Troubleshooting to see if D-Link VTA is bad

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: May 08, 2008 Posts: 2

I've had Vonage for over 8 months and recently started having problems with it keeping 3 green lights. I ran the test on the sticky and here's what it said..(the highest of three tests)

Location: Delaware
Cable internet
Linksys router
Modem----Lynksys----VTA

Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 959712 bps
Upload speed: 108304 bps
Quality of service: 79 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum download pause: 427 ms
Average download pause: 33 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 212 ms
Average round trip time to server: 223 ms

Voip test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 1.2 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 3.4 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 0.1 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Number of supported Voip lines: 1
Estimated MOS score: 3.9

I have it going thru a Linksys BEFSR41 router which is two days old and my cable modem was just changed to a new one today. I thought that would take care of it I notice that after some calls or after it's been sitting a while, my Phone light goes out and I lose the internet light on both my router and modem and then I need to reboot the VTA/Router/Modem, which is starting to be a pain each time it happens. I can't explain it, for 7 months it worked liked a charm...now I gamble on seeing the internet button on the VTA staying solid green. Ok, I just got done having a 10 minute convo with my wife and it went fine. Wierd. Should I try a new VTA? Can I keep my same # if I do get a new VTA?

Update: I've been watching it since this post, the internet drops approx every 2 hours OR after certain calls

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

I assume that this is a D-link VTA plugged into the Linksys router. If you're losing internet service every few hours, even when you don't make a call, I'd be inclined to blame the router, the modem, or your internet service. It's hard to see how the VTA could cause it. Since you've been using the modem and service without problems and the router is new, the router would seem to be the culprit.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 09, 2008 Posts: 1

I've had infuriating problems in getting my VTA-VR adapter to acquire or announce its IP address (see copy of heart-felt note below), but I've finally succeeded.

LESSONS LEARNED:
!. I left the adapter unpowered for an extended period, and then I held down the reset button for 30 seconds rather than 10 seconds, and the device did finally reset itself, and subsequently acquiired an IP address via DHCP, allowing me to access the admin interface.

2. Perfoming a VTA button-down reset with power on, then connecting it directly to the cable/DSL modem (both unplugged, power on modem, power on adapter after modem initializes) is the surest way of isolating the problem to either the modem or the adapter. (If it works, the problem is elsewhere.)

3. Don't expect 1st level technical support to offer anything useful if you know what you're doing and have done your homework.

4. Forget about the heart-felt comments to technical support (and probably any person you can communicate with in any largish organization.) The recipient will merely reflexively press the "I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause." key.

TECHNICAL DETAILS / HEART-FELT EMAIL EXAMPLE

Folks --
I've just about had it with trying to get get my Vonage service working in my new home in Chicago through a Vonage VTA-VR adapter. The fundamental problem is that the adapter, like most equipment, is BRAIN-DAMAGED, in that if the simple stuff doesn't work, diagnosing the problem is either tedious or just impossible. I have have spent a total of over ten hours trying this and that and scouring manuals attempting to find or generate an IP address by which I could communicate with the adapter's admin interface. I have reset it multiple times, connected it through four separate devices in multiple ways in an attempt to access the fixed IP address or get it to acquire an IP via DHCP, to no avail. To use a psychological term, I am absolutely R*P-SH*T.

What is most telling is that the VTA adapter can't aquire an IP address even when directly connected to the Att-customized Motorola MSTATEA DSL modem. (Both modem & VTA powered-down, and modem then VTA powered up.) Both the modem and VTA show a successful "Internet" connection (green signal) to each other, but the VTA can't acquire an IP address via DHCP (Double blink Power light.) One of my computers is able to acquire an IP via DHCP when directly connected to the DSL modem, indicating that the fault lies in the VTA device.

I do believe that VTA adapter is physically undamaged since it worked briefly when I first connected it (but then I reset it as part of configuring other parts of my setup) but has gotten into an inaccessible state.

WHAT I WANT FROM Vonage: Although my VTA is a half-year out of warranty, I wish to receive another apapter pending return of mine. (I am willing to provide a credit card no. against its return.) I do not want to receive instructions on how to stand on my head some more.

If I can not get this to work with very little further effort, I will terminate the Vonage service.