Call waiting beep and then a dropped connection

Posts: 48

When I get a beep there is a call waiting, the current connection becomes unstable, that is, the voice at the other end becomes garbled (choppy connection) and, more often than not, I loose the current call.

Sometimes if we wait out the beeping--which itself is garbled--the current call resumes; that is infrequent; mostly I loose the current call.

The router is a Linky WRTP54G. The ISP is Comcast. The connection is something in the area of 4096/352 for data which shows up 3.8 to 4.0 MOS to Boston and 1.70Mbps/363kbps on the Vonage "speed test."

Any solutions for this problem would be appreciated. Thanks.

Posts: 135 · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject:

I just tried a test of call waiting on my Vonage hookup using two SprintPCS phones.

I first placed a call to my Vonage line and answered it. I placed the SprintPCS phone near the TV so I could hear it over the Vonage phone (to make sure that the audio was clear and was getting through).

I then made a second call to my Vonage line from the other SprintPCS phone. When call came in I could hear the Call Waiting Beep. It was clear but was immediately followed by a short burst of modem tones. I believe this is the sound of the Caller ID on Call Waiting information being transmitted. I then saw the Call Waiting with Caller ID information displayed on my Vonage phone.

I have not had call waiting on my home phone in many years and never had Caller ID with Call Waiting so I do not know if the audible modem chirps are normal. I do know that Caller ID is transmitted on an incoming call between the first and second ring. The method of transmission is a 1200 baud FSK signal (just like your old 1200 baud modems). I guess then, that Caller ID sent on Call Waiting is also 1200 baud FSK and unless the phone blocks the tones then they will be audible.

If I ignored the incoming call I would continue to hear the Call Waiting beeps (but without the audible modem chirps that were heard the first time). If I continued to ignore the call waiting the second call was answered by Voicemail. All though this time I could hear clear audio from the first call.

I also tried it where I would answer the second incoming call. This worked exactly as expected. I was able to flash back and forth between the two calls.

My setup is different than yours in that I have a PAP2 instead of the WRTP54G. Maybe there is an issue with your adapter or the WRTP54G in general.

Maybe your phone is messed up or cunfused by the CallerID on Call Waiting. Do you have the same problem if you are using a different phone? Unfortunatly Vonage allows you to disable call waiting using the website, but not caller id on call waiting.

Posts: 48 · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:09 am Post subject:

mharvey wrote:

If I ignored the incoming call I would continue to hear the Call Waiting beeps (but without the audible modem chirps that were heard the first time). If I continued to ignore the call waiting the second call was answered by Voicemail. All though this time I could hear clear audio from the first call.

Thanks for your research and reply.

What I hear could not be called either beeps or "modem tones." What I hear is more akin the sound of a chicken being choked or maybe an excited squirrel with laryngitis.

While the chickens and squirrels are screeching in my ear the phone's display panel for the current call blanks out; I do not get the caller id for the second call. When the thrashing stops--if I'm still connected--the caller id for the current call returns. (I think the person on the current call is unaware of what I am hearing.)

I've had call waiting with caller id for quite a while on my POTS landline and also on my Cingular cell phone. Each of those are clear "beeps." Not switching over--or switching over--works exactly as you describe.

Before the WRTP54G, I had an RTP300 installed for a month. I don't remember the problem then so maybe it is the router.

Unless I come up with an idea here that helps me solve this problem I guess I'll be on the phone to Calcutta again.

Thanks for your information. I appreciate it.

Posts: 48 · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:14 am Post subject:

Cute kid! Congratulations...

(Guess I'm a little late, huh?)

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 10, 2006 Posts: 3

I have a similar issue. Anytime I'm on the line and I receive another call, the audio drops. I don't know about the chicken or squirrel sounds (it hasn't happen to me, just my wife). The person that she's talking to can actually still hear her, my wife just can't hear them. She has tried answer the call waiting, but she can't hear them either. When she comes back to the original, they still can't hear her. I too have the WRTP54G router.

