Way2Call Caller-ID only works once

[DC]

HS will only recognize incoming calls, and announce the caller, one time after I configure the Way2Call in the "Line Specific Settings" section. If I select the W2Call device to open up all the configuration sections, and then click "Save" all the settings are saved. I get the following entries in the log:

11/20/2008 4:00:05 PM Info Initializing Hi-Phone device...
11/20/2008 4:00:05 PM HSPhone Resetting line: Line 1
11/20/2008 4:00:05 PM HSPhone Calling hangup for line: Line 1
11/20/2008 4:00:05 PM HSPhone Enter OpenLine, line: Line 1
11/20/2008 4:00:05 PM HSPhone Finished Resetting line: Line 1


HS will recognize and announce the first incoming call after that:

11/20/2008 4:01:36 PM HSPhone Ring
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM HSPhone CID Name: CRANFORD D CID Number: 501xxxxxxx
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM Info Caller ID Name: CRANFORD D Number: 501xxxxxxx
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM HSPhone Searching for a match on CID. CID Num is: 501xxxxxxx
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM HSPhone Caller is not set to pop up CID information
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM Info Speak ():Excuse me, you have a call from line 2
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM HSPhone Found match in address book
11/20/2008 4:01:40 PM HSPhone Incoming call. From: David Cranford 501xxxxxxx
11/20/2008 4:01:42 PM HSPhone Ring
11/20/2008 4:01:48 PM HSPhone Ring


But, after that, HS will not recognize an incoming call until I save the Way2Call settings again.

(Note, I edited the phone number. The real phone number is displayed in the HS log).

[Wadenut]

I recently had a problem with Caller Id on the W2C. Although mine was random. Some callers were identified, others not. It was suggested to uncheck "Reset Caller ID after first ring". This did seem to solve my problem.

Lately it seems to be one thing after another.

[DC]

"Reset caller ID after first ring" is set to NO.

There seems to be very little information about configuring the Way2Call in the HS help file. I'm just guessing what most of the options do so I'm doing a lot of trial-and-error.

[Wadenut]

I'm just guessing what most of the options do so I'm doing a lot of trial-and-error.

Welcome to the club
You might try turning on detailed logging in HS Phone. It may turn something up.
Sorry I can't offer more assistance. I'd log a help desk ticket if I were you.

[DC]

Detailed logging is on. Does it use the regular HS log? If so, the messages I posted initially are all there are.

I have opened a help desk case also.

[Alconnell]

Couple of questions:
1) What OS are you using?
2) Have you disabled the Way2Call in the system tray?
3) Have you tried de/reinstalling the Way2Call drivers?
4) Does HS recognize if you press # key on your phone after the behavior?
The driver installation can be quirky. And I have no idea how it works on Vista. But those are things worth looking at.
Good Luck.

[DC]

Couple of questions:
1) What OS are you using? XP Embedded. I have a HomeTroller 2.
2) Have you disabled the Way2Call in the system tray? I didn't disable it but it seems to be disabled. There is an icon called "Hi-Phone Desktop" that is suspended.
3) Have you tried de/reinstalling the Way2Call drivers? No. I didn't install any drivers. I just connected the Way2Call and the OS recognized it and said it was ready for use. I assume the HomeTroller comes with the drivers pre-installed. Without any documentation, it's hard to know how I am supposed to install it.
4) Does HS recognize if you press # key on your phone after the behavior? I haven't tried this. I don't have my house phones connected through the Way2Call. I only want it for CallerID.

[completelyhis]

Couple of questions:
1) What OS are you using? XP Embedded. I have a HomeTroller 2.
2) Have you disabled the Way2Call in the system tray? I didn't disable it but it seems to be disabled. There is an icon called "Hi-Phone Desktop" that is suspended.
3) Have you tried de/reinstalling the Way2Call drivers? No. I didn't install any drivers. I just connected the Way2Call and the OS recognized it and said it was ready for use. I assume the HomeTroller comes with the drivers pre-installed. Without any documentation, it's hard to know how I am supposed to install it.
4) Does HS recognize if you press # key on your phone after the behavior? I haven't tried this. I don't have my house phones connected through the Way2Call. I only want it for CallerID.

Dave,
Make sure you have the most current version of the software from the way2call.com website. i Know they just released a new version, i can't remember if it is only for vista, though. worth checking out.

I don't think you want your w2c to be suspended, in the task tray, but if it works once, it works, so that's probably not the problem. Me thinks it's a settings issue.

For what you are wanting, I'd do settings like this:
Ignore modem caller id = no
external call answering mode = do nothing
answer immediately and treat as an internal call = no
internal answering enabled =no
mute all incoming rings = no
answer internal immiately on off-hook = no
use external power = yes
mute rings only until caller id is available = no


That's not all the settings, just the ones that would matter.

Ian

[DC]

All those settings are exactly as you specified. Hopefully, I'll hear from HST soon about my help desk ticket. If the Way2Call isn't 100% reliable, it will have to go back. For the cost, I thought it would be!

I tried unsuspending "H-Phone" but when I do it looks for the Way2Call on Comm1, Comm2, Comm3 and Comm4. Since it's on a USB port, it doesn't find it and give me two options -- "Retry" and "Suspend".

I would like to know if the Way2Call isn't recognizing the incoming call and caller-id or if it's just not communicating that information to HS. Is there a way to do that?

[completelyhis]

the way i can think of is to have you hook up the house phone to it, use it to handle incoming calls, place out going calls, etc for a few minutes, at least. also, close HS down and run the test from the w2c icon, you can save the test results as a txt file. it will help hst with the help ticket, if nothing else. it will also confirm to you if the problem is the hardware or hs.

[Alconnell]

W2C should be suspended in the tray or Windows will take it over and HS won't see it. Can you plug a phone in the W2C to check if HS will see it when you use it? Also, post your startup log as pertains to the W2C. I would think even with Hometroller, some setup would be required, but I'm not sure.

[DC]

Can you plug a phone in the W2C to check if HS will see it when you use it?

I can plug a phone into the W2C but I'm not sure what you mean "check if HS will see it when you use it". Use what? The phone? What should HS see when I use that phone?

I found installation instructions for the W2C on the main HomeSeer web site. I don't know why they weren't included with the W2C. I'll follow that process this weekend and see if it helps.

[completelyhis]

your log should show things like "on hook" "off hook," for example. if you have the settings set up to recognize the # for internal control (so you can use the phone to do VR" then it should respond to that as well.

[DC]

your log should show things like "on hook" "off hook," for example. if you have the settings set up to recognize the # for internal control (so you can use the phone to do VR" then it should respond to that as well.

I don't have all my phones connected through the W2C. I'm not interested in using a phone to do VR. The way I use HS is that it's almost fully automated -- I interact very little with it. The only thing I need W2C for is to get caller-id information to HS so it can announce callers on the whole-house audio system. I was doing that with a HomeTroller and PCI modem but the HomeTroller 2 doesn't have a PCI slot so I had to get a W2C instead.
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[completelyhis]

I don't have all my phones connected through the W2C. I'm not interested in using a phone to do VR. The way I use HS is that it's almost fully automated -- I interact very little with it. The only thing I need W2C for is to get caller-id information to HS so it can announce callers on the whole-house audio system. I was doing that with a HomeTroller and PCI modem but the HomeTroller 2 doesn't have a PCI slot so I had to get a W2C instead.
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right.

what I was suggesting was for diagnostic purposes.