Crackling Noise

Posts: 3 · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:57 pm Post subject: Crackling Noise

I have Vonage via Earthlink's "Unlimited Voice," but it's been unlimited noise. TimeWarner's cable provides the internet connection; then comes an RCA cable modem. Next comes the RT31P2 and branching off is the Linksys BEFW1154 for home network. All computers (wired or not) have good connections, but the cordless and non-cordless phones are all making crackling noises. Generally if the hardwired desktop (older Dell 266) is shut off the crackling is abated, but not necessarily.
Measures I have attempted: 1) distance the RT31P2 from the other boxes and the cables behind the big 17" monitor. 2) replace the nearby 900 mhz and 2.8 ghz cordless sets with a new 5.8 ghz set.
Have not attempted: installing a Linksys WRT combined phone adapter and network router. But if I disconnect the BEFW1154 wifi router, the noise seems to stop. Do I need a new linksys device like the WRT that integrates phone router and wifi in one device?

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 07, 2004 Posts: 21

I am having the same problem its started about 2 weeks a go. i hope it is fixed soon

Posts: 448 · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject:

I'm having a similar issue where the caller's voice sounds distored and crackled, like turning a TV or stereo up so loud that the sound becomes distorted. (The actual volume levels are normal.)

Internet connection is fine. Long term PingPlotter tests show essentially no packet loss, very low latency, minimal jitter, and testmyvoip.com scores comes in around 98% QoS. (Road Runner)

Like the previous poster, this is only a recent problem. We've also had *chronic* problems on inbound calls, with callers getting a "we're sorry, all circuits are busy" message or a fast busy signal. When I call from work on a Verizon POTS line to our home number on Vonage, it often takes several dial attempts to make a successful call. I've been regularly emailing tier-3 tech support for nearly 3 months with specific dates and times when the problem occurs, but so far, no resolution.

Posts: 134 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 23, 2005 Posts: 134

[quote="rebus"]I'm having a similar issue where the caller's voice sounds distored and crackled, like turning a TV or stereo up so loud that the sound becomes distorted. (The actual volume levels are normal.)

You just described what happened to me last night to a tee. I thought it was a problem with my cordless phone until I switched to a corded one and it still happened.

Posts: 40 · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:45 pm Post subject:

I'm getting crackling staticy sound also. It just started a few days ago from what I can remember. I also am getting more and more lines all busy and fast busy signals.

Posts: 3 · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:50 pm Post subject: Crackling Follow-up

The crackling noise I described was plainly line static and may have been "cured" by strategically moving signal lines away from power lines, and organizing all devices to be plugged into a single, good-quality power strip. In any case, the noise seems to have cleared up. It was static that overwhelmed any voice or possibility of conversation. Too bad we've already requested Verizon to reconnect our old copper wire phone service, since the problem seems to have passed. But losing control over when we could use our telephone was too stressful.

Posts: 3 · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:49 pm Post subject: Crackling noise was too much

Well, Folks:

We're giving up. Going back to Verizon, the crackling static-y noise was just too much. I believe a lot of this can be resolved by properly separating your ethernet cables from power cables related to your desktop computer and related devices.

Just want to say thanks to all the valuable posts at this forum which helped as we tried to resolve the problem.

pConrad

Posts: 20 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 29, 2005 Posts: 20

I had this same type of problem when I first hooked everything up. The problem was cured when I realized that I had connected too many phones, faxes, fax modems, etc.

Unplugged one phone and it made a huge difference, my calls are actually clear again, just like when I had a land line. I think Vonage states don't use more than 5 phones.

It's an easy thing to troubleshoot though, simply unplug one or two phones and see what happens.