Droid, Wifi, and VOIP?

[colnago]

Hi,
I received a Droid for Xmas and am slowly educating myself re: SIP. Currenlty, I have it working through Sipgate.com with their 60min trial. It's enough to start learning.

I also have had Vonage for many years now and am interested in your attempts to use the main line upgrade to Vonage Pro. Have you gotten this working? From your last blog it appears you had a password problem.

Any information re this would be greatly appreciated. Also, if it's working, please let me know how it's doing.

THank you VERY much.

Cheers,

I hit kind of hit the wall in that I replaced my Droid for a Nokia N900, which needed a replacement. I just got the replacement last weekend so I'm back in the hunt now. Just check the links I posted above in regards to getting sipdroid to work with the DROID. I'm sure there are many solutions that will work, but you just have to find what's best for you.

As far as getting Vonage to work, just Google "Vonage SIP settings" and "Fiddler", or different itterations of the same, to find which settings work. The main problem in getting a main Vonage number (not the "Softphone" account) is in acquiring your "password", which is assigned to your account and ATA device. Its an invisible password to you, and requires maybe some packet sniffing, or searching the call logs, along with decrypting MD5.

I'm having trouble getting my "Softphone" account to work on the 900, and may just try to do the main number, for all the work required. Later today, I'm going to try the "pbxes.org" method, outlined in the sipdroid instructions, to see if I can get it working again. All this may be moot however, because through T-Mobile and Skype, I'm basically getting unlimited voice and data for $43/mo.

 

[MountainX]

I replaced my Droid for a Nokia N900

I'm basically getting unlimited voice and data for $43/mo.

The N900 is awesome, isn't it. One question (off topic), can you enable bluetooth while in airplane mode on the N900?

Back on topic, the combination of Sipdroid and Google Voice on the Droid basically matches features with Vonage Pro, but for much lower cost. If you use Gizmo, the cost is about 1/4 as much as Vonage (or even less). Vonage may be a bit easier. My mom was using Vonage and I looked at upgrading her to Vonage Pro. But in the end I used Gizmo, Sipdroid and Google Voice and she's happy with the result.

 

[bwanna]

I hit kind of hit the wall in that I replaced my Droid for a Nokia N900, which needed a replacement. I just got the replacement last weekend so I'm back in the hunt now. Just check the links I posted above in regards to getting sipdroid to work with the DROID. I'm sure there are many solutions that will work, but you just have to find what's best for you.

As far as getting Vonage to work, just Google "Vonage SIP settings" and "Fiddler", or different itterations of the same, to find which settings work. The main problem in getting a main Vonage number (not the "Softphone" account) is in acquiring your "password", which is assigned to your account and ATA device. Its an invisible password to you, and requires maybe some packet sniffing, or searching the call logs, along with decrypting MD5.

I'm having trouble getting my "Softphone" account to work on the 900, and may just try to do the main number, for all the work required. Later today, I'm going to try the "pbxes.org" method, outlined in the sipdroid instructions, to see if I can get it working again. All this may be moot however, because through T-Mobile and Skype, I'm basically getting unlimited voice and data for $43/mo.

I'll try your suggestions and please let me know how it goes. I seem to remember there being a way to break into the PAP2 device and get the password... have to resurrect the old brain cells on that one.

Re: pbxes.org, I've have been trying to create a new account and am unable, keep getting "Invalid captcha" response. Let me know if you have the same or are able to get it working.

Being on Verizon, I'd like to try and reduce my cell minute plan to the bare minumum (backup) and rely mostly on the the 3G network and the unlimited data option. Like I said earlier, very new to the SIP stuff, although have some experience in general IP networking, etc.

Cheers,

 

[MountainX]

Being on Verizon, I'd like to try and reduce my cell minute plan to the bare minumum (backup) and rely mostly on the the 3G network and the unlimited data option. Like I said earlier, very new to the SIP stuff, although have some experience in general IP networking, etc.

FYI, I use zero cell minutes on VZW. I do all my calls via VoIP using Sipdroid. (I have a data only plan with VZW.) It isn't perfect, but it is good enough for me and it saves me a lot of money.
My setup is detailed here:
How To Set Up VoIP on the Motorola Droid on Verizon Wireless using Sipdroid for Free Calls | Dave's Tech Shop
And the comments include a link to a Google Doc by EasternPA that is really good too.

