Unlock Homehub VOIP?

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Unlock Homehub VOIP?

jermsie

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#33685 9-May-2009 19:29

I have an Orcon Homehub (Siemens Gigaset SX763) which has Orcon's own customised firmware on it. The router has voip capabilities but these are locked down. Months ago Orcon said they MAY have a voip product soon... but they still don't and I really need to be able to use the italk voip line ive bought with my cordless.
Is there any way I can unlock the voip section on the router? It's a bit of a pain having it locked down even when Orcon don't have their own product!

Cheers

– J

Kyanar

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#213731 9-May-2009 19:51

I'd say not, since they altered the firmware to lock it - short of reflashing with firmware obtained somewhere else. But I don't think Orcon would appreciate you reflashing their router.

johnr

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#213732 9-May-2009 19:55

Do you own the router?

ascroft

437 posts

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#213733 9-May-2009 20:00

I think they are rented.

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manhinli

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#213734 9-May-2009 20:05

I think Orcon do have VoIP... for business users.

http://www.orcon.net.nz/work/broadbandplus (under "Additional Voice Lines available")

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jermsie

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#213735 9-May-2009 20:05

ascroft: I think they are rented.

Rented. I gave them a call a moment ago and they *can* reflash the router with firmware that unlocks the device but the guys that can do that aren't available until Monday or Tuesday and may not do it for me. Little bit desperate at this stage because my headset has stopped working which I used with voip software.

– J

jermsie

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#213736 9-May-2009 20:08

Also..
I dug out my cordless phone and plugged it into the homehub. The quirky thing is that I got a dial tone but got a 'no number' when I dialed any numbers.

– J

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jermsie

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215984 19-May-2009 16:32

jermsie: Also..

I dug out my cordless phone and plugged it into the homehub. The quirky thing is that I got a dial tone but got a 'no number' when I dialed any numbers.

Just to update this thread, Orcon kindly allowed me to use VOIP on the homehub. All is well now :)

– J

raytaylor

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#216152 20-May-2009 00:47

That was very nice of them - with a competing company or one of their business voip lines?\

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jermsie

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#216155 20-May-2009 02:36

raytaylor: That was very nice of them - with a competing company or one of their business voip lines?\

The provider I currently use. I was very grateful

– J

neodestinyx

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#217500 24-May-2009 19:54

Ah, this sounds pretty awesome for them to do. I have a Homehub too but I was told they couldn't unlock it for me? I also enquired about using my own voip provider.

I'll give them a call and quote this forum thread tomorrow. Hope it goes well :)

scooby101

59 posts

Master Geek

#217592 25-May-2009 10:04

jermsie: Also..

I dug out my cordless phone and plugged it into the homehub. The quirky thing is that I got a dial tone but got a 'no number' when I dialed any numbers.

You can use a phone plugged into your Homehub to make voice calls over your phone line (i.e. not VOIP), there's just a setting somewhere in the Advanced Settings under Phone that you have to change from memory. Not too many instances where you'd want to do this though, I suspect, as you can just plug the phone straight into the phone line. The only benefit that I can see is that I think it does let you make internal calls between Phone 1 and Phone 2 (though both of these have to be plugged into the Homehub anyway).

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jermsie

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#217594 25-May-2009 10:06

scooby101:
jermsie: Also..

I dug out my cordless phone and plugged it into the homehub. The quirky thing is that I got a dial tone but got a 'no number' when I dialed any numbers.

You can use a phone plugged into your Homehub to make voice calls over your phone line (i.e. not VOIP), there's just a setting somewhere in the Advanced Settings under Phone that you have to change from memory. Not too many instances where you'd want to do this though, I suspect, as you can just plug the phone straight into the phone line. The only benefit that I can see is that I think it does let you make internal calls between Phone 1 and Phone 2 (though both of these have to be plugged into the Homehub anyway).

The telephony option is locked down by default

– J

iloveadeal

11 posts

Geek

#217669 25-May-2009 13:56

Orcon will reflash the device and enable the voip feature. If one says NO, dont give up. Call in another time and talk to a different CSR and he/she might say YES. Based on my real experience. GOOD LUCK.