Setting up Andrews and Arnold VOIP with a Grandstream HT802 v2 and Plusnet Hub One

[#1]

Hello

I've been trying to get VOIP from A&A working reliably with a Grandstream HT802 v2 and Plusnet Hub One. So far, it's almost perfect - except that it usually takes incoming calls several attempts before I can hear the caller, although they can hear me. I can see the calls are connecting because they show up in the logs on the A&A control pages when I view the CDR records.

Here is what I've tried so far:

• STUN server: stun.aa.net.uk
• Keep-Alive Interval: 20 seconds
• NAT Traversal: STUN (I've also tried this with Keep-Alive and no STUN server)
• SIP Register Expiration: 10 minutes
• Re-register before Expiration: 30 seconds
• Enable SIP OPTIONS Keep Alive: OPTIONS
• SIP OPTIONS Keep Alive Interval: 30 seconds
• Local SIP Port: 5065 (instead of 5060, in a bid to defeat the Plusnet Hub One's SIP ALG)
• Local RTP Port: 5004 (the default)
• Symmetric RTP: Enabled

Outgoing calls seem unaffected, it's just the incoming ones. I've also tried disabling UPnP on the Plusnet Hub One. Is there anything else I can try? Is it possible the SIP ALG is still interfering with things? If so, can a remote update be pushed to my hub to disable it, seeing as there's no way to do this via the Hub One's admin screens?

[#2]

I might buy my own router.

Also try the Acrobits soft phone client on a mobile and see if that is reliable (it's a few pounds so well worth a go).

[#3]

Disruption to the inbound voice can be a sign of SIP/ALG getting into the mix.

We have a Cisco ATA with Sipgate and have both lines configured i.e. two VoIP numbers,
to avoid standard in-bound port issues we are advised by Sipgate to use ports well
away from the area where SIP/ALG operates :  

Inbound ( local ) on :

RTP Ports  47104 - 47120
SIP Port   47160 ( for line 1 )
SIP Port   47180 ( for line 2, each line or additional VoIP phone needs a unique SIP Port )

We have a stun server Configured & Enabled, stick with that it gives the ATA the option to use it.
NAT Keep Alive : 15s

I have not seen the A&A management portal. The Sipgate portal shows our ATA connected
on Ports 47160 ( for line 1 )  & 47180 ( for line 2 ).

If the Plusnet a/c is old enough to have Plusnet Firewall in the Members Centre, I'd disable that.


We had good results with free VoIP program MicroSIP Lite for the PC : https://www.microsip.org/

[#4]

@daniellam 

Disruption to the inbound voice can be a sign of SIP/ALG getting into the mix.

For that reason, you'll struggle to get a voip adapter to work with a Hub 1. The SIP ALG is flawed and can not be disabled on the Hub 1 

[#5]

@MisterW

Can't the SIP ALG be disabled by a remote TR069 update? I'm sure I've seen other threads on here where this was done by one of the community mods.

[#6]

@daniellam 

It can be disabled by TR069 but finding someone who knows how to do that is not going to be easy. Mods certainly aren't able to do it, they're not staff and have no access to accounts. I very much doubt that support would understand the request to disable it.

Your best option might be to try and get support to send a new Hub 2 or get your own router

[#7]

Router SIP/ALG is usually confined to the 5060 - 5090 in-bound port range.

[#8]

@daniellam 

If you go down the "own router" route have a think about a FritzBox 7530. It has a built in ATA and a DECT Base satation plus plenty of other bells and whistles. A highly regarded router.

The AX version on sale here has WiFi6.

https://uk.webuy.com/search?stext=fritzbox+routers

Brian

[#9]

@bobpullen

Hi Bob - is this something you might be able to help with? Is it worth disabling the SIP ALG on the Hub One to see if that fixes things?

[#10]

I've always taken the view just avoid the SIP/ALG port range and don't give it another thought.

[#11]

@daniellam 

Ignoring SIP/ALG for a minute, the fact that you have a Hub One suggests to me that you may be on a slow ADSL or SoGEA service. Is that correct?

I mention it because in these circumstances, without the router having QoS setting capability you will struggle to have a usable phone service at the same time as using the internet.

Neither the Plusnet Hub One or Two has this capability. 

[#12]

@PhilipHeyes - thanks, I'll try moving the port to something well out of range and let you know how it goes.