 

[colnago]

The N900 is awesome, isn't it. One question (off topic), can you enable bluetooth while in airplane mode on the N900?

I'm liking the 900 a lot...not that I disliked the Droid, I just had reception issues in my area. As far as BT and airplane mode....ummmm...I don't see if the 900 has one "natively", but I believe there are some community dev'd "radio toggle switches". I can get back to you on that. FWIW, I think the 900 can pair with my Pioneer AVIC's "GPS" sensor...not necessary, but cool nonetheless.

...Back on topic, the combination of Sipdroid and Google Voice on the Droid basically matches features with Vonage Pro, but for much lower cost. If you use Gizmo, the cost is about 1/4 as much as Vonage (or even less). Vonage may be a bit easier. My mom was using Vonage and I looked at upgrading her to Vonage Pro. But in the end I used Gizmo, Sipdroid and Google Voice and she's happy with the result.

Yeah, I upgraded to "Pro" because I figured the SIP settings my be more "transparent" but unfortunately not...Vonage was unwilling to provide any settings info, despite my 5 years, and (2) accounts with them. What's keeping me with them is call quality, self-administration, it supports my (4) phones and a fax machine, ring blast, availability number, and free calls to Spain for my g/f's "daily" calls to her family. If I can match with another service I'll be happy to switch, especially if it means a mobile SIP client.

The problem with Gizmo is that its not possible for "new accounts" to get setup...at least last I checked. FWIW, I just signed up for Skype's $3/mo "Unlimited Calls to US/Canada", and it allows you to use the Caller ID from an existing line you have...news to me, maybe common knowledge to others. I had Skype for PC for a while, and just figured I'd give it a try, since its works with the 900 out of the box. But again, I can bump up to unlimited via T-Mobile's plan for $20 more than the plan I have, so I only have another $17 to work with to add additional features, to make it worth while.

The 900 was givin' me the blues trying to find out how to get Skype working, then I realized that there is no "app" for Skype, instead, its just integrated into contacts management, and the calling/IM features. You basically get prompted from the dialpad, or a contact, as to which "call type" you want. You also log in/out via toggle from the status bar. Its a nice discrete integration. $3/mo is not bad for "unlimited calls out". Getting calls in will cost a little more, via the same service, and there has to be a workaround, but it basically gives me unlimited calling for $33/mo for my "cell". I guess it wouldn't be an issue if I ported my main number over, but until then.

 

[mark61006]

Google voice!

 

[colnago]

I'll try your suggestions and please let me know how it goes. I seem to remember there being a way to break into the PAP2 device and get the password... have to resurrect the old brain cells on that one.

Re: pbxes.org, I've have been trying to create a new account and am unable, keep getting "Invalid captcha" response. Let me know if you have the same or are able to get it working.

Being on Verizon, I'd like to try and reduce my cell minute plan to the bare minumum (backup) and rely mostly on the the 3G network and the unlimited data option. Like I said earlier, very new to the SIP stuff, although have some experience in general IP networking, etc.

Cheers,

How about you work on the password acquisition process, while I'll focus on the trunk setup, and we meet back in the middle? I had some calls working "out" from sipdroid/pbxes solution, but not sure about receiving. Problem is that I'm working w/o a Droid, but Mountain X's sipdroid client settings may be transferable.

 

[colnago]

Google voice!

...yeah, but can anyone confirm that Google Voice can make calls to the PSTN "without" having any PRI/trunk service to support it?

 

[bwanna]

FYI, I use zero cell minutes on VZW. I do all my calls via VoIP using Sipdroid. (I have a data only plan with VZW.) It isn't perfect, but it is good enough for me and it saves me a lot of money.
My setup is detailed here:
How To Set Up VoIP on the Motorola Droid on Verizon Wireless using Sipdroid for Free Calls | Dave's Tech Shop
And the comments include a link to a Google Doc by EasternPA that is really good too.

I'd like to move toward using almost all my calls via Sipdroid, with VZW minutes only as a backup. Also, I've read through your posting (very nice!) a couple of times, but am hindered by the inability to create a new GV/Gizmo & PBXes account. Currently, none of them are allowing new accounts.

Any suggestions on what's out there that would replicate these?

