Error code 013?

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: May 01, 2009 Posts: 6

On random occasions, the vonage phone adapter displays error message 013 and phones no longer work (although DSL is still working). I have a phone line connected from the adapter to the wall jack directly so that i can use all the phones in the house (outside line has been disconnected). The only way to correct this is to reset the adapter but the message comes back sometimes the next day. Is there a permanent fix for this instead of resetting each time?

Posts: 172 · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:55 pm Post subject:

How old is your house. My first thought is that there might be a short in the wiring.

Posts: 628 · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:31 am Post subject:

If you have standard DSL coming into the house on the same wire pairs that is wired to the jacks in your house, your pumpiing low Voltage into the FXS port on the Vonage adapter. But you say that the outside lines are disconnected. If you were fully disconnected from the Demarcation point, you could not receive DSL.

013 is the error the VDV21 reports when it detects voltage.

Line 1 Wiring Error [Code 013]
Phone port 1 may be connected to live telco line. Plug phone directly to green port 1.

You'll typically see this message if Phone Port 1 of the V-Portal is connected directly to a phone jack in your home and your home phone wiring hasn't been completely disconnected from the traditional telephone company. To resolve the issue:

1. Plug your phone directly into green Phone Port 1.
2. Start at the main menu and choose System > Diagnostics > Test Phone Ports > Run Tests? to run the phone ports diagnostic test and determine if the error has been corrected.

Note: You will not be able to make or receive calls on Phone Port 1 or 2 during the short time the test is running.

3. Start using Vonage service when the Phone 1 icon displays.

If you would like to use your V-Portal with the existing telephone wiring in your home, see Home Wiring for do-it-yourself advice on distributing Vonage service to all of your phone jacks. If you’d prefer to hire someone to adjust your home wiring, consult a professional electrician or telephone technician. Vonage offers a professional installation service in many geographic areas. See Professional Installation Basics for more information.

You might also see this message if you've used a four-wire telephone cord to connect your FAX machine to an active green port of your V-Portal. Using a standard two-wire telephone cord normally resolves this problem. After you've replaced the telephone cord, run the phone ports diagnostic test (System > Diagnostics > Test Phone Ports > Run Tests?). Start using Vonage service when the Phone 1 icon displays.

Tip: You’ll typically use a standard two-wire phone cord with your V-Portal. For phone cord recommendations, see What kind of telephone cord should I use in the phone ports of the V-Portal?

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Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 24, 2009 Posts: 13

This thread might be helpful

vonage-forum.com/ftopic21722.html" target="_blank">http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic21722.html

Its an older one but has TONS of info and troublshooting to try

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 08, 2009 Posts: 4

I see similar issues in that over the last few months, my adapter periodically came up with the error code 13. My adapter is directly connected into an AT&T cordless phone system (5.8 Digital Plus 2 line). Regardless of whether or not the other phone line is plugged in, starting a couple days ago, my Vonage adapter now consistently shows the error 13 once I try to make my first call after resetting the device. If I plug in an old generic phone directly into the Vonage, this does not occur.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I don't know why the adapter would suddenly start misbehaving.

Cheers,
Tim

Posts: 628 · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:53 pm Post subject:

Make sure you are using a standard RJ-11 phone cord. When looking at the plug, you should only see 2 metal pins. If you see 4 pins, your using an RJ-14 and bleeding a small amount of Voltage from the 2nd line of the VDV21 into the first line. The VDV21 requires a RJ-11 (2 pin) phone cord in each phone port especially when dealing with 2 lines. This is why is doesn't happen on the other phone. I know you said it happens even when the 2nd line isn't connected but the 013 is a result of the GR-909 (tip and ring / voltage) test the VDV21 runs periodically and 013 is detecting abnormal current.

You can run this test from the LCD by clicking on Select, then System, then Diagnostics, then Test Phone Ports, and click Select. (use the up / down arrow to navigate to the correct option)

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 08, 2009 Posts: 4

Ok, here's what I see:

It is a two-wire cable connecting the adapter to the phone.

Switching the cable to either line 1 or 2 of the phone does not change the behavior -- unless I do that at the same time as removing the other phone line from the 2 line phone. Only connecting to line 1 of the two line base seems to help somewhat. As soon as I connect back in line 2 (non-Vonage) I get the error. It does appear like a little voltage spillover is happening in the two line phone even though both lines are connected with 2-wire cables.

I am concerned that the adapter is perhaps too sensitive when checking the line voltage since this exact same configuration has been running fine for many months. Note before that I've had a Cisco ATA that finally burnt out after 6 or so years of use with Vonage and had always been rock solid.

Do you have any other suggestions on what might have caused this periodic problem to become so persistent? Or is there a cost effective alternate ATA that I can use instead of this one?

After many years as a loyal multi-line Vonage user, it's a bit sad to finally have woes after such a long stretch!

Cheers,
Tim

Posts: 628 · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:22 pm Post subject:

To be completely honest, the Vonage VDV21 is polling for voltage as it should and is detecting voltage that should not be there. And the fact that it is occurring in a 2 line phone where there is current in the 2nd line tells me that the phone itself is the cause.

Now if this model device did not alert you to the issue with the 013 readout, in time, the FXS(phone) port would eventually burn out. So if you would like to rule out the phone as the problem and look the other way but keep Vonage, call up and have Tech support swap your VDV21 out for a VT2142 which would be the equivalent older model from Motorola. Single LAN port 2 phone port type or a VT2442 4 port LAN with 2 phone ports. Just note the VDV21 is the only device you will get new since it is the only device vendor Vonage is still purchasing from. Any other model you get on the internet or from Vonage directly will be a refurb. You may be able to find a device in a retail store which could be new but could also be a return.

Keep in mind what I said about the VDV21 alerting you and if it didn't, any outside voltage could destroy your FXS port over time. So if you were to get another model phone adapter that did not alert you, while you could not see the voltage, it would still be present and therefore could damage the FXS port in due time.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 08, 2009 Posts: 4

Thanks, I can understand the caution.

What does seem disconcerting is some of the other comments regarding slight irregularity in voltage causing the error 13 to appear. At one point just using the wired vs cordless handset triggered the issue, that said, this isn't a cheap two-line phone and I have multiple extensions for it. Is it likely that the amount of voltage that is coming from the phone would really burn out the device? Note that this has all been working fine until recently -- I honestly have a bit less faith in the VDV21 than I do in my cordless phone right now (though sure, that might be misplaced faith).

I appreciate the guidance!

Tim

Posts: 628 · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:01 pm Post subject:

In the main base unit of the phone, what is the 2nd line? Is it another VoIP adapter from another VoIP provider or a direct connection to the wall jack with signal provided by local telephone company?

Another reason I ask is that while the ATA186 was old and was very sensitive to Voltage which caused many to become defective, what exactly happened to yours when you say it burnt out? What stopped working? Mine still works fine as do many others in lab environments and with some older Vonage users as well.

Is it possible that voltage over time caused the ATA186 to become defective and this same voltage is being detected by the VDV21?
In your original post you mention an old generic phone does not trigger this event nor does removing line 2 from the phone which you indicated was not a Vonage line.

If the voltage is bleeding into line 1 from line 2 and Line 2 is a POTS line, then to answer your question, over time this voltage can damage the FXS port. It is like anything else that is an output port for either low or high voltage. If you introduce voltage into it, it will burn out.

For example, take an iPod. Now instead of connecting a 3.5mm plug with earbuds or speakers connected, you plugged in the output from another audio source such as an amplifier. In time the iPod will become damaged. Probably not the best example but it does relate.