Anyone using 2 or more lines with m0n0wall or pfSense router ?

[Bob777]

If so, do you use port forwarding in your router to get your VoIPo service to work?

The reason I mentioned m0n0wall or pfSense is they are fairly similiar in port forwarding, and I'm using m0n0wall. I would imagine some other routers out there may also be similiar in setup to m0n0wall and pfSense.

I want to verify that thee is somebody out there is actually doing port forwarding with m0n0wall or pfSense with 2 or more VoIPo lines...and it is working properly for you. If it works for you, then it might work for me.

I have 2 VoIPo lines. I can receive phone calls on one VoIPo phone number using ports 5060 & 5061. Tech support told me to use those ports.

VoIPo tech support told me to use ports 5078 & 5079 on my other VoIPo phone number. I cannot receive phone calls on that line. When I try to answer, the calling phone never hears that I have answered, and the calling party just goes through to my VoIPo voice mail.

If I can just find someone out there that has 2 or more VoIPo lines that work properly for you, with your ATAs behind your m0n0wall or pfSense router, then that will give me hope that I can eventually do the same thing. Maybe I'm not port forwarding correctly, but so far I can't see that I'm doing it wrong.

I use to be able to receive calls on both phones, but about 3 weeks ago, I stopped being able to answer calls on my one phone line...I have no idea why. I was told to do the port forwarding, which so far has not worked. But like I said, I would feel much better if I could just find someone out there that it does work for, that has 2 VoIP lines.

Tech support told me to hook my 2 ATAs directly to my ISP's modem. I can't because I'm using my only public static IP on my router. I don't have any public static IPs left for my 2 ATAs. Plus I don't want to spend a lot more money just so my 2 ATA will each have a public static IP.

I think my 2 VoIPo ATAs should be able to work correctly when placed on the LAN side of my router, because I think there are a ton of other people here with 2 or more VoIPo lines with their ATAs behind their router.

I have heard there is something called STUN technology that some VoIP companies use that routes ports through the router, to the ATAs without the customer having to resort to doing port forwarding. I don't know if VoIPo uses that though...although I remember seeing a tech support person mention that in a chat session I had with them a couple days ago. I asked about it, but he didn't say much about it.

Thanks much for your reply.

Bob

[chpalmer]

If so, do you use port forwarding in your router to get your VoIPo service to work?

The reason I mentioned m0n0wall or pfSense is they are fairly similiar in port forwarding, and I'm using m0n0wall. I would imagine some other routers out there may also be similiar in setup to m0n0wall and pfSense.

I want to verify that thee is somebody out there is actually doing port forwarding with m0n0wall or pfSense with 2 or more VoIPo lines...and it is working properly for you. If it works for you, then it might work for me.

I have 2 VoIPo lines. I can receive phone calls on one VoIPo phone number using ports 5060 & 5061. Tech support told me to use those ports.

VoIPo tech support told me to use ports 5078 & 5079 on my other VoIPo phone number. I cannot receive phone calls on that line. When I try to answer, the calling phone never hears that I have answered, and the calling party just goes through to my VoIPo voice mail.

If I can just find someone out there that has 2 or more VoIPo lines that work properly for you, with your ATAs behind your m0n0wall or pfSense router, then that will give me hope that I can eventually do the same thing. Maybe I'm not port forwarding correctly, but so far I can't see that I'm doing it wrong.

I use to be able to receive calls on both phones, but about 3 weeks ago, I stopped being able to answer calls on my one phone line...I have no idea why. I was told to do the port forwarding, which so far has not worked. But like I said, I would feel much better if I could just find someone out there that it does work for, that has 2 VoIP lines.

Tech support told me to hook my 2 ATAs directly to my ISP's modem. I can't because I'm using my only public static IP on my router. I don't have any public static IPs left for my 2 ATAs. Plus I don't want to spend a lot more money just so my 2 ATA will each have a public static IP.

I think my 2 VoIPo ATAs should be able to work correctly when placed on the LAN side of my router, because I think there are a ton of other people here with 2 or more VoIPo lines with their ATAs behind their router.