 

[bwanna]

How about you work on the password acquisition process, while I'll focus on the trunk setup, and we meet back in the middle? I had some calls working "out" from sipdroid/pbxes solution, but not sure about receiving. Problem is that I'm working w/o a Droid, but Mountain X's sipdroid client settings may be transferable.

Sounds like a plan! I only have the $25/mo Vonage service, but I'm sure it's the same issue as the Vonage Pro... that is, re finding the ATA password.

 

[colnago]

...
Re: pbxes.org, I've have been trying to create a new account and am unable, keep getting "Invalid captcha" response. Let me know if you have the same or are able to get it working...

When you finish filling out your personal info, and press submit, you should get a Windows (or whatever browser you're using) pop-up, asking if you want to display the non-secure data (or something to that effect). Just answer "No", and the non-secure data will appear. Its just one of those "anti-spam fields" where you have to type in a phrase to confirm that you are real.

 

[bwanna]

I'm getting an error message response: "invalid captcha" ... no pop up. I've tried disabling cookies and pop-up blockers. Apparently this means I've typed something incorrectly into the form. Only thing I can think of is teh birth date format. I hate to ask this, but could you paste an example of a submission (with fake info, of course), so I know I'm doing this right?

Very much appreciated.
Cheers,

 

[colnago]

I'm getting an error message response: "invalid captcha" ... no pop up. I've tried disabling cookies and pop-up blockers. Apparently this means I've typed something incorrectly into the form. Only thing I can think of is teh birth date format. I hate to ask this, but could you paste an example of a submission (with fake info, of course), so I know I'm doing this right?

Very much appreciated.
Cheers,

Basically, once you hit "submit", you get prompted for the "page reload", where the "phrase conf field" (like when you register for a forum for example) appears (e.g. "Type the following two words: of Happiness"), but the letters are all weird looking, and then you're info is submitted. Try turning down your security settings in your browser to "Low".

I got the trunk setup on pbxes, but I can't log into the site via my 900's SIP client.

 

[bwanna]

For some reason IE didn't want to show the securing box (to filling the weird words)... had to go to Firefox to show it. I'm successfull now.

THanks!

 

[vikingisson]

I too wasn't 100% thrilled with pbxes but sipdroid works fine against a standard SIP server such as an Asterisk based/friendly service. I have my own trixbox server and a few SIP/IAX trunks for inbound and outbound to PSTN. It works nicely.
I don't like the freebie services out there and I don't like the complication of bouncing over two and three systems just to get an even lower cost. I'm also not a fan of vonage or any of the proprietary services. One server and I'll pay the $0.01/min for outbound calls. 3G has a much higher latency than WiFI so the less hops to go through the better.
I still use the cell voice plan but also have SIP and that saves a bundle.

 

[bwanna]

I too wasn't 100% thrilled with pbxes but sipdroid works fine against a standard SIP server such as an Asterisk based/friendly service. I have my own trixbox server and a few SIP/IAX trunks for inbound and outbound to PSTN. It works nicely.
I don't like the freebie services out there and I don't like the complication of bouncing over two and three systems just to get an even lower cost. I'm also not a fan of vonage or any of the proprietary services. One server and I'll pay the $0.01/min for outbound calls. 3G has a much higher latency than WiFI so the less hops to go through the better.
I still use the cell voice plan but also have SIP and that saves a bundle.

I've been reading about Asterisk and Trixbox, but concerned about the time to maintain it and the reliability of running off house power. We get power outages every so often and don't want my cell service tied to that.

However, your thoughts on my concerns (sans the power issue)?

 

[colnago]

Woohoo! Config on the "client side" different than sipdroid, but I have "outbound" working on my 900, with the Vonage Softphone settings....still working on inbound. pbxes.org supposedly supports the Vonage "main lines" (from the pbxes forums):



[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Today I found how Vonage can be added as a trunk to PBXes. It depends on whether you have Vonage SoftPhone or just a regular calling plan.

