Tivo and Vonage - success! [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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plextor guy
11-21-2004, 08:23 AM
Hopefully this will help anyone with a DirectTV Tivo who is thinking about switching to Vonage. I can only vouch for my particular set-up however. After spending several hours researching forums and experimenting with different prefixes and so on, it looks like success depends on what Tivo you have, if you have DSL or Cable and several other variables. I have a Motorola two port Vonage modem, an HR10-250 Directv Tivo, Comcast cable internet and a Linksys four port router (not wireless). The Vonage modem is connected to the DMZ port in the Linksys router. Go to Messages and Set Up > Settings > Phone > Change Dialing Options. Add or change the Dial Prefix to ,#034 (comma,pound,034). Go back to Set Dial In Numbers and pull down a new list of numbers. It's important to choose one from the list. When I tried leaving the existing number, the one that worked with Southwestern Bell, I kept getting a 'phone busy' error every time I tried connecting. Bottom line, success. By the way, anyone looking to save some cash should consider Vonage or another VOIP service. You get to keep your phone number and in three weeks I can say the service is completely transparent. Voice quality is indistinguishable from my SWB line (at Vonage's Normal and Best setting). I pay 16 bucks and change/month for 500 minutes of no long distance service country wide. There are a lot of bells and whistles as well. The only thing I haven't been able to do yet is connect my security system. Supposedly the manufacturer of the security equipment has a soon to be announced solution. See ya SWB. You got enough of my hard earned cash.

ryjam282
11-22-2004, 07:06 AM
plextor guy. I have a wireless setup in the house but I don't have a phone near the TV and I just purchased the HR10-250. Is the phone line really a neccesity? Will the unit have troubles if it isn't plugged in to the phone? Let me know when you have a chance.

plextor guy
11-22-2004, 11:10 AM
plextor guy. I have a wireless setup in the house but I don't have a phone near the TV and I just purchased the HR10-250. Is the phone line really a neccesity? Will the unit have troubles if it isn't plugged in to the phone? Let me know when you have a chance.

is no software updates and pay per view as far as I know. I think you have to connect initially to activate the unit but after that you should be fine. Try the Tivo Community forum for more info. http://www.tivocommunity.com/ I haven't gone more than a month without a connection but I when I hit that mark I started getting reminder messages to connect to a phone line. My dvr service mysteriously stopped as well but I think this was a glitch according to the Tivo rep I spoke with.