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I am just installing Ooma and I have spent several hours on-line for previous days looking to find instructions for setting up Ooma with a 2 line phone system. While I have found where users say they have done this, I am unclear as to the best way to do so.

I have connected the Ooma hub directly behind my router. The router feeds a gigabit switch. So the Ooma hub is not connected to any other Internet device as my home network is running gigabit and the Ooma hub pass-through might drop that to 100k. Uplink speed is greater that 3 mb and download ranges between 6 and 9 mb.

I hope to replace an existing 3 line phone service (#3 is dedicated fax). Initially I wanted to ‘forward’ our main # to Ooma. However, in the set up I indicated what the land line number was and that appears to be the number now, and it is associated with the hub. I'm not sure what to do here.

I also added a second number which is associated with the hub.

The phone system is a Dect 6 2 Line Panasonic (KXTG9391T) WITH 6 handsets. Each handset has both a ‘Line 1’ and ‘Line 2’ button, as well as a ‘flash’ button.

I have simple access to each of our incoming land lines of which line 1 and 2 were connected to the Panasonic system.

What is the ‘Best Way’ to install this 2 line system with the Ooma hub and scout?

Consider that, if Ooma works for me over my Internet connection (I say 'if' because even though my connection has great speed, it is a wireless PPoE connection – I have the tower on my property out in rural country - no cable or wires). So, I need to verify that our bandwidth is enough to run the phones, Internet, and other users on the WAN at the same time.

As I was saying I thought I would first forward our existing number to an Ooma number - but, that seems to have gone away as Ooma shows that as the Ooma hub number. So, I am a bit confused about the Ooma phone number vs forwarding our existing.

Considering that someone here will clear that up for me - what do I do about a second line? What I have now (wired) is 'busy call forwarding', that is, when line 1 is busy, line 2 rings. How do I set up my equipment to do tha with Ooma?

Your comments are greatly appreciated!

You get your second line from the Scout. For simplicity, at least for now, is it acceptable for your Hub and Scout to be next to each other? If so, get a 2 line splitter and put that into the base of your 2 line phone system. Then connect the Phone port of the Hub into L1 and the Phone port of the Scout into L2. Use a short phone cord to connect the Wall ports between the Hub and Scout.

It sounds like you are integrating your landline with Ooma service so you may need another straight splitter so you can get your landline 1 into the Wall port of the Hub.

That should set you up for two lines in your Ooma system. Others have done things differently and you'll want to hear their configurations to see what you like. I don't believe there is a best way to do it, I think there are many options with their own pros and cons.

As for ensuring your ISP quality will be acceptable for Ooma service. Try this URL. If you get all greens in the final report you should do just fine with Ooma: http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/speed_test/ppspeed.html

As for your network configuration with the Ooma Hub and your concerns of it dropping your network traffic. There are a few things to discuss here. First, you could place the Hub as your first device, and put your router in the Hub's DMZ and you will get the QoS benefits already built into the Hub while still maintaining all of the routing features of your existing router. You also could place the Hub as another device on your network behind your Gigabit switch, rather than directly to the router. There really isn't any difference between that and your current configuration.

Final discussion point. A router is not involved in your LAN's traffic. Even if you are concerned about the Ooma Hub's performance, any traffic you have on your LAN does not go through your router. Once your router gives you an IP address it is done unless you are hitting resources on the Internet. So if you are doing file sharing and other large transfers in your network, you do not need to worry about any router affecting your network performance. That is what your gigabit switch is for.

You may want to wait for others to post since there is certainly going to be additional points of view that will be offered.

Cheers,
Scott

Here's what I did with Ooma, my Uniden system, and existing two lines:

1) Comcast Modem<-->Router<-->Hub on my desk. Not practical for me to put the HUB before the router as all that stuff is in my basement in an equipment rack. I setup the DMZ for the HUB as suggested on the forum so I can access it from my PC and set up QOS in my Router for priority on the Ooma HUB Mac address - seemed simple enough and is working fine.

