Setting up phone on new router

[wjsd7]

Recently I had to purchase a new router, a tp-link Archer VX1800v. The router connects to the internet fine, but I'm having trouble setting up telephony. In the box after my phone number I need to provide the "Registrar Address" as far as I can tell, this is a domain, but I'm told from customer support that they don't have this information. This can't be true, can it? My current Sagemcom router has developed a fault, it won't save settings after shutting down and takes ages to connect to the internet on reboot, approximately half and hour. 

Can you please provide this information so as I can set up the phone on the new router?

• Telephony Provider: Other

• Phone Number: Enter your phone number.

• Registrar Address: Enter the Domain you received in the 'Service Credentials' email.

• Authentication ID: Enter the AuthID you received in the 'Service Credentials' email

• Password: Enter the SIP Password you received in the 'Service Credentials' email.

[Philile-TT]

@wjsd7 Thank you for the update. 

[Gliwmaeden2]

Closing this topic.

[wjsd7]

To conclude this thread, I won't pursue the issue further. I contacted tp-link on their forum, and as I suspected, they can't provide the necessary steps and parameters to setup VoIP on their equipment, this has to come from TT. I understand (kind of) and accept, it would eventually result in support overload when things go wrong. What is strange for me is, third-party routers work fine for connecting to the internet on full fibre or normal broadband, but when it comes to VoIP, not so simple. Now, I don't know a lot about networking/internet technology etc, and zero about VoIP. I can set up a router, configure firewall, port forwarding, change DNS server etc, basic things. I'm guessing most people wouldn't even bother considering these things, perhaps I'm wrong. Would it be that much of an overhead?

Anyway, I'm not annoyed or unhappy with the service, far from it. I just like a little more control over the hardware and software. Same when it comes to operating systems. I don't like automatic updates/remote management that I can't disable i.e Windows, hence, the reason I'm more on Linux these days. When I recently encountered the problem with shutting down the router and losing settings, I thought OK, I'll buy a new router, problem solved and at least it saves TT some money. So please understand my slight disappointment after spending £70 on a new router. I suppose I should have done some research. But there you go, lesson learnt. It's really not going to be any different with another ISP, is all proprietary, I get it. And I don't want a separate service for VoIP, just a little transparency/reason etc.

Hope I didn't rant too much. Time for chess, chess is calling me.

[nambuso-TT]

@MerlinBengal Thank you for your understanding, and I appreciate your support. I apologize for the inconvenience caused by your closed thread and your lack of assistance. If there’s anything else you’d like us to address, please feel free to start a new thread. We’d be more than happy to help you. 
 

[MerlinBengal]

I was giving a 'heads up' to possible problems. I have no interest in taking over this thread, it was 'slight advice nothing more. I was giving a scenario and the difficulty in setting up VOIP and making the poster aware that just adding these details does not guarantee a working VOIP.

Strange isn't it, if Keith did this that would be fine.

Yes true new contracts TalkTalk are making a charge I was going simply on the fact that my own contract VOIP was inclusive. Still, even if you are paying the £2, then that is in your subscription isn't it.

I will not say another word and let people struggle with TalkTalk support instead.

By the way my own thread is closed and not a request for help as it never came!!!!!!!!!!

[nambuso-TT]

Thanks, @Gliwmaeden2.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@MerlinBengal, it's not always the case that VOIP is costed into the full fibre charge. It will depend on when it was set up and particular package details. It has been advertised as "from £2" in the small print at times......

I'd advise all customers to check that detail in their individual contract when setting up, whether or not they use the Talktalk router or 3rd party equipment. 

As staff said, as this is @wjsd7's thread, please follow up on your own topic. 

[nambuso-TT]

Hello @MerlinBengal . I’m sorry to hear about your recent experience with TalkTalk. I noticed you have an open thread regarding this. Please refer to that so we can address any concerns you might have. Thanks

[MerlinBengal]

wjsd7

I would be interested in the outcome of this. I tried 3 times last to get the details from TalkTalk and always got the same response 'TalkTalk do not give these settings out to subscribers'.

I can understand in a way as VOIP setup can be simple or notoriously complicated and they don't want people messing around with settings they have no knowledge or idea about.

The settings you require are just the start. There are other settings that your router may not let you into if the router has a cutdown firmware. A lot of routers do not give you access to the deep down settings unless you get a full control router which in many instances will blow your mind and get you into trouble countless times when you mess with the settings.

