Can anyone use Remote Desktop Connection with Vonage?

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 7

I just got Vonage and I have one server setup at my house. The only thing I need to do is access this server via remote desktop connection like I always have. I have my router setup with the necessary port forwarding to have this done without the Vonage phone adapter inline. I am using the normal setup (cable modem->phone adapter->router->2 computers) for multiple computers to keep my QOS and I would like to keep it that way. I think I might need to update something on the phone adapter itself to gain this functionality with the phone adapter inline. Is anyone able to use remote desktop connection with the phone adapter inline with the normal setup for multiple computers?

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 7

You need to provide a bit more information about your equipment-- what router and what Voip adapter do you have?

I have a Netgear WGR614 modem and a Motorla vt1000v adapter. The motorola has advanced settings that are supposed to do port forwarding, but I was never able to get it to work. I ended up having to put the Motorola inside the router and forget about letting it handle QOS.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 7

dromio wrote:

You need to provide a bit more information about your equipment-- what router and what Voip adapter do you have?

I have a Netgear WGR614 modem and a Motorla vt1000v adapter. The motorola has advanced settings that are supposed to do port forwarding, but I was never able to get it to work. I ended up having to put the Motorola inside the router and forget about letting it handle QOS.

The router is a netgear MR814 v2 and the MTA is a Motorola 1000v (think that is right). Anyway, I got it working but I am not sure how comprimised I am. To get my ftp site back up and running and get remote desktop connection to work I simply had to open up the ports that I have open on my router to allow for these services: 3389, 21, and 20. Everything worked fine after that.

I still wish I understood DMZ and how to use it though.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 7

Shoot...ftp isn't working. I just assumed it would. Remote desktop connection still works great only forwarding port 3389.

Posts: 46 · Full Forum Member Joined: Sep 06, 2004 Posts: 46

The phone adapter has a crap port-forwarding setup, which is precisely why I setup the phone adapter after the router.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 14, 2004 Posts: 2

I keep the MTA behind the router, its easier for me to diagnose port forwarding and such. I just have to be sure to limit upload bandwidth

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 7

Problems solved! You won't believe what the resolution was. First, I have only two ports open on the MTA: 21 and 3389. The 3389 should let the remote desktop connection through and the 21 should let FTP through. I have the same ports open on the router and the firewall on the computer. The remote desktop connection went straight through without a problem but for some reason the FTP wouldn't work. After tons of research I found out the issue resided with the computer I was on at work trying to get back to my ftp site. Get this. When you install Service Pack 2 there is a good chance that the following switch has been turned on:

1. open internet explorer
2. go to tools-->internet options
3. go to the advanced tab
4. scroll down to Use Passive FTP (for firewall and DSL compatability) and UNCHECK it

Once I did this on the computer at work that I was trying to use to get back to my ftp site it went straight through. I am sure that regulare ftp programs rather than internet explorer would have worked just fine.

Now I just hope the actual Vonage functionality works as advertised. My wife said yesterday she had two conversations where she couldn't hear the other party for like 30 seconds. That is simply unacceptable. I'll pay to go back to regular analog phone if the Vonage service continues to have these problems especially given the fact that my MTA is before the router!

Posts: 17 · Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:05 pm Post subject: QOS for VOIP

Based on how you described your setup, it looks like you will have quality problems with your Voip.

If your Vonage box is connected in parallel with your server behind your router, the server is not using QOS. This may result in poor sound quality on the Voip. If you are running a server that you want to use QOS along with the Voip, you might need a router that has QOS capabilities. I use a Kentrox Q2300, but it's a bit expensive for just a remote desktop connection.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 7

digitalareo, I'm confused. You mention about my equipment being in parallel. Wouldn't both the MTA and the server have to be behind the router to be in parallel? I don't doubt that my server isn't using QOS (don't really understand QOS anyway) but I thought the important piece was to have the MTA before the router. This would allow the router to use QOS and thus have the best sound quality possible. Is this not the case?

Posts: 17 · Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:38 pm Post subject: VOIP QOS

Sorry, I mis-read your configuration. I thought that both the MTA and the server were behind the router.
Now that I looked at your past again, I see that you do have the MTA in front of the router, and the server behind the router. This SHOULD allow the MTA to provide QOS.
Hopefully the problem your wife experienced was a fluke. My wife was on my case for weeks before I got my QOS router functional, so I know how essential it is to have it working properly.
My sound quality is now at least as good as my old landline.
I'm curious to know whether you still have problems with sound quality?