I have instructions on how to UNLOCK Linksys PAP2 Adapter.

Posts: 281 · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:37 pm Post subject:

oliveima wrote:

Trowski wrote:

On the "third" , you have people that want to use it with another service, and since it is Vonage specific you can't..They can unlock it for a fee of course, but some people dont want to pay it.

I asked a friend of mine travelling to the US to bring me the unlocked one but he made a mistake so I'm now stuck in Europe with a device
locked to an US service provider... Very useful!!!

How much is this unlock fee??? No one at Vonage ever offered me this option in the several times I called... Who do I call???

The admin password floating around doesn't work for me Sad

The second step in the "recipe" is not really needed... My pap
device has the web interface enabled by default.

That's because you haven't connected it to the net/vonage service yet.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 4

Nor will I ever. I rather not use the device and lose the money than to participate in this little customer deception act from linksys/vonage.
Nowhere in the package is stated that the device is locked to one serv ice provider only.

I'm sure linksys/vonage can afford to lose a few home customers and they won't even think twice about it. However next time I have to buy network material I'll make sure I tell cisco why they haven't been chosen. You never know, this line of thought may take cisco to design
switches that only work with a particular brand of network cables!!!

Posts: 281 · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject:

oliveima wrote:

Nor will I ever. I rather not use the device and lose the money than to participate in this little customer deception act from linksys/vonage.
Nowhere in the package is stated that the device is locked to one serv ice provider only.

I'm sure linksys/vonage can afford to lose a few home customers and they won't even think twice about it. However next time I have to buy network material I'll make sure I tell cisco why they haven't been chosen. You never know, this line of thought may take cisco to design
switches that only work with a particular brand of network cables!!!

Hrmm... when you cancel your Vonage service.. if you return the device you are not charged a cancelation fee... if you don't return it you are.... that fee covers the remaining cost of the unit (to Vonage)... I'm not sure how this is unfair pracatice (Escpeially if they will unlock it for you)... it's no different then cell phone companies subsadizing a cell phone by making you sign up for a 2 year contract and giving you the phone free.

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:53 pm Post subject:

There is no deception act...I don't understand how this can be a deception act...
If anything be mad at your friend for buying the wrong adapter, not Linksys/Vonage.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 4

If I don't return the unit I will be charged??? I'd like to see that!!!!

The unit is subsidized by Vonage??? Not at the price I paid...
If it is then I'm glad you are not getting this one back Wink

Why is it a deception??? Really easy. Read the minimum requirements printed in the box. I quote:

* High-speed internet connection

* Broadband router or gateway

* Standard analog touch-tone phone

It doesn't mention that a service from vonage is also required for the device to work, does it??? and it doesn't mention that the device will
only work with this service provider. That qualifies in my book as missinformation with the intent to decive. And it did, at least it did
my friend...

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:51 pm Post subject:

This is going to be a moot point to this poster, but,

You obviously knew there was a locked/unlocked version as you specifically asked your friend to bring an unlocked version. He/she didn't, so your issue is with your friend, not Linksys/Vonage/vonage-forum. Sorry your friend did not do enough research ahead of time, but your issue is with him/her..

Sorry your friend bought the wrong product, but this thread is really not going anywhere...

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 4

Wrong again. I definitely knew about it. That is way I asked him to buy a sipura. He was naif enough to buy this one as he thought it would be similar without asking me...

My real problem is twofold and has nothing to do with my friend(I have sorted him out Wink

):

a) There is no real warning about the lock on the device on the package;

b) There doesn't seem to be a proper procedure to sort these cases. Linksys says we have to contact vonage and vonage seems to be deaf about these situations specially if I'm not willing to subscribe to their service first...

It doesn't look good... Is it that dificult to set up an unlocking fee/procedure for these cases with registering to a service that I don't want???

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:54 am Post subject:

Why would Vonage unlock the device if you were not a customer? They should tell you to return it and get the correct one...

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 14, 2005 Posts: 5

I strongly disagree with Vonage policy point 2.8 in agreement. Vonage should give access to the adapter when an user request that, at least for some settings if not for unlocking the device.
My situation is the following:
1) I will NEVER add a second line to my Vonage account because
a) I do not need it, so for me it will mean more money: monthly and cancel fee
b)I have already 4 lines in my home: 3 SIP phones and one cellular phone, providing me services that vonage could not offer (in the same way Vonage gave me a US local number I have another company (Oriunde) providing me a local number in a European country and the third that I still need (!) is freeworlddialup)
I wish I could have access to the second line on my PAP2 adapter so I could use it instead of paying for another adapter. Now because of so many phone adapters I have to connect disconnect cables for my computers because 4 outputs in my router are not enough and I will end up probably buying another router or hub.
I regret that I choose Vonage because of so many restrictions, adapter locked, no access to settings, no direct IP calling, no freworlddialup,.. I have a friend using broadvoice and he is telling me how they gave him support for all settings and fancy things; like when his friends call him on freeworlddialup his home Asterix server is calling using Broadvoice account his cellular phone.. Try to ask Vonage help for setting an Vonage account on a Asterix !
2) And there is more: The audio is choppy on Vonage account. First I thought that is because of other devices. But I removed them (only Vonage adapter in router) and it was still bad. I had the other (European) account 6 months before Vonage account and I didn't have any problems (I was also downloading files with my computer while speaking on the phone and the audio was fine). No, there was no "band saving" setting, the adapter was encoding at maximum bitrate. Right now the quality of a call from my home in US to Europe using Oriunde is better than a local call in US using Vonage account.
The conclusion could be
a) Vonage service is worst
b) Maybe there are some settings like vonage is using an outbound server while the others use a direct connection... There is a difference: For other accounts and adaptor I was able to change settings, open used ports in my router. For sure my router-firewall block some ports that could be used by Vonage adapter or rout them to other device on my network. Yes I know It is designed to work behind NAT and firewals.. but I can't explain why on the same connection the others work fine - I've tried switching cables router outputs, etc. I tried to contact Vonage customer care by e-mail a few times but all I got was an automated response. So vonage people unless you like conclusion a) work with me on this please !

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 2:33 pm Post subject:

Have you tested to make sure the choppy audio is not an issue with the ISP...
Also, I can never say it often enough, but DO YOU HOMEWORK! I have seen so many people complain about Vonage, Att CV, etc becuase of locked adapters. All it takes is a simple web search to learn that..I am not minimizing your situation, but you have to do some homework...