echo problems.... please help

Posts: 89 · Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:04 pm Post subject: echo problems.... please help

I have had the service for about 2 months now. I am having a problem with echo. I understand the echo "should" be a far end problem but I didn't have an echo with the Verizon service. Sometimes the echo is worse than others. There doesn't seem to be any set pattern. I have a Motorola Surfboard SB4100 modem, Linksys RT31P2 Router, and a 2.4 GHz cordless phone and a corded phone. My IP is Roadrunner (Time Warner). It seems to be a little better on the corded phone. I really like the service but the delay and echo may be a deal breaker.

I really don't feel like going out a buying different phones if it is not going to help. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreicated.

Posts: 433 · Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:17 pm Post subject:

Delay is lacetcy (delay in internet)
Echo, some cordless telephones are more prone to echo. Try covering the mouth piece and see when listening if the problem is lessened. Some phones the echo is from the earpiece sound being picked up by the mouthpiece. Check earpiece volumne as well.

Just a thought

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:36 pm Post subject:

with what houuser stated, along with reading a lot of mostly historical posts on this forum and another forum (try the search feature if you haven't yet), as well as reading at Vonage (esp http://vonage.com/help_knowledgeBase_article.php?article=266) it seems that it may have to do with your connection. you could give testyourvoip.com a shot, just to see what kind of latency you're getting.
Mine are: 4.42 MOS, Round-Trip Latency 128 ms, Packet Discards 0.0%, Packet Loss 0.0%
Mine aren't always that good, but it's always pretty good. Anyway, it's worth a shot. If it seems a little on the bad side, you could always call time warner and have them check your signal strength and such.
From what I've been looking at (see above) this doesn't seem to be a problem that has a quick and easy fix.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 7

I had the exact same problems and they got worse..
echo then cutouts and they got progressively worse..
I then read and read and read...
and then I used a friends new.. linksys wcg200 cablemodem/router/wirelessgateway..
to my rpt31p2 (they even stacked well on top of each other)
also i put new connections on my cable..
well he has Vonage too and it sounded perfect when he hooked up his wcg200 so all i can guess was that it was my old toshiba pcx1100u cable modem..
well since his worked i bought one and it worked perfect..
but you must make sure the cable operators properly register the modem as it has two mac addresses one for the cable modem part and one for the router part (you only need the modem part)
thats my two cents been good for a few weeks now..

Posts: 89 · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info on the linksys modem. The only problem is that I don't have a wireless connection. Will this still work I I don't use the wireless feature? Is there a similar motem that is not wireless that people have had luck with?

Also does anybody know if the echo will get better or worse if I play around with the bandwith saver. It seems to be better at the lower setting but maybe it is my imangation.

I just bought a new 5.8ghz cordless phone. We will see if it helps.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 7

this router has 4 wired ethernet ports...1 usb port and it also has the wireless functions if you ever want to go this way(so it will work with anything) ...my echo went away..
i played with the saver thing and still had probs...

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:13 am Post subject:

out of curiosity, what isp do you have dodo? I have the pcx1100U but fortunately it works fine for me.

Posts: 48 · Full Forum Member Joined: Dec 10, 2004 Posts: 48

I use this setup:
Modem: Linksys BEFCMU10 Etherfast cable modem
Router: Linksys WRT54GS Wireless G router with speedbooster
Phone Adapter: Linksys PAP2 Phone Adapter
Phone: Uniden TRU8885-3 5.4 ghz digital cordless expandable phone

The quality is excellent! I have gotten compliments from people I have talked to when I told them I was using Voip. I think the quality of my Vonage phone is much better than my previous POTS phone line! Headbang

My setup was a tad expensive I admit but I think all of my equipment is top-notch. I think Uniden makes the best cordless phones, no echo or anything on them, and I buy nothing but Linksys products for my networking needs.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 7

my isp is comcast up in the st clair area in michigan..
my pcx1100u was working fine...for a few months then after a while i started to get cutouts and buzzing..it got so bad ..originaly the pcx worked great but it is a older unit and after doing some research I had to try replacing it to make sure..
hey i was informed that the linksys may have better signal to noise ratio and I was told to only connect the modem up to the cable no splitters or tvs..those were sugguestions but in the end I just replaced the cable modem and it got fixed..i looked at a lot of other models but a friend had this one so i tried it..
and it does it all except for having Vonage telephone port its great..
also I would of returned it if it did not work.. but rather than spend three months having Vonage try stuff and comcast tell me everything is ok I bought it..
return policies are a great thing..
it takes up a bit of your time but so does trouble shooting with a tech on your cell phone..also this model supports the new doics 2.0 the pcx was only good up to 1.1 and that was by a firmware upgrade..

Posts: 70 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jun 17, 2004 Posts: 70

Any of you that are having echo problems, have you tested your broadband at: http://www.testmyvoip.com ??

I have only had the occasional problem with the echo. Recently I tested my broadband & on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the best, I got 4.1, 4.2 & 4.3 to all the test servers, which it says is very good. The next time I get an echo in a call, I plan to test the broadband quickly to see if there is a noticable drop in performance.

I'd be willing to bet that anyone with echo problems is also having throughput issues with the broadband itself.