I have heard there is something called STUN technology that some VoIP companies use that routes ports through the router, to the ATAs without the customer having to resort to doing port forwarding. I don't know if VoIPo uses that though...although I remember seeing a tech support person mention that in a chat session I had with them a couple days ago. I asked about it, but he didn't say much about it.

Thanks much for your reply.

Bob

I do and it works fine.

What are you using as your router? pfSense or Monowall and what version?

[Bob777]

Hi chpalmer:

Thanks for the post.

I am using m0n0wall v 1.231 on a WRAP board.

Are you using m0n0wall? I have a pfSense book and notice it is fairly similiar to m0n0wall for port forwarding. I wish there was a good book on m0n0wall.

I assume you are using 2 ATAs, both behind the same NAT...one for each of your VoIPo phone lines?

Are you using ports 5060 & 5061 for your one ATA and 5078 & 5079 for the other ATA? Thats what VoIPo tech support told me to do.

I have a feeling I'm not doing port forwarding correctly. How did you do your port forwarding?

Thanks much,
Bob

[chpalmer]

Hi Bob:

I use pfSense 2.0 with an ATA for two separate lines and another that only does outgoing for a third line (so no register)

I do no port forwarding. Only built firewall rules to allow the servers access to the wan address...

The two routers do have some differences. I know on earlier versions of pfSense the static port redirect did not happen on 5060. But would on 5079... I have no problem with redirect and in fact it helps. They have taken the 5060 static port out of the later versions as its easy enough to add if you need it...

With pfSense you can use a Siproxd package which if all the ata's are on on port (say 5060) then it will allow multiple ATA's on the same sip server... I dont think you'd need that as I dont...

[Bob777]

Hi chpalmer:

Thanks for the reply.

That could be the difference.

Sounds like you are using one ATA, with two VoIPo lines going to the one ATA. I have two seperate ATAs, with one phone line going to each.

So maybe I should get VoIPo to set me up with two phone numbers on just one ATA. That way I'll only have one ATA to worry with.

When you say,
"I do no port forwarding. Only built firewall rules to allow the servers access to the wan address..."
I'm not sure I understand.

Do you have a public static IP on your router wan port? I use public static IP.

What do your rules look like? Are they built into the Firewall>>>>NAT and Firewall>>>>Rules sections of pfSense?

My 2 ATAs are Broadstream model HT501. The one ATA that I can receive calls on, the "Phone 1" & "Phone 2" LEDs flash at the same time...when the phone is on the hook. But for the one ATA that I cannot receive calls on, the "Phone 1" & "Phone 2" LEDs do not flash at the same time. They alternate in flashing. One turns on, while the other is off. Then the other LED flashes on while the other LED is off. So something is definitely different (or wrong) there.

UPDATE: I got up this morning, and now the 2 LEDs are flashing simultaneously, just like the other one. That might be a good sign.

[chpalmer]

Hi chpalmer:

Thanks for the reply.

That could be the difference.

Sounds like you are using one ATA, with two VoIPo lines going to the one ATA. I have two seperate ATAs, with one phone line going to each.

So maybe I should get VoIPo to set me up with two phone numbers on just one ATA. That way I'll only have one ATA to worry with.

When you say,
"I do no port forwarding. Only built firewall rules to allow the servers access to the wan address..."
I'm not sure I understand.

Do you have a public static IP on your router wan port? I use public static IP.

What do your rules look like? Are they built into the Firewall>>>>NAT and Firewall>>>>Rules sections of pfSense?

My 2 ATAs are Broadstream model HT501. The one ATA that I can receive calls on, the "Phone 1" & "Phone 2" LEDs flash at the same time...when the phone is on the hook. But for the one ATA that I cannot receive calls on, the "Phone 1" & "Phone 2" LEDs do not flash at the same time. They alternate in flashing. One turns on, while the other is off. Then the other LED flashes on while the other LED is off. So something is definitely different (or wrong) there.

I use two ATA's... One with two lines that register and receive incoming calls as well as outgoing... and one ATA that does not register so it does not get incoming calls but only outgoing.

