Incoming Audio choppy / dropout

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 10

I have called support 3 times, their advice has been totally useless, their so-called 'settings adjustments' have done nothing. I really really really want my Vonage to work, but need some help from someone with some real knowledge, and preferrably a similar setup for their home network.

**My setup** is bit different than the average one-router system.

My main router is a Linksys WRT54Gv5 - brand new.
3 pcs and my Vonage device plugged into the 4 lan ports,
wireless on (but seldom used by my laptop)

To run my Vonage line, I have a linksys WRTP54G router, which I got from Vonage, with the wireless function disabled. This is plugged into my 'main' router, as if were another PC on the Lan.

My internet connection is a 128k wireless dsl. Works great. My ISP has gone the extra mile for me already and is confident there is nothing to be changed that will affect the issue with my Vonage quality.

**The problem** I am having - I can place and receive calls, no problem. As far as I can tell, the other party can hear me just fine. When asked, nobody has told me otherwise.
But on my end... it is awful, unusable. The incoming voice gets dropped every few seconds and I miss whole words or sentences, like a cell phone going in and out of range.
This is intermittent, but more frequently bad than good,
and I know it is not caused by other network activity
( I have tried it with no pcs attached, just Vonage ).

To fix this, I have tried everything that I or the Vonage support people can think of:
-- QoS on, off in the main router - no difference
-- Put the Vonage router first on the network - no difference
-- Make sure nothing is closer than 4 feet... yadda yadda

Can someone point me to the 'missing piece' of the puzzle?

I want my Vonage to work all the time... but getting very discouraged!![B][B]

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

You've given us a lot of details, but we need a bit more to help. Please post the things listed in the sticky message at the top of the forum. Your measured (not promised!) speeds in both directions are important, and so is the test call at www.testyourvoip.com .

Posts: 253 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: May 23, 2006 Posts: 253

Michael23

pls try this, this might help you. pls contact your internet service provider and ask what DOCSIS are you currently using..because sometimes this can affect the call. if the DOCSIS is 1.1 or higher, you have the better one but if not ask them to provide you the higher versions.

if this wont work. try to simplify your setup. remove all the devices around your Vonage device and all the device connected into it (hus,switches routers). just connect it directly into the internet modem.

if this still dont work. adjust your bandwidth in your web account call the tech support and ask them to adjust your settings to the highest level(jitterlevel, codec and the packet size).

also, remove all electronic devices away from the router atleast 2 or more meters away (including the phone that you use)because this might interfere the signals inside the device.

still, if this wont work,if there is an available phone port on the Vonage adapter,then switch phone ports and inform the tech support so that they can change the settings also.

also, ensure all the wires are free of damages and the cables are firmly connected to the ports.

make sure that the device is well ventilated.

do not download anything or share files while using the phone because this might lessen the signals that is coming from the router.

in case this things wont work just inform me.
so that i could research again.

dheiy

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 10

here is the results page from testyourvoip.com
http://www.mredesign.com/downloads/testVoIP.gif

Doesnt look good Sad

Here is the results page from the Vonage bandwidth test...
according to this I am doing alright, escpecially with "download" speed, and the problems I am having are on the down (incoming) end.

The thing is, I know Vonage "can" work on my system because it often does work just fine. The problem is intermittent.

I can try asking support to adjust the items mentioned,
but so far the things they have done have made no difference at all.
It would be much nicer to call them if I could get a helpful english speaker... the first time I called, it sounded like a young guy from the northeast somewhere, and he managed to fix my problem (on another router). The next few times I am getting someone in India (?) and they have been very little help.

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 10

http://mredesign.com/downloads/bandwidth.gif

forgot the link

Posts: 253 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: May 23, 2006 Posts: 253

but, did you follow all the steps i ask you to do....???

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 10

Yes, except for the DOCSIS bit. Been through the rest with support already.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

As you've already noted, your Voip results are poor- poor enough to explain that problems you're having. Try plugging your computer directly into your cable modem and repeating the test. If the test is still bad, you have a problem that you'll need to work with you internet service provider. If the test gets good that way, then we'll have to troubleshoot your setup.

You don't have any 2.4 GHz cordless phones involved here do you?