get the rebates for the VTech.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 14, 2006 Posts: 7

Alrighty, I just made a new account for the VTech via the activate page. It cost me another $29.99.

Still, nothing. Solid amber light, no dialtone.

Next idea? :\