I can hear them, but they can't hear me

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 23, 2005 Posts: 5

Lately, my Vonage service is simply unusable. Here's what happens: I call someone. Initially they can hear me just fine, but after a while they can't hear me at all. But I can still hear them.

I'm using the Linksys RT31P2 router that Vonage sent me when I signed up, which is plugged into my Roadrunner cablemodem. There is no in-house wiring involved -- my only phone is directly connected to the Linksys router.

Has anyone out there conquered a similar problem?

Thanks!
Steinar

Posts: 423 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 423

try all the obvious first - test your speeds, physical connections (did your pet bunny nibble thru the phone cord?) try another phone and phone cord...sounds like your network setup is nice and simple, I am assuming you have internet connectivity during those times that your calls drop. Is there a pattern to calls that drop? is it every call or only to certain area codes, certain times? Any problems on inbound calls?

failing that you are going to have to call customer care and be prepared to duplicate the issue. If it is determined that the device is causing the problem, you'll get a replacement.

Posts: 59 · Full Forum Member Joined: Feb 09, 2005 Posts: 59

Quote:

I can hear them, but they can't hear

I have no idea, but i got a good chuckle out of that!

What do "they" say? Lol

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

BubbaBob wrote:

Quote:

I can hear them, but they can't hear

I have no idea, but i got a good chuckle out of that!

What do "they" say? Lol

Probably "Hello? Hello!??"

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 23, 2005 Posts: 5

Lol yes I get alot of "Hello, hello? HELLO??"

So my network setup is nice and simple -- my phone is plugged right into the RT31P2 which goes into my cablemodem. My cable service is very reliable -- its almost never out.

Thinking about ColdGin's suggestion to try the obvious things, it occurred to me that I typically use the wireless handset that came with my phone rather than the base unit that is physically connected to the router. Switching back and forth between the wireless handset and the base unit during the same call, I was able to determine that the problem occurs only when I am using the wireless handset, which operates at 2.4 GHz. Maybe something is interfering on that frequency. I don't have a wireless network myself, but the houses in my subdivision are quite close together. I wonder if a neighbor's wireless network could be interfering with my wireless handset? Maybe time to try a different phone.

Thanks,
Steinar

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

Good thinking.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 28, 2005 Posts: 1

I have the same problem periodically. I have tested this with both a wireless (900 Mhz) and wired phone. That doesn't seem to make a difference. I believe the problem lies with the RT31P2 router... Resetting (power off/on) that seems to make the problem go away for a while. Calls to customer service were very unhelpful... they had me check my bandwidth several times (and I have 21MB down, 2MB up), and they set the call quality to its highest setting (all of which I had already done myself). I haven't asked for a replacement router yet, but I think that will be next step -- especially if others are reporting similar problems with the device.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 28, 2005 Posts: 1

I've been having the exact same problem and I have the same router (the LinksysRT31P2). While the person I'm talking to sounds fine, my voice will all of a sudden become garbled and cut out in the middle of the conversation.. Also tried all of the usual remedies. Costumer service tried to say my upload speed might vary, even though every time I test it is at least 260, even when I have problems. I even had to have customer service call me on my cell phone because they couldn't hear me on the Vonage line! So, it seems to me that the router is the problem. Anybody have similar problems with a different router?

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 13, 2005 Posts: 3

I had the same problem with my RT31P2. Wired, wireless made no difference. Calls would generally drop between 10 and 20 minutes. Vonage Support claimed that it was my cable connection I was not maintaining sufficient upload bandwidth during the call. They said that is why I could hear them, but they couldn't hear me. Sounded plausible. I dealt with this problem for a few months. I also discovered that resetting the router would make the problem go away for a short time. A few weeks ago my parents signed up for Vonage as an additional line at their office. I got their RTP300 router from them and hooked it up at my house for a week. During the week I suffered none of the 1/2 conversation issues I had previously. In addition the calls were much clearer. So I began the process of convincing tech support that I needed a RTP300. It arrived last week and I have been nothing but pleased with it, baring the CID issues and such related with the current firmware. I am happy to deal with CID issues after I have dealt with dropped calls and weekly locked up internet connection for several months.

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 02, 2005 Posts: 9

Check the DOCSIS on your cable modem. From what I have been told by someone at 3rd level support at Vonage that cable modems/routers with DOCSIS 1.0 and 1.1 do not maintain their quality that well and you will have dropped calls and the hello, hellow and high latency. They have suggested to me to switch a DOCSIS 2.0 certified cable modem (I currently use a linksys Wireless Gateway). I am planning on doing that in the next month. I currently do not make alot of calls so I can deal with it for now as it isn't constant.

-Al