Sudden death of RT31P2???

Posts: 91 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 08, 2005 Posts: 91

This may be a double post, and I regret it, but I do believe that I PMed myself. Embarassed

Since I started with Vonage, I have had 4 different routers. Do I need to have a 5th?

Tonight at 8:45, I thought the Internet went out. I could not reach a server, so before I called Road Runner, I did the ipconfig /release renew routine. It did not work because stil no Intenet.

Called Time Warner. While I was on hold, the Internet was again functing... for 90 seconds, then went off.

They checked, no problem with them, they said. So I powered down the Motorola SB4100 and the RT31P2 and switched out the RJ45 cables, connecting directly to the ethernet card from the SB4100. Everything went well for the Intenet. Could the problem be with the RT31P2?

To find out I powered down the modem and router, switched back. But now I have no phone; the phone lights do not come on.

The last time I had a problem with the router was in April or May of this year. A replacement helped fix the problem.

The router was on top of the desk, with nothing on top. After I post this, I will try to contact tech support ... if I can get a dial tone and explain the problem.

However, in my experience, there are LOTS of good people on the forum who can help, so I am seeking a solution here first. Much thanks in advance.

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

A bad adapter is one possibility, but it seems possible, at least, that your internet service has some intermittent problems.

You weren't clear whether you had good internet service after putting the adapter back into the setup. You indicated the phone light is out, but didn't say about internet. Did it come back and stay back? What does a test call to www.testyourvoip.com say? If the test call is good with the adapter in the system, and you still have no phone light, then that would certainly suggest a Vonage/adapter problem. If the test call is _not_ good with the adapter in place but is good (consistently) with the adapter out of the setup, then it's almost surely the adapter. If it's bad both ways, then your ISP has a problem.

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:10 pm Post subject: Re: Sudden death of RT31P2???

PoppaJohn wrote:

This may be a double post, and I regret it, but I do believe that I PMed myself. Embarassed

Since I started with Vonage, I have had 4 different routers. Do I need to have a 5th?

Tonight at 8:45, I thought the Internet went out. I could not reach a server, so before I called Road Runner, I did the ipconfig /release renew routine. It did not work because stil no Intenet.

Called Time Warner. While I was on hold, the Internet was again functing... for 90 seconds, then went off.

They checked, no problem with them, they said. So I powered down the Motorola SB4100 and the RT31P2 and switched out the RJ45 cables, connecting directly to the ethernet card from the SB4100. Everything went well for the Intenet. Could the problem be with the RT31P2?

To find out I powered down the modem and router, switched back. But now I have no phone; the phone lights do not come on.

The last time I had a problem with the router was in April or May of this year. A replacement helped fix the problem.

The router was on top of the desk, with nothing on top. After I post this, I will try to contact tech support ... if I can get a dial tone and explain the problem.

However, in my experience, there are LOTS of good people on the forum who can help, so I am seeking a solution here first. Much thanks in advance.

That sounds like what happened to my old RT31P2's...time to send her back.

Posts: 91 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 08, 2005 Posts: 91

Thanks for the advice y'all.

I tried to test my Voip as suggested by Steve 48. The rating was slightly better than two tin cans and a string, a 3.2.

Sorry about about not being clear, Time Warner said that there were no outages, and the connection has been good. However, they did acknowledge that the solid yellow light on the face of the SB4100 indicated that there was no throughput of packages from the computer through the RT router.

Looks as if Trowski's sagacious comments are dead right... as usual.

Now to see how the CS people are doing since May. Hopefully improved.

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:39 am Post subject:

Should be a very easy call for you Poppajohn. Let us know how it goes!

Posts: 400 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: May 05, 2005 Posts: 400

Plenty of post about the SB4100 and compatability problems with Vonage. So it seems very odd that youve gone through 4 adapters to this point. I'd start with your modem first.

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

PoppaJohn wrote:

Thanks for the advice y'all.

I tried to test my Voip as suggested by Steve 48. The rating was slightly better than two tin cans and a string, a 3.2.

How does the test look if you have the Vonage adapter removed from the setup? If it's still flaky, then you have an issue with your ISP. If it gets good, then you've verified your suspicions about the adapter.

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

The possibility of getting 4 defective routers is remote in the extreme. 2, or even 3, I could see maybe

Are you doing something wacky that you aren't telling us, like connecting to your home wiring without having disconnected the Demarc point first?

Continually replacing routers is not a very good solution. After the second route I would start asking what is making these devices go bad. Bad modem, house wiring, pet weasels chewing through cords, kids spilling grape soda into the device when you aren't looking...lightning storms, poltergeists...anything

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:15 pm Post subject:

Damned poltergeists always threw my RT31P2 around the room...
STEP INTO THE LIGHT!!!!!!!

Posts: 23 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 04, 2005 Posts: 23

ColdGin wrote:

The possibility of getting 4 defective routers is remote in the extreme. 2, or even 3, I could see maybe

Are you doing something wacky that you aren't telling us, like connecting to your home wiring without having disconnected the Demarc point first?

Continually replacing routers is not a very good solution. After the second route I would start asking what is making these devices go bad. Bad modem, house wiring, pet weasels chewing through cords, kids spilling grape soda into the device when you aren't looking...lightning storms, poltergeists...anything

Maybe the fact that Vonage provides cheapass routers for their customers.
Also, it's very BAD practice when they push firmware updates whenever they feel like it. What if I don't want an update and I'm happy with the way my device is functioning?

If I want an update, I'll call and **** at the poor Tier 1 tech to do something. Otherwise, leave my damn router alone.