Vonage VDV21 will not obtain IP address from Netgear Router

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 21, 2009 Posts: 5

I decided to hook up my Vonage Phone Adapter (VDV21) behind my Netgear Router (RP614 V1).

So the setup is this:

Cable Modem -> Netgear Router -> Computers and Vonage Adapter.
So, my computers, my NAS and the Vonage adapter are plugged into the LAN ports on the router. The ethernet cable is plugged into the WAN port on the Vonage adapter.

When set up like this, the Vonage adapter will not obtain an IP from my router. I have DHCP set up, but IP address reservations for the PCs and my NAS.
It gives an Error[Code 002].
Checking to see what devices are attached my router from the router web interface does not show the Vonage adapter. Shows the PCs and NAS, but not the Vonage adapter.

When the Vonage adapter is plugged straight into the cable modem, the phone works, my Netgear router connects, and my PCs connect. BUT, this solution is completely unacceptable because the Vonage adapter throttles my bandwidth so badly, it makes me want to get stabby on something. And I mean bad. My connection goes from around 10 Mbps to like 1.2 Mbps. It ****.

So, what can I do? Yes, I know that I version 1 of the RP614 and it's like 7 years old, but name someone else that has had a cheap Netgear router for that long without popping a capacitor Smile

Anyhow, any input would be great. I would love to do this with out spending any bread for a new router...

Thanks in advance.

Posts: 227

butcher wrote:

Cable Modem -> Netgear Router -> Computers and Vonage Adapter.
So, my computers, my NAS and the Vonage adapter are plugged into the LAN ports on the router. The ethernet cable is plugged into the WAN port on the Vonage adapter.

Plug the ethernet cable into the blue LAN port on the Vonage adapter.

Posts: 350 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Dec 04, 2005 Posts: 350

Can you set a static IP on phone adapter?

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 21, 2009 Posts: 5

@DLevenson - I have had the ethernet cable plugged into the WAN (Internet - Blue color) port to begin with. I did briefly try having it in the LAN (Yellow) jack on the Vonage router, but that gave me Error[Code 001].

@trekologer - I tried setting up a static IP from my Netgear router. Added it by the mac address from the Vonage router. Since my Netgear router does not see the Vonage router, it doesn't have an IP so I can't assign it that way. Checking through the menu on the Vonage router (via the LCD menu on the top of it) going into the System menu, and then Network settings show that the IP is 0.0.0.0 with a subnet of 255.0.0.0.
With the Vonage Router hooked up as Vonage would like, ie Cable Modem -> Vonage Router -> Netgear Router, I can get into the Vonage Router via the web admin page. I tried setting the QOS settings to give priority to other content, but that did not help a lick. Should I set a static IP from there (Vonage Router admin page) in the IP range of my Netgear router, and then power down, and hook up the Vonage Router behind my Netgear Router?
Can you do that?

Thanks for the responses so far.

Posts: 831 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Jun 08, 2007 Posts: 831

That would work, you can also have it connected or not connected to your internet, plug your PC in to the LAN port on the Vonage device and get the admin page at 192.168.15.1

Set the Static IP on the WAN side (it will only work through the netgear router at that point), be sure to set the Host and DNS to the Netgears base address, xxx.xxx.xxx.1

There was a post some time ago about the VDV21 using Option 122 when it hits a DHCP server in some cases (Not sure if this is particular to Cable modems and networks or not), but Vonage found that not all cable company DHCP servers were compatible (a few were not), and have fixed this in new firmware. NOT sure if this is the problem, but the model number of your router is pretty old. I would first call Vonage and ask them to push a firmware update (you will have to be hooked up to the cable modem for them to do this).

Posts: 656 · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:53 pm Post subject:

If the VDV21 has been connected to the cable modem directly for any period of time and has obtained dialtone, then it has already downloaded the newer firmware version 2.8.1 which removed Option 122 from the Option 55 DHCP BOOTP request.

Posts: 293 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 293

If memory serves me, and it does on occasion let me down. I had some trouble years ago when I was playing/tweaking my setup. I did have a mix of assigned/auto ip addys on the network and they didn't always play nice. I do run some with reserved, but on a small home network, I'd probably just let the router take care of the assignments.

I am not a fan of placing the Vonage adapter before the router. It never seemed to work as well as the literature would make you think.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 21, 2009 Posts: 5

@ed56: Thanks for the tips. I will give that a shot. I also spoke with a network engineer friend, and he gave me some advice as well. It seems to think it is my ancient router.
He suggested that I plug a single PC into the Vonage router which in turn is plugged into the Cable Modem, therefore removing my Netgear router from the equation. Then I should test my broadband speed to see if the Netgear is somehow choking the connection. If my downstream bandwidth is closer to what it is supposed to be, then its my router. He thinks it could be because of duplex mismatch (since it is an old router).
He also suggested exactly what you did about giving the Vonage router a static IP.

I have been wanting to get a new router anyhow, but have been dragging my feet. I have been wanting to mess with dd-wrt anyhow. Maybe this is a good excuse Very Happy

So with what he said, and what you have said, that is what I am going to try.
First I am going to try his method just to make sure that my router isnt bottlenecking stuff. If it isnt, then I am going to try and give the Vonage router a static IP. I will post what happens.
Thanks again.

@VonTechMgr - Ya, the VDV21 has been connected directly to my cable modem and obtained an IP from my ISP (Comcast), so I guess that we can safely assume that the new firmware was pushed to it. Off the subject, were you in SF? You have the crest...

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 21, 2009 Posts: 5

@outerfire: Normally I would use straight up DHCP with my router, but I prefer to have my NAS with a reserved address. I have drives mapped to it, and I would prefer not to rediscover what the IP is every single time I have to restart my router or the NAS. Also, sometimes (rarely) I run a Ventrilo server from my main PC, and without a reserved IP, I would not be able to set up port forwarding so others could connect externally.

I completely agree with you on placing the Vonage router before the home router. I would rather set up QOS, and manage it myself rather then let it manage itself.

Thanks for the input though.

Posts: 293 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 293

butcher wrote:

@outerfire: Normally I would use straight up DHCP with my router, but I prefer to have my NAS with a reserved address. I have drives mapped to it, and I would prefer not to rediscover what the IP is every single time I have to restart my router or the NAS. Also, sometimes (rarely) I run a Ventrilo server from my main PC, and without a reserved IP, I would not be able to set up port forwarding so others could connect externally.

I completely agree with you on placing the Vonage router before the home router. I would rather set up QOS, and manage it myself rather then let it manage itself.

Thanks for the input though.

Aha. I understand now. Yes I'd probably keep things reserved then. Anyway, Ed56 has this covered and yes it could be new router time. Smile

As an aside. the only time I had dropped call issues was when the Vonage adapters were first.