Vudu and Vonage

[bhellmer]

I had significant issues with getting my Vudu box to work correctly when I first connected it to my router. It turned out that the issue was that I needed to move my Vonage phone adapter to being connected to the router - NOT directly to the cable modem as Vonage recommends.

Since hooking the router directly to the cable modem, everything now works fine - including Vonage (which just needed to be rebooted after connecting it to the router).

Brian

[RonV]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

I had significant issues with getting my Vudu box to work correctly when I first connected it to my router. It turned out that the issue was that I needed to move my Vonage phone adapter to being connected to the router - NOT directly to the cable modem as Vonage recommends.

Since hooking the router directly to the cable modem, everything now works fine - including Vonage (which just needed to be rebooted after connecting it to the router).

Brian

That is interesting. Can you describe for us the type of router you are using and what type of Vonage adapter you have.

Vonage likes to be the first device to set what is call QOS (Quality of Service). It gives high priority to your phone calls.

[jleavens]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Yeah, I'd be interested to know which Vonage adapter do you have?

Some of them are meant to be routers - meaning that you plug them directly into your cable/DSL modem and they act as a bridge between the internet and your local network and do the router tasks like DHCP Server (assigning network settings to your local devices automatically when you plug them in). Others are meant to be clients on your network, meaning they expect there to be a router available to tell them what their settings are (the DHCP thing).

Most of the time though, even the routers can be configured as clients, as you have done. You might have to tweak some port settings on your router to do this, but it's usually explainable. Sometimes it's just automatic.

I've been disappointed before with the Vonage devices as routers and so typically connect them as clients. I think they work better when they're forced to equal ground as the other devices. But that's just my personal opinion.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

I had significant issues with getting my Vudu box to work correctly when I first connected it to my router. It turned out that the issue was that I needed to move my Vonage phone adapter to being connected to the router - NOT directly to the cable modem as Vonage recommends.

Since hooking the router directly to the cable modem, everything now works fine - including Vonage (which just needed to be rebooted after connecting it to the router).

Brian

I just got Vonage a month ago (and love it).

I received the free refurbished adapter that Vonage offers for my phone adapter.

I hooked it up to my router and phone and computer. The phone worked fine but my computer couldn't access other devices on my network.

After looking a little harder I found out the phone adapter was actually a router which created a firewall and a different set IP addresses than my router connected to my RoadRunner cable modem.

So I disconnected the computer from the Vonage adapter and connected it back to my router and everything worked fine again.

So I guess my suggestion would be if you want to use the Vonage box as a router connected to your modem box that should be fine, but on the computer output from the Vonage box, I would connect a hub or a switch to it and not another router. I think a switch and hub are the same thing, in that they just create a way to connect more devices to your network without all the firewall and IP conversion stuff.

My Belkin router has an option to disable it as a router and emulate a switch. But I didn't try that, because I'm happy if the way I have it set up now.

Hope that helps a little. Regards

[jleavens]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Right - when I hook up the Vonage adapter behind a router, I don't connect any other devices to the Vonage adapter.

I think that's what you're saying but wanted to be clear.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

I know this isn't a Vonage forum but I forgot one thing.

After I got Vonage, I canceled my ATT Telco service.

I then went out to the interface box on my house and disconnected the Telco jack from my indoor phone wiring.

I then took the phone output from the Vonage adapter and plugged into one of my phone jacks in the house using a regular phone cable. And now I can successfully use my phone throughout my house from all of my phone jacks! It's works pretty neat that way.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Right - when I hook up the Vonage adapter behind a router, I don't connect any other devices to the Vonage adapter.

I think that's what you're saying but wanted to be clear.

Yes that's correct, no computer equipment connected to my Vonage adapter.

[MaxH]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

I know this isn't a Vonage forum but I forgot one thing.

After I got Vonage, I canceled my ATT Telco service.

I then went out to the interface box on my house and disconnected the Telco jack from my indoor phone wiring.

I then took the phone output from the Vonage adapter and plugged into one of my phone jacks in the house using a regular phone cable. And now I can successfully use my phone throughout my house from all of my phone jacks! It's works pretty neat that way.

Yeah, I did that, too. Sweet, huh?

Anyway, back on topic....

