When using Google Voice, the number that shows up on the recipient's Caller ID is 760-705-8888. As a result, scammers are using this and many people have blocks on that number. See This link (google.com) for a discussion.
I purchased the Obihai OBi110 from Amazon.com for $49.99 with free shipping. It arrived within a week and I installed it by plugging the included Cat5 cable into my router, a POTS analog telephone into the OBi phone jack, plugging the included telephone cord from the OBi line jack into my POTS line, and the wall wart into an outlet. (Notice that a computer is not involved, unlike, say, with Asterisk)
Next I made a test call by dialing * * 9 222 222 222. The audio was superb.
I then dialed * * * 6 to see if there was a firmware update. There was, so I pressed 1 to install the update which took 30 seconds.
I already had a GV account so I went to http://www.obihai.com/googlevoice.html to get instructions to configure GV with the OBi
The next thing I did was dial my POTS number from the analog telephone connected to the OBi and low and behold, the house phone rang. i.e. The call went over the internet to GV and GV dialed my POTS line.
I then used Skype on my Motorola XOOM to dial my POTS number and the analog telephone connected to the OBi rang. i.e. the inbound land line call was forwarded to the phone connected to the OBi. Since Microsoft bought Skype I feel the urgency to replace Skype with something else; hence my interest in the OBi110
By default, the OBi connects to the LAN via DHCP, so I dialed * * * 1 to hear the IP address of the OBi. From there I used my browser to connect to the Obi web based configuration menu.
I want my friends to be able to dial my POTS number and then be bridged to my GV to make their calls (using the Auto Attendant). I tried changing the line port inbound call route from the OBi web based configuration menu but it didn't work. I got it to work from the OBiTALK web page by listing my friends numbers as trusted callers. After saving the changes and refreshing the local OBi web page the field was correctly filled in.
The Internet is rife with comments about the inability to receive inbound GV calls with the OBi. The solution is simple; Just stay logged out of Gmail and GV. Use Thunderbird or equivalent (either POP or IMAP) with Gmail.
Obihai has a testing service that lets you make a free 3-minute phone call anywhere in the US or Canada from any OBi connected to the Internet (even with no phone service installed on it). Pick up the phone you've attached to the OBi and you should have immediate dial tone. Dial * * 9 333 333 333 and you'll be connected to the auto attendent. Press 2 at the prompt to place another call, then dial a US or Canada number (1 plus a number) and press the pound key.
To check your voice mail, dial your GV # from the OBi connected phone
OBi Star Code Features
NOTE: The speed dial settings made on the OBiTalk portal override those set here
To access the PSTN line, dial # and then wait for the PSTN dial tone.
By default the PSTN line is used to dial 911
To access the Auto Attendent, dial * * 0
The default service route access codes are:
So, for example if I want to use my OBi to make a call over my land line, I pick up the OBi connected analog phone, dial say * * 8 555-1212 and the call goes out over the land line. If I want the call to go out over the Internet and GV, I just dial the number because GV1 has been set to be the primary phone port line so I don't need the * * 1 part. Also I don't need to prefix the number with my area code because my area code has been set as the default. This is a trivial example because I could, instead, simply pick up my land line phone and make the call directly. It would be non-trivial if for example all my house phones were connected to the OBi phone jack and the land line was only connected to the OBi line jack. In fact, the OBi can ring up to 5 phones with old fashioned mechanical ringers so the whole house could be powered from the OBi phone jack. If you don't want or have a POTS line, get the OBi100 instead of the 110. It's the same box without a POTS in jack. Hook all your house phones to the OBi100 phone jack and you end up with the same phone service your cable company is charging you megabucks for and your total fee is $39.00 for the box.
Auto Attendant Main Menu options (Access with * * * )
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| First created Jun 21 2011 ~ Last revised January 05, 2012 |
