Grandstream GPX 2000 failure fix?

I woke up this morning to find my phone making a bit of noise and all the lights blinking. Nothing on the screen. Pulled the power and put it back. All the lights blink again with a bit of audio noise, a light buzz that pulsates like the lights. After a little while it seems as if the MWI light is the only one that flashes along with the network plug lights. What's happened and what do I do to fix it?

Buzz seems to get a lot software when network cable is plugged in. Plugged it directly into comp and ran wireshark to monitor network traffic. Didn't seem to be capturing anything - pretty sure I'm doing it right (doesn't have to be loop back cable does it?).

Any help much appreciated. Thanks.

Welcome to voipuser.

What you have described does not sound encouraging. I have not seen or used one of those phones although I have used some Grandstream products. You could try resetting it to factory defaults (see the manual) and I hope it works. Was the device set to auto upgrade?

I have seen this kind of behaviour with Grandstream ATAs after a failed attempt to upgrade the firmware and with another after it appeared to have overheated. Both were returned for replacement.

Can't do a factory reset as the screen etc doesn't come on.

Yes was set to auto update, but from my own http server. And I've never actually updated it. It just reads what's on the server and (should) do nothing as it's not new. Been running fine like that for over a year. And besides that server was off last night...

So not to sure what's going on.

Maybe DC adaptor has failed or degraded?! Don't have another 5V 1amp one though.

If I don't get it working what would be a good replacement? Cisco, Astra, Snom, Linksys? Don't mind spending a bit of money for a DECENT phone that's more bullet proof.

cshaun :

Maybe DC adaptor has failed or degraded?! Don't have another 5V 1amp one though.

I have had two Grandstream DC adaptors fail, one on an ATA and the other on a GXP2000 so they are not very reliable. When they failed though they died completely. I now run the GXP2000 using a universal adaptor.

I replaced the ATA with a Linksys SPA3102 which is much more versatile.

I have had 2 Grandstream 488 fail, one with failed upgrade and one overheating. I also had a Grandstream BT101 phone fail with symptoms very similar to cshaun has seen. Once failed, there seems to be no way to reprovision the firmware. I have to admit that I liked the basic design and simplicity of the Grandstream. The remaining Grandstream 286 and BT102 that I purchased are still going fine after several years (firmware update is blocked). I replaced the 488 with a Linksys SPA3102 and that (so far) has worked without problems or evident over heating (the price has now dropped here from $115Can to $85Can). There are other functionally similar ATAs on the market now and I hope Grandstream have solved the problems with the devices that they supply. I use the 3102 with an inexpensive 3 handset (Sanyo) cordless phone set that works all over the house and in the garden.

Thanks. May try another DC adaptor. I don't have any suitable so going to be a bit difficult. Perhaps it's just that. But I'm not gonna just go out and buy one as it may not be.

Will let you know if fixes it.

If it is still under warranty you might want to take advantage of that before it expires. Mine all failed while still under warranty and were replaced (cost of postage for return). Finally the retailer suggested credit for the 488 and substitution of the 3102.

Phoned the company I bought it from. But no go as I've had it for 16 or so months. Couldn't come up with any suggestions on how to fix it or anything like that either.

Sounded quite happy however when I asked them to send me a price list of their current lineup.

cshaun :

Phoned the company I bought it from. But no go as I've had it for 16 or so months. Couldn't come up with any suggestions on how to fix it or anything like that either. Sounded quite happy however when I asked them to send me a price list of their current lineup.

Similar to the response I got with mine. Pleasant customer service but no help at all. Have you considered using an ATA and a regular phone or DECT set?

One last try... Unplug it from the mains and the internet. Leave it for an hour and then plug in the mains (not the internet!). Then (1) follow the instructions for resetting using the keypad (p 22 in the manual?). (2) If that does not work try the instructions for resetting using a browser (remote). If that does not work I am afraid there might be only one place to put it.

Thanks for all the help.

Figured it out!

Yeah was just the DC adaptor that has 'died' well not giving enough power. Found two other 5v adaptors with enough amp's at a friends. Came back to life!

However for some very odd reason the plug is longer on the grandstreams original adaptor. Other ones I'm using are about 3mm to short so can just bearly make a connection, but if you bump the phone it loses power... So going to have to try work something out.

DECT? Donna ATA's never really made much sense to me, if that does all the voip stuff surely it SHOULD be cheaper and better to make both devices in one ala voip/sip phone. Doesn't seem to be the case and I don't know why. Maybe just the scale of the markets. Mass production of regular phones.

Another interesting note is the DC adaptor that came with my phone was rated 1 amp while the phone says on the back it requires 1.2... very odd. So was already borderline.

But I have in the past just experienced that over a few years DC adaptors just stop giving out the required power. Measured some with a voltmeter.


Quick new question.
Was thinking of upgrading the firmware on the phone. HV 0.4 currently running prog 1.1.1.14 and boot 1.1.1.5 (which is what originally came with it. Been to scared to upgrade from what I've read. Latest firmware seems a bit better. So wondering if I should take the plunge?

May just do it, and even replace the phone with something else. Just can't decide on what. Cisco, Aastra or Snom... How come people don't seem to recommend Cisco phones to much? Just Aastra and Snom?!

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How come people don't seem to recommend Cisco phones to much?