If SoftPhone, use the following settings:

Server: sphone.vopr.vonage.net
Username: YOUR_VONAGE_SOFTPHONE_NUMBER
Password: YOUR_VONAGE_SOFTPHONE_PASSWORD

If regular calling plan, the setup is a bit more involved. You'd first have to find out what you "encrypted" vonage password is. The easiest way to do that is to type this address in your browser:
[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Zitat:[/FONT][FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]https://im-config.vonagenetworks.net/config?
&login=YOUR_VONAGE_USERNAME&password=YOUR_VONAGE_PASSWORD&type=1003[/FONT]
replacing YOUR_VONAGE_USERNAME and YOUR_VONAGE_PASSWORD with the username and pass you use to login to your vonage account. This will return a webpage with various settings and you only need to worry about the fist 4 lines:
[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Zitat:[/FONT][FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]
[SIP 2.0]
ProxyUserName=YOUR_USER_NAME
ProxyUserPassword=ENCRYPTED_PASSWORD
ProxyDomain=a.vonim.com
ProxyPort=10000
[/FONT]
Now, enter these in PBXes as follows:

Server: a.vonim.com:10000
Username: YOUR_USER_NAME
Password: ENCRYPTED_PASSWORD

Voila! Hope this helps... (taken from http://www.modmyi.com/forums/native-ipho...t-iphone-2.html)[/FONT]

 

[vikingisson]

I've been reading about Asterisk and Trixbox, but concerned about the time to maintain it and the reliability of running off house power. We get power outages every so often and don't want my cell service tied to that.

However, your thoughts on my concerns (sans the power issue)?

UPS for sure for sure. I had two nasty blackouts last night but the server stayed up. UPS the internet parts too of course.

If you only have need for one line then you'd be better off getting a line from any of the dozens of sites and then just connect to them. I run mine for about 10 people so needed several DIDs, several trunks for least cost routing and a copper landline for local calls and fallback. But it is fun playing with your own, you can do both, play with a local server but use the outside server for primary use until you get it perfect. You need ~80kbs in both directions so that becomes another issue if you have heavy internet users on the same line.

Some of the services out there are very flexible and others are just pretty but easy. Flexible and plain looking is better and generally cost less.

1st rule after making a short list is to check latency to where you'll connect and most often connect from (they should gladly tell you the host name such as sip.domain.com). If from a pc you can get <~50ms then you're golden. >100ms and it will suck from a handheld.

edit-> the funny thing is that I run 12 DIDs for 10 people and all the usage including long distance and a 1-800 number for less than a single cell phone plan. That's why I didn't have a cell phone at all until android came along.

 

[vikingisson]

[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Voila! Hope this helps... (taken from http://www.modmyi.com/forums/native-ipho...t-iphone-2.html)[/FONT]

very cool. I assume that you would have to unplug the ATA that is already configured for that line. I used vonage a long time ago but finally went to my own system when I needed more than 2 lines.

 

[colnago]

UPS for sure for sure. I had two nasty blackouts last night but the server stayed up. UPS the internet parts too of course.

If you only have need for one line then you'd be better off getting a line from any of the dozens of sites and then just connect to them. I run mine for about 10 people so needed several DIDs, several trunks for least cost routing and a copper landline for local calls and fallback. But it is fun playing with your own, you can do both, play with a local server but use the outside server for primary use until you get it perfect. You need ~80kbs in both directions so that becomes another issue if you have heavy internet users on the same line.

Some of the services out there are very flexible and others are just pretty but easy. Flexible and plain looking is better and generally cost less.

1st rule after making a short list is to check latency to where you'll connect and most often connect from (they should gladly tell you the host name such as sip.domain.com). If from a pc you can get <~50ms then you're golden. >100ms and it will suck from a handheld.

edit-> the funny thing is that I run 12 DIDs for 10 people and all the usage including long distance and a 1-800 number for less than a single cell phone plan. That's why I didn't have a cell phone at all until android came along.

I manage an enterprise VoIP solution during the day (and night)...don't need all that extra work "at night". But I'm feelin' ya on the "do it yourself" vibe.

 

[colnago]

very cool. I assume that you would have to unplug the ATA that is already configured for that line. I used vonage a long time ago but finally went to my own system when I needed more than 2 lines.

Well I have an ATA which feeds the whole house (hard cut from telco) which is my main line. I also just upgraded to the "Vonage Pro", but again, it didn't have the same SIP client settings as the soft phone account, which I also have (two different DIDs). Problem is that the soft phone account is my g/f's and she only gets 500 min a month. Upside is that she can call her family for free back home to Spain, instead of calling me at home, and doing a conference call all the time for when she's at work.