I disabled my Call Waiting and have it going straight to voice mail till I find a fix.

Posts: 48 · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:15 am Post subject:

monkeypoop wrote:

I disabled my Call Waiting and have it going straight to voice mail till I find a fix.

Missing calls would be a bad thing for me. Loosing calls I'm on is even less acceptable.

I wonder if this problem is systemic to the WRTP54G. With 1.4 million subscribers--and more than a few with this router--I'd suspect this problem would be more widespread than the two of us.

Unless it's just our problem. Cry

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:51 am Post subject:

I have a WRTP54G, and I know for sure I've received the occasional "call waiting" call. Of course, it doesn't happen often for me, but I seem to remember having it work at one point, and being able to go back and forth between the calls.

I *did* have significant problems with call waiting early on, but one of the firmware upgrades (1.00.50 if I recall) fixed most of that. What firmware version are you on?

If you are on anything older than 1.00.60, you may want to try turning off wireless and restarting the router. Unfortunately, with wireless enabled, the WRTP54G did have a problem last year doing a major firmware upgrade that fixed a LOT of the problems with the router. Apparently, when wireless was turned on, there simply wasn't enough memory to do the upgrade.

Posts: 48 · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:17 am Post subject:

NateHoy wrote:

I *did* have significant problems with call waiting early on, but one of the firmware upgrades (1.00.50 if I recall) fixed most of that. What firmware version are you on?

Firmware in this box is 1.00.20. I also notice under Status | Voice it says "Provisioning Failed." Of course, I am "registered" with the Vonage server as I have service. What does "Provisioning Failed" mean?

The Linksys Web site does not show any firmware updates being available for the WRTP54G so I'm assuming--since you say there's a later version available--upgrading firmware is handled remotely by Vonage. True/not true?

So, I turn off wireless and wait; right? And, if "yes," how long do I wait?

Thank you!

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:34 pm Post subject:

1.00.20! My God, man, you're sending voice packets on stone tablets! The list of known issues on that thing is as long as my arm, plus the ten foot pole I wouldn't touch that firmware release with! Wink

One of the known defects is really, really bad handling of transferred and call waiting calls. Another is caller ID problems galore. I think another is improper display of status. Psoraisis is no doubt in the list somewhere, along with sudden, unexplained hair loss. I'm sure there are others. Ask your doctor if "firmware" is right for you. Side effects may include working Vonage, improved voice, and euphoria.

Seriously, it should be a matter of:

1. Turn off wireless.
2. Unplug the router from power and plug it back in.
3. Make sure wireless is still turned off.
4. Wait a while, then you should start to see the power light blink.
(edit: 5. Me learning to count (grin))

You may have to go through this a few times. The version you are shooting for is 1.00.60

If that doesn't do it, you can call Vonage support and they should be able to push the update to you.

Posts: 21 · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:59 pm Post subject:

Agreed. I was having this same exact problem when I installed my WRTP54G straight out of the box. No matter how many times I reset that piece of crap, it still happened (along with a host of other problems that almost made me a <4 hour Vonage subscriber). The answer is updating the firmware. Why they're still selling routers with firmware that is approaching a full year old now escapes me (don't tell me these boxes have been on the shelf that long, because that's simply untrue); they could have at least included a set of instructions on how to fully update the firmware (the fact that it's not just a simple click of the mouse buttion or done automatically is ridiculous, IMHO, but oh well); but they didn't and you smartly stumbled to this site. Follow the above instructions, fully update the firmware (don't forget to wait until the power button stops flashing, as this indicates that the update is in process), reset, and you should be golden.

It's these idiotic (and easily solvable by the provider) technical hiccups that give Vonage and Voip a bad name. Please note that there is a utility availabe from Linksys that you can use to update the firmware yourself (instead of having Vonage push it). Search the forum for "WRTP54G firmware update utility linksys" and it should come up. It's a pain in the butt to have to do this, but again...