Problems with VOIP setup using VMDG 280 modem/router

[labougie]

When I contacted Virgin technical to complain about connection dropouts, they sent me a new Netgear VMDG 280 to replace my old Motorola Surfboard. I installed and activated and the system works fine as far as my computer is concerned, but I can't get the modem/router to talk to my (Grandstream BT101) VOIP phone (Sipgate).

Previous to the upgrade, my Surfboard went into a router, and I hung the VOIP phone off that, with the correct port forwarding to the VOIP IP address. I'm not sure now whether or not I put the phone in a DMZ or not.

Putting exactly the same port forwarding into the VMDG 280 gets me nowhere. I've just spoken to someone at Virgin technical who couldn't grasp what I was talking about and thought I wanted to set up a mobile phone - waste of time. I think she said something about "not supported" and my first question is this: Should I be able to hang a VOIP phone off a Virgin connection or is this "not supported". Second, if it IS supported (and I can't think of any good reason why it wouldn't be) what might account for the different behaviour between Surfboard+router and VMDG280 combined modem/router?

Any assistance gratefully appreciated.

Cheers, David

Original blueyonder customer in KT6 7TF on the M broadband only package.

[ferretuk]

Hi David,

What diagnostics does your setup give you? Does the BT101 register with Sipgate OK? Try a free softphone such as XLite or Zoiper to see what they do? Do you get one way audio/no audio/can't establish a call?

Looks like you may not be alone BTW:

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Fibre-optic-broadband-cable/Netgear-VMDG280-VOIP-Not-Working/td-p/213327

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/General-broadband-questions/SIP-on-Netgear-VMDG280-one-way-audio/td-p/885081

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Fibre-optic-broadband-cable/vmdg280-problems-with-VoiP-SIP/td-p/174783

[labougie]

Hi Ferret - Sorry, which diagnostics are you referring to? The BT101 won't connect with the VMDG 280, let alone Sipgate! Thanks and I'll check the links you sent.

[labougie]

I've got the VOIP phone on 192.168.0.2 and the router recognises the phone's correct IP and MAC addresses. I can ping the phone successfully. Anyone please tell me why then does the VMDG 280's ethernet port 2 (to which the phone is connected) show amber?

---------- Post added at 18:07 ---------- Previous post was at 16:14 ----------

Just tried Sipgate's softphone - no joy with that either. Outgoing calls don't ring at the other end and simply timeout, incoming calls work in that I can hear the incoming caller, but they can only hear me through loads of echo and delay.

[Threepints]

I signed up to voipfone yesterday to try it out. They supply the free version of Zoiper. I could not get it to work.

I rang voipfone's support, who were very helpful indeed. After exploring many settings, I even gave him remote access to my PC. Nothing worked, he asked what router I had (Netgear CG3101D ), he asked if Virgin is my ISP. After checking a few things he got back to me to explain that this is a regular issue with the Virgin branded Netgear router, he did not have a fix & he recommended I get a Technicolor TG582 which would work.

[labougie]

Thanks for the input, p'raps I didn't make it clear that when I had the original Motorola Surfboard modem, plus a (non virgin) Netgear WGR619, everything worked hunky dory, until my internet connection kept dropping out and Virgin technical recommended a new modem, which turned out to be not a modem, but a combined router/modem - the VMDG 280. Will someone from Virgin support come on here and tell us definitively whether the VMDG 280 supports VoIP or not?

[Threepints]

I've now managed to get my voip working, although so far the only way was by taking down the Virgin firewall.

[Mick Fisher]

I don't think the superhubs firewall has ever worked as expected.

Disabling it seems to be standard practice. In case you are worried about security don't forget you still sit behind NAT and IMO it's good practice to also use a software firewall as well.

Glad to hear you got it working.

[Threepints]

It's not the hubs firewall I disabled, it's the VM software firewall.

[Slyder]

It's not the hubs firewall I disabled, it's the VM software firewall.

is it even possible to turn the hardware firewall off.. i didnt see an option to do that?

[Mick Fisher]

It's not the hubs firewall I disabled, it's the VM software firewall.
Using the free security software supplied by VM is usually a bad move. :erm:

Personally I am quite happy using Avira Free (http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus) and Free Private Firewall (http://www.privacyware.com/personal_firewall.html).

Private Firewall can be a bit tricky to set up initially. Having said that once "trained" satisfactorily it seems to be bulletproof.

---------- Post added at 18:48 ---------- Previous post was at 18:42 ----------

is it even possible to turn the hardware firewall off.. i didnt see an option to do that?
Yes, the option is in the Services section.

I have everything on that page unchecked except Ipsec PassThrough, PPTP PassThrough and Multicast.

[Slyder]

Using the free security software supplied by VM is usually a bad move. :erm:

Personally I am quite happy using Avira Free (http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus) and Free Private Firewall (http://www.privacyware.com/personal_firewall.html).

Private Firewall can be a bit tricky to set up initially. Having said that once "trained" satisfactorily it seems to be bulletproof.

---------- Post added at 18:48 ---------- Previous post was at 18:42 ----------


Yes, the option is in the Services section.

I have everything on that page unchecked except Ipsec PassThrough, PPTP PassThrough and Multicast.

thanks for that, having a small problem with a wireless printer and tried looking for the firewall option. much appreciated :)

[Mick Fisher]

thanks for that, having a small problem with a wireless printer and tried looking for the firewall option. much appreciated :)
You're welcome. Turning off all firewalls is the first thing I do before messing with networking issues. Hope you get it sorted. :)

[kwikbreaks]

Anyone please tell me why then does the VMDG 280's ethernet port 2 (to which the phone is connected) show amber?
Amber = 100Mbps and Green = Gigabit on many routers. Is this the standard hub? If so then I didn't think it supported gigabit so it probably just shows a connection is present.

[labougie]

Right - After a whole load of messing about attempting to get my VoIP phone working with the VMDG 280, I gave up and asked Virgin Technical to reactivate my original Motorola Surfboard. Now they've done this, everything is sweetness and light, no complications - just worked straight off as it ought to. The moral of this story is that the VMDG 280 will NOT work with VoIP, or at least won't work with Sipgate.

Why have Virgin rolled out this device which would seem to be unfit for purpose? Given that the original reason for getting a new modem was that the Surfboard kept dropping the connection (so what I have now isn't a permanent solution), what's my next step? Virgin say the VMDG280 is the only modem they have available now so they can't give me an Ambit256. Should I buy a Virgin Ambit on Fleabay? Or buy a third party cable modem? What are Virgin's rules about what can be used if their offering doesn't work?

[kwikbreaks]

You won't get them to activate any modem they haven't supplied you with and all you can get these days are hubs or superhubs. Solution is the either change VOIP provider or change ISP if you really can't get it working.