 

[vikingisson]

I manage an enterprise VoIP solution during the day (and night)...don't need all that extra work "at night". But I'm feelin' ya on the "do it yourself" vibe.

that explains how you were able to make sense of the vonage box. So why not leverage the big VoIP server for your android? oh, "enterprise" might be much larger than my little SOHO where I'm allowed to do what I want. Or, you can call it work related......

 

[vikingisson]

Well I have an ATA which feeds the whole house (hard cut from telco) which is my main line. I also just upgraded to the "Vonage Pro", but again, it didn't have the same SIP client settings as the soft phone account, which I also have (two different DIDs). Problem is that the soft phone account is my g/f's and she only gets 500 min a month. Upside is that she can call her family for free back home to Spain, instead of calling me at home, and doing a conference call all the time for when she's at work.

ah, you have more than just the line you pushed over to pbxes. yep, cut at the dmarc and lay in your own system. Best choice I made long time ago. The other reason for getting away from vonage for me was the flexibility to have several trunks and route for best cost and not worry about 500 mins. But those free calls home are nice if it works out for the gf.

 

[bwanna]

Woohoo! Config on the "client side" different than sipdroid, but I have "outbound" working on my 900, with the Vonage Softphone settings....still working on inbound. pbxes.org supposedly supports the Vonage "main lines" (from the pbxes forums):



[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Today I found how Vonage can be added as a trunk to PBXes. It depends on whether you have Vonage SoftPhone or just a regular calling plan.

If SoftPhone, use the following settings:

Server: sphone.vopr.vonage.net
Username: YOUR_VONAGE_SOFTPHONE_NUMBER
Password: YOUR_VONAGE_SOFTPHONE_PASSWORD

If regular calling plan, the setup is a bit more involved. You'd first have to find out what you "encrypted" vonage password is. The easiest way to do that is to type this address in your browser:
[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Zitat:[/FONT][FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]https://im-config.vonagenetworks.net/config?
&login=YOUR_VONAGE_USERNAME&password=YOUR_VONAGE_PASSWORD&type=1003[/FONT]
replacing YOUR_VONAGE_USERNAME and YOUR_VONAGE_PASSWORD with the username and pass you use to login to your vonage account. This will return a webpage with various settings and you only need to worry about the fist 4 lines:
[FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]Zitat:[/FONT][FONT=Geneva,Helvetica]
[SIP 2.0]
ProxyUserName=YOUR_USER_NAME
ProxyUserPassword=ENCRYPTED_PASSWORD
ProxyDomain=a.vonim.com
ProxyPort=10000
[/FONT]
Now, enter these in PBXes as follows:

Server: a.vonim.com:10000
Username: YOUR_USER_NAME
Password: ENCRYPTED_PASSWORD

Voila! Hope this helps... (taken from http://www.modmyi.com/forums/native-ipho...t-iphone-2.html)[/FONT]

I'm getting errors... can you verify the regular calling plan?

 

[colnago]

I'm getting errors... can you verify the regular calling plan?

UPDATE:

- Got both inbound and outbound working, via my Vonage "Softphone" account, by following the pbxes.org instructions here:

Get Sipdroid to work with any SIP provider on your Android phone See This, Now Read This

- For inbound, I had to setup an "Inbound Route", and use my 10-digit softphone number (1-XXX-XXX-XXXX) as the "Trunk Name".

- My SIP client settings will be different, but it looks like all my outbound calls are working where they weren't before with the DROID/pbxes (probably pbxes config).

- As far as the "regular plan", the consensus is that those proxy/SIP settings should work, but again, the regular plan "password" is the hard part.

The problem with the softphone account is again, limited to 500 minutes, vs. the regular's "unlimited". I'm gonna try to play around with the "Vonage Companion" settings, from the "Pro Account's features.

Just make sure that with your "Extensions" configuration, in pbxes, use the pbxes main account name plus the extention as the "username" (e.g. bwanna is the main pbxes account, and bwanna-100 is the username for the SIP client login, w/100 being the extension # created). Password is the password for the main pbxes account.

If your SIP client can "login" to pbxes, then that part is ok. If calls fail, then its the Vonage trunk settings. Again, getting that password is tricky, as it is not the password for your "online login" w/Vonage. Its a password passed from your ATA/router to Vonage servers.