Well a few reasons are
Cost
Licencing
Firware

That said many people use and love them.

Unless it already has sip firmware loaded you "need" a licence and support contract to get it.

Ian

Quote:

Yeah was just the DC adaptor that has 'died' well not giving enough power.

Looks like you got the wrong adapter. I have lots of the things.. I wish there was a little more standardization. In this case 5 V adapters should be easy to get. I think some parts stores sell little connector adaptors that might do or you might be able to cut the plastic on the plug back a little. I have never had an adapter fail - it could still be a problem with the phone - failing circuit board/insulation.

Quote:

DECT? Donna ATA's never really made much sense to me, if that does all the voip stuff surely it SHOULD be cheaper and better to make both devices in one ala voip/sip phone.

There are simple advantages to the ATA. If the ATA fails then just the ATA needs replacing and the same goes for the phone. Cordless phone sets are cheap and nice in that you can get 3 or 4 handset units for the price of one IP phone. ATA boxes can usually offer more services than a corresponding phone.
IP phones will sell to mainly businesses so a higher price can be reaped. I don't know the current situation but the Grandstream ATAs and the phones used to use the same firmware.

If you are happy with the firmware as it is in the phone then I think I would leave it alone. Have a look at the list of changes in the firmware and see if there is anything that you need.

I have a Cisco phone in my office. It works but I would not recommend it (does not hang up properly for one thing) and they seem over priced. I understand that most Cisco phone systems are not SIP based and aimed at business.

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I have never had an adapter fail - it could still be a problem with the phone - failing circuit board/insulation.

Yeah not so sure I've just had a switch in the past were too just stopped working and changing the adaptor fixed it. Put the voltmeter to it and got lower than rated readings, but not 100% sure if I was doing it correctly i.e. putting it under load etc.

Dunno, seems to work fine with both these other adaptors, but with the original, all the lights just turn on and it won't boot. So all I can conclude is it's not giving enough power. Like it's juts degraded over the years.

Quote:

There are simple advantages to the ATA. If the ATA fails then just the ATA needs replacing and the same goes for the phone. Cordless phone sets are cheap and nice in that you can get 3 or 4 handset units for the price of one IP phone. ATA boxes can usually offer more services than a corresponding phone. IP phones will sell to mainly businesses so a higher price can be reaped. I don't know the current situation but the Grandstream ATAs and the phones used to use the same firmware.

I guess. Just like the idea of all the features done on the phone and done right from the start.

Quote:

If you are happy with the firmware as it is in the phone then I think I would leave it alone. Have a look at the list of changes in the firmware and see if there is anything that you need.

Well it works. But it's very old. Few odd things I've noticed like sometimes 1 in 50 calls say when I place the call I just have no audio, need to hang up and try again. (no ring nothing). So would hope they've fixed more than they've broken. Stupid that you can't downgrade...

Bit to much to look over the notes I think pages and pages of it and I'm not even sure what all of them would mean...

Are sip phones meant to show the name of the caller if their caller id is picked up and in the phonebook? That would be nice, don't see why mine doesn't do it.

Quote:

I have a Cisco phone in my office. It works but I would not recommend it (does not hang up properly for one thing) and they seem over priced. I understand that most Cisco phone systems are not SIP based and aimed at business.

Do you know what model? Seems a bit of the opposite here, snom and aastra seem more expensive. Perhaps I just haven't found a good place to purchase them from. I've got a wholesale account with a supplier that does the cisco phones... so just seems attractive. Seems to be quite a few models, cheap ones and better ones. Colour screen ones aren't even *that* much. Haven't quite worked out all the difference, some say application acceleration or something. Which I assume means faster processor or something to handle custom apps on the phone.

Quote:

That said many people use and love them. Unless it already has sip firmware loaded you "need" a licence and support contract to get it.

I assume this is a once off? Yeah when I look at the items they all say "must be purchased with license".

Ok what if things are simpler. Best Cisco vs Snom vs Aastra - price being irrelevant... I guess it comes down to personal preference?

LOL so difficult deciding on this stuff. So much easier for other things like computers that I'm familiar with.

On the adapter, it is hard to say. Your phone is old (it may be dusty inside), there may be some power leakage and its internal resistance may have dropped. The UK adapter may not be the correct ones if the units are grey market. Normally the adapter should provide a slightly higher voltage which is then regulated down inside the device under load. The 5V UK plugged unit that I have gives 5.16 V with no load (a bit low). A 4.5 V unit gives 6.02 V and a 6 V gives 8.02 V and a 9 V give 13.4 V with no load.

The Grandstream 102 that I still own does give caller ID. It may be a matter of the Voip carrier that you use (the phone will not display if the ID is not sent). If I needed multi lines I think I would go for an Asterisk box. If I only need one (or perhaps two) lines in a private house I would use an ATA with a DECT phone sets (as I have). The price of a two FXS port ATA + a cordless phone set is likely to be much less than the cost of anthing but Grandstream or a few other voip phones. For example. in Canada typical retail prices for common phones are
http://www.voipdepot.ca/index.php?main_ ... d3a45c848e

The impression that I get is that the Cisco phones are (or have been) aimed at business. The ones that are used in our university system are OK but not really anything special. Many of the features that they seem to have are actually provided by the server for which they are designed to work with. Yes, when purchased under contract they are much cheaper.

Good luck with whatever you choose.