| Verizon Actiontec router and ViaTalk service If this is not the right place to post this then I apologize to the mods.
I woke up this morning with inbound audio issues with my VT line (which I never have). VT helped me by directing me to look at my router, as inbound audio issues is an indication of problems traversing through the router. Now, I had not changed anything on my router configuration, but that did not exclude the possibility that something else could go wrong with it.
So, my first steps were to reboot the router, then the PAP2T. This did not help the issue. I don't have a modem to reset as I have Verizon FiOS service, so I couldn't do anything there.
When those steps did not work, I then went into the configuration settings of the router to see if I could see anything wrong there. That's when I noticed that my static IP lease I had assigned to my PAP2T was no longer static (and had actually changed to a different IP address). I tried to change it back to static, but the change would not stick. I mainly have a static IP for the sake of managing my PAP2T through the web interface, as Firefox remembers the username and password that is associated with that static IP address. Other than needing a statically assigned IP for that, I wouldn't need it otherwise as I don't do any port forwarding or DMZ. But this static IP lease issue indicated that something was not working correctly with the router.
So I finally resorted to calling Verizon FiOS. After waiting about an 1/2 hour on hold, I got a nice tech rep who helped me walk through some troubleshooting steps.
The first thing he had me try was to reboot the router. I had done that before, but I tried it again without success. As that did not work, he decided to have me reset the router back to factory defaults. I did that, but the problem still existed.
Then, as we were looking through the configuration, we discovered that a new firmware had been installed by Verizon yesterday. My router settings are configured to not automatically pull down new firmware updates...but I guess they are able to override that and force a new firmware down to the router. Luckily, the Actiontec routers retain the old firmware version, so I was able to go back to the previous version. Once I did that, everything started to work correctly again. I have control again over my static IP leases...and my VT service is back to working fine.
The Verizon tech explained to me that the new firmware version they came out with was designed to help XBox Live users overcome some of their issues. So by fixing them, it broke my VT service. He was pretty sure they made other non-XBox fixes as well from what he could recall, but he didn't know exactly what else was changed in this newer version.
In any case, just an FYI out to all those that use Verizon FiOS service. If you have issues with your VT service...you will want to check your firmware version...and may need to revert back to the previous version. |
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 kyler13Is your fiber grounded?
join:2006-12-12
Arnold, MD | sbradshaw, now that you mention it, I did notice some issues last week on a couple calls and I never have issues. Audio was very slightly choppy. Is this what you experienced? I actually have been experiencing a problem with Vista not connecting wirelessly to the Actiontec when using WPA. (thread started in the FIOS forum) Anyway, turns out that a rollback of the firmware fixes this problem too so I'm currently rolled back and I haven't had a return of the choppiness. I think this latest Actiontec firmware is quite buggy. Whatever they did for the Xbox community, they need to undo for the majority out there. I too have updates disabled, but my guess is Verizon pushes these updates to try to keep people with super old firmware from complaining about old problems. |
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| reply to CyberSultan
Just wondering, what is the advantage of using static IP lease. I assume you have the router assigning the pap an ip address based on the mac address of the pap.
Instead of doing it this way why not just set the pap up with static outside of the dhcp range of router. I do this way myself. I don't even have a dhcp server running on my network everything is set static. No problems.
You do have to send the static ip info on to VT so they can change the provisioning file, if you use provisioning. |
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| reply to kyler13
said by kyler13:sbradshaw, now that you mention it, I did notice some issues last week on a couple calls and I never have issues. Audio was very slightly choppy. Is this what you experienced? I actually have been experiencing a problem with Vista not connecting wirelessly to the Actiontec when using WPA. (thread started in the FIOS forum) Anyway, turns out that a rollback of the firmware fixes this problem too so I'm currently rolled back and I haven't had a return of the choppiness. I think this latest Actiontec firmware is quite buggy. Whatever they did for the Xbox community, they need to undo for the majority out there. I too have updates disabled, but my guess is Verizon pushes these updates to try to keep people with super old firmware from complaining about old problems. My issue was one way audio when calling into my VT line. If I called out of my VT line, 2-way audio worked fine. Repeated this problem 100% on several tests.
VT reminded me that 1-way audio issues are a sign that the traffic is not going through the router properly (which I recalled being discussed in the forum before). So that's when I looked towards my router to resolve the problem even though I had not changed anything on the router myself.
Rolling back the firmware immediately fixed the issue I was having and has continued to work fine since. I like to choose when to update my equipment. I was a little surprised that they forced this update down on me, but I guess they felt it was necessary to do this for the XBox users. I will have to keep my eye on my router from now on, I guess.
