Did my RT31P2 Die?

Posts: 49 · Full Forum Member Joined: Nov 27, 2004 Posts: 49

My set up is: Cable modem (Comcast) -> Linksys RT31P2 -> Airport Express router.

Woke up this morning to no internet and no lights on RT31P2. Did a power-cycle in proper order and the RT31P2 would get a brief flash of lights and then the lights would go out. Tried using different electrical outlets to see if that was the problem... none worked.

Plugged Airport Express router into cable modem and all is working fine (except my Vonage service, of course!).

So... did my RT31P2 die? What is the procedure I should follow with Vonage? I'm dreading spending 45 minutes or more on hold with Vonage on my cell phone... are there ways to get live help online with Vonage?

Arrrgh!!!!! My Vonage service has worked flawlessly since I got it last November... am I correct in thinking that my RT31P2 has bit the dust?

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 03, 2005 Posts: 10

I got up this morning (9/27/2005) to find my RT31P2 also dead. Power cycled everything, verified that the Internet connection is good. Router powers up, flashes "Power" and "Internet" lights continuously. It will not give an IP to connected equipment, and does not get an IP when connected to another router. I'm sensing a bad firmware upgrade, and will be calling Vonage.

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 03, 2005 Posts: 10

After calling Vonage Customer Care, and running through the usual "unplug - replug - spin around three times" routine, they have determined that it's a hardware failure and are sending out a replacement.

For those in similar straits, the symptoms:
* Power & Internet flash continuously
* Both phone lights come on, then go off, about every 30 seconds
* Anything connected to it will not get an IP
* If it's connected to another router, it will not get an IP for itself
* No dial tone (not surprising)

Reset to factory settings, by holding down reset button for 45 seconds, does not work.

It was plugged into a UPS, and there were no surges, lightning, sun spots, hurricanes, floods, famine, or pestilence. It just up and died. I still think it's a bad firmware download, but apparently it's so bad that there's no longer any way to talk to the router. Anyway in 2 business days it will be their problem!

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 12:29 pm Post subject:

Consider it a blessing in disguise... the RTP300 that will be replacing it has superior voice quality

Posts: 49 · Full Forum Member Joined: Nov 27, 2004 Posts: 49

Well, in my neighborhood in Boston, we have a notriously unstable electrical system. Turns out we had a massive power surge around 4am that pretty much knocked out every Linksys router (the predominant router on my street) and turned them into smoking non-functioning boxes. Yes, we all had surge protectors, but they weren't sufficient to prevent damage. Plus, there was significant damage to home electrical systems, computers, etc., and numerous home fires.

We didn't realize how serious the surge was until we realized 3 homes caught fire on my street due to electrical damage. Sounds alarming, but we're pretty much used to this in my part of town. Living in a "Blue State" isn't all it's cracked up to be!

Anyway, Vonage customer service answered right away and a new phone adapter/router should be arriving this afternoon.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 5

MY Linksys RT31P2 died on Monday 9/26/05.

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 03, 2005 Posts: 10

I'm on Comcast, pdrayton is on Comcast. What about you bandwidth? I wonder if this is Comcast's not-so-subtle way to encourage us to migrate to their Voip service. Very Happy

Seriously, though, the adapter has to be left open to downloading new firmware from Vonage, but this also leaves the door open for somebody to infect it, assuming that they have figured out the right handshaking. It just seems really strange to me that 3 units all die at the same time. In my case there were no power problems, and in any case the adapter is connected to a UPS which should pretty well isolate it from surges.

I don't mean to be a conspiracy theory whack job, but this seems like a few too many coincidences. Hardware that's been working well for more than 30 days is unlikely to just fail without external cause. So that leads me to believe that the firmware failed, either due to corruption through the network, or internal date-related bug. Given that, in my case at least, Vonage is eating the cost, it seems unlikely that they are intentionally behind it.

In any case, I just received an RTP300-VD replacement. Given the "VD" suffix, I think I'd better put a condom on it before I install it!

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 5

I'm also using Comcast. You may be on to something.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 5

GeezerGeek wrote:

For those in similar straits, the symptoms:
* Power & Internet flash continuously
* Both phone lights come on, then go off, about every 30 seconds
* Anything connected to it will not get an IP
* If it's connected to another router, it will not get an IP for itself
* No dial tone (not surprising)

Reset to factory settings, by holding down reset button for 45 seconds, does not work.

Exact match to what happened to me.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 5

GeezerGeek wrote:

For those in similar straits, the symptoms:
* Power & Internet flash continuously
* Both phone lights come on, then go off, about every 30 seconds
* Anything connected to it will not get an IP
* If it's connected to another router, it will not get an IP for itself
* No dial tone (not surprising)

Reset to factory settings, by holding down reset button for 45 seconds, does not work.

Exact match to what happened to me.