[Resolved] Thomson Technicolor TG588 + FreePhoneLine

[jenom]

I have just got my DSL 15/1 service upgraded to Fibe 25/10 VDSL service, and a new BYOD modem a Thomson Technicolor TG588 was installed.
My previously perfectly working ATA device with FreePhoneLine configuration is connected directly to one of the TG588 LAN port and it is unable to connect to FPL.
Interestingly, when I connect another ATA device (the same model) with a Betamax/Dellmont service configuration, SIP,UDP,5060-5061, it connects and works !
What puzzles me is, that a modem handles SIP,UDP,5060-5061 fine with a Betamax service, but not with FPL !
What is different about FPL ?

[Liptonbrisk]

SIP ALG and router NAT settings don't play well universally with all SIP services. Just because they may work well with one doesn't mean they will for another.

1) Disable SIP ALG: https://www.yay.com/faq/voip-network/si ... tg588v-v2/ (see if the option is available to you; if it's hidden from you, contact your ISP)

If you're using your own router, enable bridge mode in the ISP's modem router/combo (contact your ISP for assistance) or setup PPPoE passthrough (ensure your ISP permits more than one PPPoE connection first) in your own router.
If bridge mode or PPPoE passthrough is not permitted, I would kick the ISP to the curb.

2) Use voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060

3) For your Grandstream ATA, click viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20539 and follow the steps.

[jenom]

1)I have a TG588V (not v2), SIP ALG is not available in the GUI menu.However, using telnet, I have access to its CLI commands.
just need to go through them to find any command related to SIP ALG.

It is my own modem, not Acanac's, they only support their own smartRG.

Yes,bridge mode is possible, and I it can be done easily during modem's configuration wizard.
However modem is located in a cool basement location, connected directly to outside Bell box with a 3 m cable and there are 4 other wired LAN connections.
The Wifi router is on the second floor for best wifi coverage.....it won't be very practical to break up the current setup.

2) sure,I can try out voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060and see what happens

3) no longer have a Grandstream, did not like it because it's disorganized & illogical menus,sold it and stayed with a much better VDV21,which I can easily provision with a config file and it has a nice informative LCD display.

4) as an emergency solution, replaced TG588 with a good old Bell Home Hub 1000......FPL now connects and works.
however, still planning to make the TG588 work so I would have a backup fully working modem.

[Liptonbrisk]

1)I have a TG588V (not v2), SIP ALG is not available in the GUI menu.However, using telnet, I have access to its CLI commands.
just need to go through them to find any command related to SIP ALG.

If SIP ALG is enabled with no way of disabling it, then try voip.freephoneline.ca:6060

VDV21

Again, I'm not familiar with settings in that device, but for the local (LAN) SIP UDP port used for SIP signalling (not WAN), don't use UDP 5060 or UDP 5061.
Unfortunately I don't know what the setting name would be for the local SIP port in VDV21. Proxy and Registration server port are not local SIP port.
Pick a random local UDP SIP port in the range of 30000 to 60000 to help avoid SIP scanners and SIP ALG problems.

So, in general, if it's possible SIP ALG in a router or modem/router combo, gateway, or hub is causing a problem, and if you can't figure out how to disable SIP ALG, then
use voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060 and try something other than UDP 5060 and 5061 for SIP signalling.

SIP ALG monitors traffic over UDP 5060 (and sometimes 5061) and can modify SIP headers, mangling them. So, use voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060, and don't use 5060 or 5061 for the local SIP port.

Alternatively, you can ask your ISP whether they permit PPPoE Passthrough or more than one PPPoE connection. Bell does. PPPoE passthrough requires you having the PPPoE username and PPPoE password from your ISP. Then change (if you're still using Vortex), WAN Connection Type to PPPoE, and enter PPPoE username and password in Vortex. That's PPPoE Passthrough. That's not true bridge mode, but it should allow you to bypass SIP ALG in the TG588. Then you need to disable SIP Passthrough, the setting for SIP ALG, in Vortex (Under Advanced Settings-->WAN-->NAT Passthrough in most latest Merlin firmware versions, which is what Vortex is based on).

[jenom]

I have entered "voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060" into all 3 lines needed the address:
(before they were "voip.freephoneline.ca")

<proxyAddress>voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060</proxyAddress>
<regAddress>voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060</regAddress>
<natKeepAliveDestination>voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060</natKeepAliveDestination>

Is that a way to do it ? .......still got no connection !
When I tried to ping "voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060".......got no reply ! Is that normal ?

[Liptonbrisk]

I have entered "voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060" into all 3 lines needed the address:
(before they were "voip.freephoneline.ca")

<proxyAddress>voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060</proxyAddress>
<regAddress>voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060</regAddress>
<natKeepAliveDestination>voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060</natKeepAliveDestination>

You're using an unlocked Vonage ATA without official documentation (or, at least, I can't find anything official) for settings, making this situation difficult.

no longer have a Grandstream, did not like it because it's disorganized & illogical menu

At least documentation is available for it.

that a way to do it ?

ProxyAddress should be the following:

<proxyAddress>voip4.freephoneline.ca</proxyAddress>
<proxyPort>6060</proxyPort>


I question whether specifying <regAddress> is required at all (that is, can be left blank). In most ATAs, setting a registration address is redundant for Freephoneline. The proxy just needs to be entered.
There is no separate registration server. Same goes for natKeepAliveDestination. They should all be using the same server, and in most other ATAs, specifying regAddress and natKeepAliveDestination (they can be left blank) is only required when they're supposed to differ from proxyAddress.

Regardless, if you need to specify them, the port appears to be defined as a separate entry.

ex.
<regAddress>voip4.freephoneline.ca</regAddress>
<regPort>6060</regPort>


The bigger issue is finding the local SIP Port setting.
In Linksys ATAs, it's SIP Port (found under Voice tab-->Line tab).
In Grandstream ATAs, it's Local SIP Port.
In Obihai ATAs, it's X_UserAgentPort.
Choose a random local UDP SIP port within the range of 30000 to 60000 to help avoid SIP scanners and SIP ALG problems.

When I tried to ping "voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060".......got no reply ! Is that normal ?

Don't specify the port.

ping voip4.freephoneline.ca

[jenom]

Found a simple solution in the TG588 GUI menu.
Toolbox > Firewall > Security Level: Standard (not changable)
>Pick a task > Assign a game or application to a local network device >Game or Application > User-Defined:

Device Log Cone IP Version Protocol Port Range Translate To ... Trigger Protocol Trigger Port

Just needed to enter Device:VOIP ATA's Mac_address + Protocol:UDP + Port range:5060-5061 and APPLY

Freephoneline now connects and working on a VDV21 again.
Thanks for all the replies !

[Liptonbrisk]

Found a simple solution in the TG588 GUI menu.
Toolbox > Firewall > Security Level: Standard (not changable)

Just needed to enter Device:VOIP ATA's Mac_address + Protocol:UDP + Port range:5060-5061

If the TG588 is now allowing or forwarding all inbound traffic via the specified ports from any source directly to your ATA, that's a potential security risk and promotes having the ATA accessible to SIP Scanners (often causes periodic or incessant ringing, sometimes referred to as ghost calls, with strange caller IDs) and hackers, who are typically looking for ways to exploit World Credits on unsuspecting users' FPL accounts (or worse). If you're still using Vortex in addition to the TG588, I would try testing what happens if you create a rule to the Vortex router (which is a port restricted cone NAT router) instead of to the ATA, which would be safer, provided the ATA is attached to the Vortex router.

Regardless, I will mark this thread as being resolved since you seem satisfied.