Re: [Ekiga-list] Coexistence of ekiga with an ATA

[ael <law_ence dev ntlworld com>]

Damien Sandras wrote:
> Le mercredi 03 janvier 2007 à 22:57 +0000, ael a écrit :
> 
>>Background:
>>----------
>>
>>I use an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter, a sip based unit) connected to
>>a standard handset, to my landline and to a cordless unit. This works
>>even when my computers are not booted and allows me to make and accept
>>voip calls away from my desktop. Also I prefer a conventional handset
>>sometimes.
>>
>>The ATA is upstream of my computers so that it can give its voip ports
>>priority when a call (via the ATA) is in progress.
>>
>>[Cable modem] ==== [ATA intercepting ports 5004,5060] ==== [Router] ===
>>[local network]
>>
>>I also use ekiga for several reasons including the ability to register
>>simultaneously with several sip servers, and I like to use a headset and
>>have my hands free on most occasions. If I used a webcam, that would be
>>another reason.
>>
>>On my various computers, I set ekiga to use ports other than those used
>>by the ATA. On the machine that I am using to send this email, ekiga is
>>set to use rtc ports 5010:5059 and udp ports 5062:5100, for example.
>>
>>Problem
>>--------
>>All of this works fine, except for one minor problem which is the point
>>of this email.
>>
>>Ekiga --> Preferences-->Protocols --> Network settings is set to STUN.
>>
>>When I start ekiga, it registers with the sip servers properly, but then
>>calls fail, or partially fail, often with "Abnormal call termination".
>>However, if I navigate through the preferences as above and set and
>>reset the STUN, there is a brief message on the screen about the STUN
>>being partially blocked (presumably it is detecting the ports used by
>>the ATA). Thereafter, ekiga works properly until it is restarted.
>>
>>I assume that ekiga is resetting its port usage when it detects that not
>>all the ports it expects are open? Should it not have seen the ports set
>>via gconf-editor, or is there something I am missing? Otherwise should
>>it not make what ever check is involved on tinkering with the STUN
>>setting in Preferences automatically at start up? You will gather that I
>>have not looked at the source :-)
>>
>>I realize that my arrangment of at least two voip devices trying to
>>"talk through each other" is probably unusual which is why ekiga does
>>not handle the situation quite seemlessly, but I think that what I am
>>doing is not unreasonable and may become quite common. And it is working
>>pretty well even now.
>>
>>Suggestion
>>----------
>>
>>Ekiga makes the STUN checks at startup as described above?
>>
> 
> 
> It does.
> 
> However, if STUN detects "Partially blocked NAT", it is because the
> forwarded ports on the router do not correspond to the ports used by
> Ekiga.
> 
> Make sure the forwarding is correct.
> Make sure the ATA is not using the same port range.

Thanks Damien. I thought that I had things set up properly, but I will
recheck. My situation is a slightly more complex than I reported ( I
wanted to present the essence for simplicity and clarity). The ATA
incorporates a router, NAT and so forth. And then feeds the main router.

> Also, you could use IP Translation instead of STUN when using port
> forwarding.

IP transalation did not work for me, but I may have been too naive in
the way I expected it to work. I will experiment further.

A E Lawrence