256 static Ip's and vonage

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 08, 2003 Posts: 12

Yea the reserved dchp is the best solution. I use it for my computers and my xbox so that i dont have to reconfigure each time i want to use the devices. It allows my forwarded ports to never change.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 17, 2003 Posts: 8

I read a way to reset the ATA-186 to factory defaults, however that looses your configuration... the guy who wrote it thought he knew how to program the ATA-186 back for Vonage but it was a "try at your own risk" type of thing so I haven't tried it. I definately want to be able to control my ATA 186. Anyone have any ideas on how to get into it, or re-configure for Vonage after you reset it?

Posts: 106 · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:08 pm Post subject:

i'd have to say what the others saying use the reserved dhcp.. i wouldnt mess with the ata. could end up buying another one.. or breaking some rule of vonages

Posts: 83 · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 4:59 pm Post subject:

kevin922 wrote:

I read a way to reset the ATA-186 to factory defaults, however that looses your configuration... the guy who wrote it thought he knew how to program the ATA-186 back for Vonage but it was a "try at your own risk" type of thing so I haven't tried it. I definately want to be able to control my ATA 186. Anyone have any ideas on how to get into it, or re-configure for Vonage after you reset it?

RE: Cisco ATA-186 - even if you had the "Root/Admin" password it wouldn't help you. The Cisco ATA downloads Vonage configuration via TFTP every 30-60 seconds or so - so it would wipe out your changes.

So whatever you changed it to, would be reset the next time the ATA connected to Vonage - about a minute after you changed it so it's kind of pointless to try to hack it to make changes.

Unless you no longer want to use the Vonage service.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 11, 2003 Posts: 2

Don't factory reset the ATA or you will be lost without any security settings to talk to Vonage's TFTP server.

Guest

I run a linksys 4 port Port wireless router as a gateway . I use static ips because I use the port forwarding option for video confernecing and to run a personal webserver . If I run DHCP I cannot use the port forwarding option of the router and basically the rest of my network is useless but the ATA will function . Seems pretty stupid that you cannot use the fixed IP option on teh ATA . I did email Vonage earlier today but no response yet .

Posts: 44 · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 2:59 am Post subject:

Not wishing to be pedantic, or to cause offence, but is this not a limitation of your router rather than the Vonage system.
There's no reason why your Linksys shouldnt support both - perhaps you should raise the matter with them. I can see, and support Vonage's reasons for doing DHCP only - which is basically because lots of people who use Vonage, wouldnt know what an IP address is. They do it for simplicity - so they dont have to support everybodies home networks. If they did have to do this - no doubt the service would be more expensive for the rest of us. If you need Vonage to fit in with your existing network perhaps its you that should be more flexible, rather than Vonage.

As I've said previously - I use static IPs on my home network - but it took me minutes to configure a DHCP server just for my ATA - assigning it one of my routed IPs - without a problem. Perhaps consider running a DHCP server on your network just for the ATA.[/i]

Guest

I agree there is some limitation to the router , but it is a SOHO router , not an enterprise level solution . Typically I think Vonage is targeting the home broadband user which is normally using SOHO equipment . I have not yet seen a soho router that will allow discreet DHCP and would happily buy one if somebody knows of one . If I remember right ( but thats questionable ) Frasier , you have a wicked cisco router on your net that allows lots of cool stuff including a reserved DHCP . I just can't afford (or justify ) purchasing a router at this level .
I am wondering though now , that if I use Static IP's from the router and let my server be the DHCP for the ATA if the ATA would be able to grab the dhcp assignment thought the network from the server ? I dunno , just don't have that much network savvy .

I am also wondering if I could run two routers in series , the primary attached to the modem doling out static IPs and the secondary attched to a port on the primary and running dhcp but only connecting the ATA to secondary router with the DHCP service . Seems kinda crazy but I really need to find a solution .

Now it is day two and no response from Vonage ......is it normal to take two or three days to respond to a support request ?

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 23, 2003 Posts: 5

Several places in this forum people have reported problems (most recently callers receiving "This number is disconnected or no longer in service" and the suggestion has been make sure that you have the correct ports forwarded to the ATA. That is difficult to maintain with a dynamic address on the ATA. Most routers I have seen let you forward to a DHCP assigned address but the manual warns against it because the address can change. (Power failure causing the router to reset and another device gets the ATAs IP before the ATA does.)

This thread was started because a user wanted to use only static IPs on his network. I admit that his is not the normal environment. All clients being DHCP is the "normal" environment for the ATA, but even that is not the best environment because of this port forwarding requirement. The ideal environment would be a home network with mostly DHCP assigned addresses and static for the special cases. The ATA would then receive a static address and the correct ports forwarded to it. Unfortunately, Vonage is not allowing that option and several people in this thread have asked why.

I am also curious why, and I don't buy the increase in support calls to Vonage. I have called Vonage support, and they have been very helpful but they have had no trouble explaining to me that my problem is not their fault. It is the fault of my ISP, my phone, etc. If I choose to statically assign the IP address and I mess it up then I'm sure they would again have no trouble explaining to me that my problem is not their fault. If anything, an arguement could be made that it would cut down on calls because the rest of these odd problems that are resolved by port forwarding would stay resolved no matter what DHCP did.

Posts: 83 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 12:12 pm Post subject:

Your point is valid but look at the larger picture. Vonage are pitching themselves as a "Utility Company". Same as a Electricity, Cable or Local Phone company.

If they introduce too many complexities it will a> Drive up their cost and B> Slow down their growth to just geeks (like me) and technologists.

If they want to get Mom & Pop & Grandma & Grandpa - they have to appeal to the widest cross-section of the population.

Just look at the vast swards of people that cannot set their clock on their VCR and my point is made. How many of those blinking red "12:00" have you seen?

As for DHCP, here's the final scoop:

You can lock down DHCP to just answer to the ATA and serve up a single DHCP address.

I use Reserved DHCP which locks the Vonage ATA-186 MAC address to the same IP address no matter what. So restarts, power failires, resets makes no difference.

I use Windows 2000 Server running DHCP services, not my router for DHCP.

It's the same as static addressing.

Papu Papu