For that reason the second ata really does not count here.

But I do not have any port forwarding rules for the ata's. Ive never needed them.

I have two wan addresses here. One dhcp and one static. Voip stuff is on the dhcp.

http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/VoIP_Configuration Heres a pfSense doc...

Running out to a quick service call....

[Bob777]

Hi chpalmer:

Thank you so much for your info on this.

That pfSense link on adjusting pfSense for VoIP is so important. Did you adjust your pfSense that way? I wonder if m0n0wall has similiar settings? Hopefully so.

It's good to know you have 2 ATAs behind your router, with no port forwarding. Seems the only difference between your setup and mine, is you are using dhcp to your ATAs, and I'm using private static IPs there. And I'm using a public static IP on the wan of my router. That shouldn't cause any problems for me I don't think.

I guess you are using the Grandstream HT501 routers?

I have to run to church for now. I'll post a little more when I get back. My wife wants me to drive her to Gettysburg (about 30 miles away), so that might slow me down a little.

I do thank you so much for the input you are giving.

I wonder if there are any m0n0wll people here with 2 or more ATAs behind their router? Feel free to post. Thanks.

Bob

[Bob777]

I had an additional thought.

I see that port forwarding is suggested by VoIPo to various people that might have VoIP connection problems. After reading the link you gave me, I'm thinking there is a root cause other then port forwarding, since you don't need to do port forwarding at all and your VoIPo phones work find, with no port forwarding. I'm thinking the port forwarding solution is a work around to a root cause problem, which I haven't identified yet in my m0n0wall.

I was hoping to see some other people who use pfSense or m0n0wall post here also.

I'm thinking the link you posted (although I don't completely understand it yet), may be the root cause to the connection problem I have. I have to figure how to implement that solution in my m0n0wall. Otherwise I might switch over to pfSense.

When you use your ATAs, the ports have to be opened or your phones wouldn't work. Doesn't NAT automatically open those ports, when they are needed? Then close them when not needed? That way you have more security.

Well, I have to leave and drive my wife to Gettysburg. Thanks much

[burris]

Sorry to jump in, but the port forwarding issue has been on the table for some time now..

Every provider has different routes and different upstream carriers. Depending on how those carriers config their systems will depend on whether you need port forwarding or not.
For a long time with my Spa2102 ATA, I didn't need it. With my PAP2T and HT502 it seems to work better if I have the full range 5000-65000 enabled.
At the same time, I think the routers are pretty much the first line culprits...Many of them seem to do their own things no matter how they're set up..I've never had to use STUN.
My ISP provides dynamic DNS so my routher is set to DHCP, however, I point the forwarding route to a static IP imposed on my ATAs.

I come from the POTS telephony world and VOIP is still a constant learning process for me. Don't know if I'll ever learn.

[Bob777]

Hi burris:

Thanks for your post.

I called Verizon...my FIOS Internet provider...to see if they are blocking any ports. They say they aren't.

I did try to do port forwarding with my m0n0wall, but for some reason it didn't work. Either I'm not doing port forwarding right (although I did a lot of Googling on it), or my m0n0wall is malfunctioning.

I'm tempted to go to pfSense. Back around Feb., I bought the book about pfSense, by Chris Buechler. m0n0wall has no such book. It seems more difficult to get help with m0n0wall then pfSense...although I did get my m0n0wall set up to take credit cards for WiFi hotspots, and made it do captive portal, and dns, etc. It's just the port forwarding I can't do...yet.

I'm tired of not being able to answer my one VoIP phone. The other VoIP phone I can answer. This has gone on for 3 weeks. It use to work. I didn't make any changes on my end.

I was happy to see the link that chpalmer posted about setting pfSense up to work with VoIP. That means that very knowledgeable router people have recognized there can be a problem with passing VoIP ports through routers...and they posted a solution, which didn't have anything to do with port forwarding. chpalmer doesn't even use port forwarding with his two VoIPo lines. So maybe there is a chance for me yet.

I can call out ok though. For the most part, I like the good call quality of VoIPo.