Glad my experience helped you out. |
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| reply to dcurrey
said by dcurrey:Just wondering, what is the advantage of using static IP lease. I assume you have the router assigning the pap an ip address based on the mac address of the pap. For me, it is a matter of always knowing what my IP address is for web-based management (as I like to tinker). Correct on assigning it an IP address based on MAC address of PAP2T.
said by dcurrey:Instead of doing it this way why not just set the pap up with static outside of the dhcp range of router. I do this way myself. I don't even have a dhcp server running on my network everything is set static. No problems. You do have to send the static ip info on to VT so they can change the provisioning file, if you use provisioning. Assigning a static lease keeps me from having to configure the ATA with a static IP address directly or having VT add it to the provisioned settings. |
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jandy
join:2006-12-13
Fort Wayne, IN Reviews:
·ViaTalk
| sbradshaw,
It sounds like I have the same setup as you do. Do you recall the version #s of the new, problematic firmware and the # of the older firmware that works with VT? I had my router set to automatically update the firmware (I'm changing that now), and I want to check to see if the new version is on my router. I haven't been experiencing any problems, but we also haven't received many calls in the last couple of days.
Thanks! |
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| reply to CyberSultan
I have a Windstream DSL modem and experiencing the same 1-way audio problem when someone dials my Vaitalk line. They can here me fine, but I cannot here them. When I call out from my Viatalk line, no problems.
I will question my DSL provider about the firmware updates as well. |
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| reply to jandy
said by jandy:sbradshaw, It sounds like I have the same setup as you do. Do you recall the version #s of the new, problematic firmware and the # of the older firmware that works with VT? I had my router set to automatically update the firmware (I'm changing that now), and I want to check to see if the new version is on my router. I haven't been experiencing any problems, but we also haven't received many calls in the last couple of days. Thanks! The one that works with VT is: 4.0.16.1.45.160
After I did the firmware restore back to this older version, it no longer showed me the version number of the new one they pushed down to me on Thu Jan 17 12:33:13 2008. |
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 VTBrendanViatalkPremium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
kudos:1 | reply to smoe
said by smoe :
I have a Windstream DSL modem and experiencing the same 1-way audio problem when someone dials my Vaitalk line. They can here me fine, but I cannot here them. When I call out from my Viatalk line, no problems.
I will question my DSL provider about the firmware updates as well.
Hi,
What you are describing, especially when it is worse on incoming calls than outgoing, is indicative of some sort of issue occurring at the router. Have you given our support team a call about it? They spend the vast majority of their day troubleshooting this very issue and may of be some help to ya.
-Brendan |
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jandy
join:2006-12-13
Fort Wayne, IN | reply to CyberSultan
Thanks! My version is currently: 4.0.16.1.56.0.10.7 . I'm going to be on the lookout for problems, but so far it doesn't appear that I need to downgrade. |
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| said by jandy:Thanks! My version is currently: 4.0.16.1.56.0.10.7 . I'm going to be on the lookout for problems, but so far it doesn't appear that I need to downgrade. I can't believe these guys. My phone stopped working properly again this morning...so I checked my firmware version. They just forceably updated my firmware again just after midnight. After restoring my old firmware, I'm back to normal again.
If I call in, I'm a little concerned that the tech will not know how to exclude me from these forced updates. I guess I don't have a choice except to call...unless I want to keep restoring my firmware on a weekly basis.  |
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BPremium,MVM
join:2000-10-28 | I wasn't going to say anything, but this is exactly why ISPs should never be in control of very much at all on your home LAN.
Dump the Actiontec router if you at all can, and simply use a functional $20 router of your choosing.
I think the only reason you might HAVE to use the Actiontec is if you're pumping FiOS TV through it, but I'm not sure.
I have found the build quality of the Actiontecs to be terrible anyway.
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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| said by B:I think the only reason you might HAVE to use the Actiontec is if you're pumping FiOS TV through it, but I'm not sure. This is exactly why in my case. |
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BPremium,MVM
join:2000-10-28 | Then how about DMZing (forwarding all ports with no QoS applied) to your own router cascaded off the Actiontec?
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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| said by B:Then how about DMZing (forwarding all ports with no QoS applied) to your own router cascaded off the Actiontec? -- B Great idea, but I gave my old router to friend, unfortunately, since I didn't need it when I got Verizon FiOS. 
Going along with the Grandstream topic, maybe this is a good reason to have an ATA that is capable of sitting in front of your router. |
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BPremium,MVM
join:2000-10-28 | I suppose so, although even when I DID have such a thing in use (my SR gizmo) I disabled the routing and put it behind my router of choice anyway.
I really think you should treat your Actiontec the same way. Well worth the $20 investment for a halfway decent router you can control.
I don't know if you can front-end the Actiontec and still have FiOSTV work, but the forum here or some Googling would probably turn that up. Even if you have to cascade it the other way (as I described above) you'd be better off than you are now.
Of course you need to pick a router that can handle FiOS's great speeds, but I still think you'll get away cheaply if you shop. Good luck in any case; maybe you can figure out how to turn off those forced autoupdates.
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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