2) HUB: I'm keeping my 1st landline as Line 1 on my phone. I bought some phone line splitters at radio shack (L1, L2, L1&2) so that I could isolate line 1 and 2 at each outlet. L1 goes to the Uniden L1. L2 goes to the HUB "Wall". I also put a 2-way line splitter on the HUB Phone jack so that, in a addition to the Uniden Line 2, I can plug in my computer for FAX and automated dialing.

3) Scout: 2nd Uniden system in office downstairs. Again the splitter at the outlet and L1 to Uniden L1, L2 to Scout Wall, Scout Phone to Uniden L2.

These L1/L2/L1&2 splitters my not be necessary for everyone, but I have another HPNA net for audio on L1 and there was interference with the HUB/Scout HPNA. The splitters cleared it up completely.

Finally, during testing the Ooma setup and until I transfer my L2 phone over to Ooma, I call-forwarded my original Line 2 phone number to the Ooma temporary number.

During installation I did not select to integrate Ooma with an existing Landline since I plan to cancel my Line2 service if this all works out and I do not want Ooma and Line 1 integrated. If you plan to keep your Landline 2 rather than disconnect it later, then you probably did the right thing by integrating it with Ooma.

Thanks Scott and Steve,

My application is much as Scott described - so I installed the hub and scout as follows:

Ooma hub is connected directly to the router - and the router has on other connection to the eGig gigabyte switch (router is dhcp server)

Like Steve, our phone lines come into a utility area in the basement. I also use this area for file server, utility computers for scanning and storage, and our house UPS system for computer and phone power circuits.

The incoming phone lines are on a punch board with single jacks on the wall for each one.

I also have 3 single jacks under them, 2 that are dedicated to the desk that has the 2-line Panasonic DECT system and the 3rd to the fax machine location. So it is easy to patch these jacks to the Ooma equipment. I connected Phone Equip Line 1 to Phone/Hub and Phone Equip Line 2 to Phone/Scout.

Then I connected the hub to the scout via the ‘wall’ jacks.

With this configuration I get nothing from Ooma.

Prior to your communication I had the same phone connections made, but not the ‘wall to wall’ connections. So, I was hoping this was what is missing.

I did get a new phone number for the Hub – and I tried to use ‘call forwarding’ to forward our existing land line number to the Ooma number – nothing happened.

So I then connected our incoming wire line 1 to the hub (via splitter between the ‘wall to wall’) and I get the Ooma dialtone on both Panasonic phone lines (and the Ooma tab on both Hub and Scout light up blue).

So, considering what I wanted to do was to ‘forward’ my house phone to the Ooma number – and have a 2nd Ooma number for line 2, I think I must have screwed something up in the initial ‘What phone number are you using” question.

I should be able to use Ooma over the Internet without needing the land line hook up. Right?

And then when I hear how well the audio is I can port my existing land line number to Ooma – then cancel my 2nd and 3rd line – then when porting is complete I can cancel the 1st line of service.

So I must be missing something here if I can only get Ooma to work with the land line connected to the hub.

Also – I did the ‘Which VOIP test – very cool – that’s a url I make available to my contacts. I’ve attached the results below.

Any additional ideas?

I'll call Tech Support in the morning - see what they say.

Thanks so much!

I should be able to use Ooma over the Internet without needing the land line hook up. Right?

If you selected the option to integrate your land line with ooma, the ooma system will not work unless the land line is connected to the hub's wall port.
You need to call ooma support and have them change your configuration to use ooma without a land line.

Thank you Murphy,

I called Ooma support - had them remove my existing land line number from the service and have 2 Ooma numbers assigned to my account.

Ooma is now configured thus:

Ooma Hub Internet connected behind router as indicated eariler.
Hub Phone is connected to Interior phone line 1
Hub Wall is connected to Scout Wall
Scout Phone is connected to Interior phone line 2

I've forwarded existing landline number to main Ooma phone number. When I call the number I get the Ooma answering service.

Ooma light is RED
No Ooma dial tone
Not working . . .

And now it is working!

What's up with that?

Any observations or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

And now it is working!

What's up with that?

Any observations or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

It can take 10 - 15 min for ooma changes to take on your hub...

Is everything working the way you want it to now?

Scott