Subject: From: Date:

Trouble with Phone Event after upgrade Bill Walters Thu, 08 Apr 1999 23:35:08 -0500

---

All - 

Earlier today, I upgraded from 4.0.17 (or therebouts) to the "latest and
greatest", 4.0.24.  No troubles noted, or so I thought.

Later in the afternoon, my wife's business line rang and the caller let
her know that the home line was "...answering after one ring with lots
of static, cracks, and whistles.."   Definately not good.  Wife was
leaving on a trip and no time to trouble shoot then; after dropping her
off at the airport I came home and got down to business.

I diligently used the 2nd line to call the first; yep, messed up.

Started with re-boot of computer.  No fixee.
Re-set Voice-Interface-C.  No fixee.

Well, maybe Mark's upgrade didn't work so good for me... or was that
really the problem?

Took computer "off line".  No fixee.  AHAAA!  Must be a phone company
problem!

Connected a phone directly to "incoming" line (for folks that don't
know, the telco drop routes from outside box directly to my HA cabinet,
to ECS, back down to outside box, where it connects to house lines).

Used 2nd line to call home line; worked like a champ!  Oops... gotta be
a problem with my wiring.... Squirrels maybe?  They've been active
lately. 

Disconnected all telephones inside the house (6 of 'em) and used
cellular to call home.  Rang just fine.  Connected one phone directly to
incoming telco line; repeated and worked fine.  Installed "jumper" to
bridge incoming telco line to house lines.... No workee....  Gotta be my
"back to the telco box" line!  

Outside I go to inspect; all looks OK but 2 connectors don't look
"perfect".  Scrounge for butt splice connectors (kind that push down and
have that yucky sealant inside for weatherproofing); re-join 2 wires. 
Re-test - same problem!

OK, what have I forgotten?  Of course, the Security panel!  It has a
"line sieze" relay and the phone routes through that, too!  To the panel
and disconnect wires; wire the appropriate pairs together and re-test,
yet again.... No workeeee.....Well, ok, at least it's not the security
panel!

Maybe, I think, a wire has "shorted" on one of the phone jacks?  Open
all household phone jacks to inspect wiring.  One found "suspect" and
re-positioned.  Re-test with same infuriating results!!!!  

Arraugh!

I've now been on this for 4 hours, it's 8:30 pm and dark.  Dogs want out
so I turn on back porch light and let them out when I spy....... oops,
there's a phone outside on the back patio I didn't think about!!!!! 
Disconnect it and re-test.... EUREKA!!!

Moral of the story????   Try the easiest things first and don't overlook
ANYTHING!   My life would have been much easier tonight if I hadn't
forgotten about the outside phone..

Oh yes, and it only took about 30-45 minutes to put everything back
together!

Just a bit of "HA Humor" for the group!  Ah, isn't life with computers
and our automated homes fun sometimes!!

Bill Walters

---