As yours is designed to use VOIP in it's firmware, it is most probably set to virtually the right setups internally. Sometimes you do need to 'tweek' settings though. TP-Link are pretty good at getting back to you. I have 2 of their C80 routers and they work flawlessly which I keep now as spares.

However, the cost of the landline subscription is costed into the monthly charge for your fibre so they cannot use the excuse that it is 'free'. I have had that to me twice. First line support, don't you just love them !!!! That is who you talk to when you call that number.

I had problems with the Eero and Grandstream working together, which TalkTalk NEVER got working properly, losing dial tone, outbound voice and persistent flashing of the telephone light telling me there was a message. Talk Talk response?? Reboot everything!!

I also had a Hub 3 which is now with the dearly departed at the tip! I now use the grandstream with an old Linksys MR5500 which has a simple answer to using VOIP from an ATA. ...................A 'tickbox' stating SIP'! The Hub 3 is not capable of working with the ATA without deep access to the firewall/Nat and the Grandstream is locked by TalkTalk so unable to make the required adjustments there to compensate.

You will see my own latest post on the forum and can see my qualifications and experience. If you still get problems there are plenty of VOIP providers out there. PlexTalk are the cheapest and would give you the details you require for your router.

Also note Myowntel is an internet provider in Australia and the router may be internally biased towards their tel system. Yes routers should work everywhere but just need 'tweeks'. There is a lot more to VOIP than initially meets the eye, which is why most ISP providers will not give out the details easily. They don't want the job of sorting out the resultant mess.

[nambuso-TT]

The department responsible for this is Full Fibre. They will provide guidance on the next steps needed to resolve the issue for you.

[wjsd7]

Nambuso, OK, but how do I go about this? Am I to phone tp-link or email them and follow instructions over the phone or text? Their solution seemed strange to me and a bit vague. I thought tp-link only manufactured equipment and are not a telecom company. Please tell me what I'm not understanding here about how to go about this process.

[wjsd7]

Hi Bill, yes, numerous full resets then I set the router up with my own admin and WIFI passwords, and change back other settings to my preferences. All fine, but if switch it off the settings and login password return to default and I have to go over the whole process again. This never happened before and I suspect it was a recent firmware update that has caused this. I guess I have no choice but to leave it on.

As for setting up telephony on the tp-link, I'm told from Full Fibre department that I have to contact tp-link and provide the current username and login password for the Sagemcom router and they will use those to set up my new router. How I go about this I have no idea. Nambus-TT confirms https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Home-Phone/Setting-up-phone-on-new-router/m-p/3141457#M166946

[amahle-TT]

Thank you @Gliwmaeden2, @ferguson.

[amahle-TT]

Thank you @Billx 

[Billx]

Hi, @wjsd7 

You haven't mentioned whether you first did a 'factory reset' on your Sagemcom router, and then put back your other original settings, and see whether it then kept those settings.

As far as the VOIP settings in tp-link router are concerned, it could be that the settings in that router, are not the settings that TalkTalk VOIP expects.

VOIP settings, which are SIP settings, are completely separate from general braodband settings.

[nambuso-TT]

I can confirm that since you've contacted the Full Fibre department and they provided the suggested steps to connect your phone to a third-party router, they are indeed correct.  Regarding your firmware update, please reach out to them and if you have any further concerns to see if there are any other alternatives regarding this.

[wjsd7]

Well that was funny. The first call to 03451720074 got disconnected. In the second call I was told by support that tp-link have to provide the registrar address for TalkTalk VoIP. To do this I have to give tp-link my current router's username: admin and password and then they can disconnect the TalkTalk router and connect my new router. I really can't see that happening and I'm not even going to try bringing tp-link into it. There must be some way that TT can provide the required parameters for setting up VoIP on a compatible third-party router.

As regards my Sagemcom router I suspect a firmware update has broken something. I found this other post (not the same as my problem though) https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/router-firmware-issues/m-p/3137906#M404421 Same firmware version as mine SG4K100208. I was told that I shouldn't turn the router off at night as it might not receive updates, good, I prefer to update manually. Regardless, the router is not storing settings and passwords after a reboot. Perhaps the next firmware update will fix this issue, hopefully this issue can be raised with TT.

[nambuso-TT]

No worries, Thank you:)

[wjsd7]

No problem nambuso. I'll let you know what they say later today. 

[wjsd7]

It's OK Ferguson, nobody seems to know. And yes, it would be useful for others to know, because I can't be the only customer who purchased a third party router who encountered this problem with setting up VoIP. When I get back from phoning TT support, I'll post their explanation here, if they can provide one.