[RonV]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

I know this isn't a Vonage forum but I forgot one thing.

After I got Vonage, I canceled my ATT Telco service.

I then went out to the interface box on my house and disconnected the Telco jack from my indoor phone wiring.

I then took the phone output from the Vonage adapter and plugged into one of my phone jacks in the house using a regular phone cable. And now I can successfully use my phone throughout my house from all of my phone jacks! It's works pretty neat that way.

Just be careful when you do this. There are two issues. One is that most adapters will only drive one phone and they account for a REN of about 1. Modern phones will usually draw no more than a REN .8, if this number is exceeded your phones may not ring.

The second is the total distance of your phone wiring adds to the equation. With most adapters are only putting out enough loop current for a directly attached phones you may not be able to use a phone at the "end" of the line.

What most folks seem to be doing is buying a good multi-handset wireless phone. The plug the base-station directly into the phone adapter and place the handsets in the rooms they want. This eliminates using any in-house wiring and ring / conversation issues.

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Just be careful when you do this. There are two issues. One is that most adapters will only drive one phone and they account for a REN of about 1. Modern phones will usually draw no more than a REN .8, if this number is exceeded your phones may not ring.

The second is the total distance of your phone wiring adds to the equation. With most adapters are only putting out enough loop current for a directly attached phones you may not be able to use a phone at the "end" of the line.

What most folks seem to be doing is buying a good multi-handset wireless phone. The plug the base-station directly into the phone adapter and place the handsets in the rooms they want. This eliminates using any in-house wiring and ring / conversation issues.

Yes those are very good points.

The main thing I use the hard wire connection for is to be able to use my fax machine which is located in another room from my Vonage adapter and to connect my phone line to my Directv receiver.

The only side effect I've had so far, is now my VUDU box keeps calling me asking if I would like to take a customer satisfaction survey. Must be an undocumented feature. There's a bug in it though, it keeps asking to talk to a guy named Dave.

[NA9D]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Just be careful when you do this. There are two issues. One is that most adapters will only drive one phone and they account for a REN of about 1. Modern phones will usually draw no more than a REN .8, if this number is exceeded your phones may not ring.

I don't doubt this but I've never had a problem with. I've been using terminal adapters since 1996 when I bought my Motorola BitSurfr ISDN modem. Since then I've had a USR ISDN LAN Modem, Motorola VoIP and Linksys VoIP TAs. I have ALWAYS hooked them to my entire phone network which has a number of phones, ReplayTV's, etc. The only devices that have given me problems were an old Motorola cable box which didn't like the fact I was using ISDN on the phone line. Then my old Panasonic Showstopper Replay didn't really like VoIP that much - Speakeasy's VoIP service worked with it but Broadvoice's doesn't not.

But don't get me started on Vonage. Evil company...

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

I don't doubt this but I've never had a problem with. I've been using terminal adapters since 1996 when I bought my Motorola BitSurfr ISDN modem.

Geez what a buzz kill. Just when I thought I discovered something new and exciting, now all of sudden I'm feeling old.

Reminds me of when I used to walk 5 miles in the snow to get to an internet cafe.

[Nded]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Geez what a buzz kill. Just when I thought I discovered something new and exciting, now all of sudden I'm feeling old.

Reminds me of when I used to walk 5 miles in the snow to get to an internet cafe.

Was it "uphill" both ways?

[HeadHodge]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

Was it "uphill" both ways?

Yes, and now my left leg is noticeably shorter than my right. (I'm a counter clockwise walker)

[bhellmer]

Re: Vudu and Vonage

That is interesting. Can you describe for us the type of router you are using and what type of Vonage adapter you have.

Vonage likes to be the first device to set what is call QOS (Quality of Service). It gives high priority to your phone calls.

The Vonage adapter is very old - its a Motorola VT1005V. Definitely doesn't have router functionality.

My router, on the other hand, is fairly new - a Linksys 150N.

The issue appeared to me like it was a buffer overflow related to all the upstream traffic from the Vudu box. The voice adapter didn't seem to like that and locked up, which my killed internet access across the entire network. Just a guess, however.

BTW - I cut the cord to AT&T (literally) and plugged Vonage into a phone jack many years ago - definitely not an original idea - but a good one.