MercurialIN
11-10-06, 01:26 AM
I've never started a thread before, so I apologize if I'm not doing this properly, perhaps a moderator could fix this if I'm not.
I'm having a problem that appears to be related to the R 15 (I have the model 300) it appears that the modem may be going bad. For the last month or so I've noticed that all of a sudden the "extension in use" light will go on on my phones and when I pick up the receiver all I get is an earful of computer tones, like a computer trying to connect to the internet. It lasts for maybe 15-20 seconds then it hangs up and I get the normal dial tone. I have had my local phone company out numerous times and they have checked both the inside and outside phone lines, jacks etc. and have determined they are fine.
They suggested I unplug anything that uses the phone line except for one phone and see if the problem reoccurrs. It did cease once I did that and as I started plugging things back in, one at a time, phones, DSL modem, DVR's etc. Everything still seemed fine, until, I replugged in the final item, (this was done over a week or two long period of plugging things back in one at a time and giving them a day or two to see if the problem reoccurred) that final item to be plugged back into the phone line was my R 15. Within ten minutes the "in use" came on, twice on my phones. I do have DSL and I have a filter on each phone jack, I even had my modem unplugged from the power as well as the phone line and the problem continued, so the DSL modem has been cleared of being the problem.
I called D to ask if they believed the R 15 could be the culprit and they said possibly, if the R 15's modem is going bad. Anyway, on a whim I tried plugging the R 15 into the "computer" side of the DSL filter instead of the phone line side, for a brief few hours the problem ceased but eventually restarted. I now have the R 15 unplugged from the phone line, and so far the problem hasn't happened again. Tech support said they could replace the R 15 but so far I've declined.
Here is the problem, one of the main reasons I was interested in the R 15 to begin with is for the Caller ID feature, I am disabled with various chronic health problems and it's hard for me to get up and down to check the caller ID box I have attached to the phone where the R 15 is, I was very happy to have Caller ID on the R 15 so when someone would call I'd see the notice on the screen and know whether or not I needed to get up immediately to take the call or if it could wait until I was up for another reason. I am extremely disappointed to have to give up the phone line to the R 15 thus losing the Caller ID feature, which only started working again in Sept after having not worked since July.
If the modem is going bad on the R 15 will there be any other problems because of this? I've started ordering pay per view movies on the net so I can record them on both my DVR's so I don't miss the phone line for that reason. But I really miss the Caller ID feature. The reason I am declining to have D send out another R 15 is for one, I absolutely do not want a refurb, I've had bad experiences with that and I've had enough trouble with new R 15's, I'm on box number four now. And I specifically requested last time, and was sent the model 300 because the record light is more vivid and easier for me to see from a distance without having to turn the unit on to see if it is recording. A little thing I know but very helpful if your eyesight is lacking. I also prefer the smaller box that is the model 300. I had two model 500's and they were bigger and heavier and the record light was so faint on both that even the installer admitted he had trouble seeing them with normal eyesight.
I know my reasons may not make sense to others but they are important to me. As silly as this may sound I am rarely able to get new things and it was important to me getting a new, not refurbished R 15 that was besides having a history of problems when I have dealt with refurbished units with other electronics. It's usually been a disaster for me. I'm sorry this is so long but I really don't know where else to turn for advice and this forum has always helped me so much before. Bottom line, is if I decide to simply plug the R 15 back in to the phone line and just live with the "in use" light coming on several times a day and night and hearing computer tones at times on the line will that be the biggest problem? Or like I mentioned if it is the modem going bad and I keep the unit am I in for bigger, different problems. I really, truly don't want to call D and get a refurb. Input would be appreciated. Thank you.
FYI: I have already tried replacing the phone line to the R 15 as well as putting on a new DSL Filter.
I'm having a problem that appears to be related to the R 15 (I have the model 300) it appears that the modem may be going bad. For the last month or so I've noticed that all of a sudden the "extension in use" light will go on on my phones and when I pick up the receiver all I get is an earful of computer tones, like a computer trying to connect to the internet. It lasts for maybe 15-20 seconds then it hangs up and I get the normal dial tone. I have had my local phone company out numerous times and they have checked both the inside and outside phone lines, jacks etc. and have determined they are fine.
They suggested I unplug anything that uses the phone line except for one phone and see if the problem reoccurrs. It did cease once I did that and as I started plugging things back in, one at a time, phones, DSL modem, DVR's etc. Everything still seemed fine, until, I replugged in the final item, (this was done over a week or two long period of plugging things back in one at a time and giving them a day or two to see if the problem reoccurred) that final item to be plugged back into the phone line was my R 15. Within ten minutes the "in use" came on, twice on my phones. I do have DSL and I have a filter on each phone jack, I even had my modem unplugged from the power as well as the phone line and the problem continued, so the DSL modem has been cleared of being the problem.
I called D to ask if they believed the R 15 could be the culprit and they said possibly, if the R 15's modem is going bad. Anyway, on a whim I tried plugging the R 15 into the "computer" side of the DSL filter instead of the phone line side, for a brief few hours the problem ceased but eventually restarted. I now have the R 15 unplugged from the phone line, and so far the problem hasn't happened again. Tech support said they could replace the R 15 but so far I've declined.
Here is the problem, one of the main reasons I was interested in the R 15 to begin with is for the Caller ID feature, I am disabled with various chronic health problems and it's hard for me to get up and down to check the caller ID box I have attached to the phone where the R 15 is, I was very happy to have Caller ID on the R 15 so when someone would call I'd see the notice on the screen and know whether or not I needed to get up immediately to take the call or if it could wait until I was up for another reason. I am extremely disappointed to have to give up the phone line to the R 15 thus losing the Caller ID feature, which only started working again in Sept after having not worked since July.
If the modem is going bad on the R 15 will there be any other problems because of this? I've started ordering pay per view movies on the net so I can record them on both my DVR's so I don't miss the phone line for that reason. But I really miss the Caller ID feature. The reason I am declining to have D send out another R 15 is for one, I absolutely do not want a refurb, I've had bad experiences with that and I've had enough trouble with new R 15's, I'm on box number four now. And I specifically requested last time, and was sent the model 300 because the record light is more vivid and easier for me to see from a distance without having to turn the unit on to see if it is recording. A little thing I know but very helpful if your eyesight is lacking. I also prefer the smaller box that is the model 300. I had two model 500's and they were bigger and heavier and the record light was so faint on both that even the installer admitted he had trouble seeing them with normal eyesight.
I know my reasons may not make sense to others but they are important to me. As silly as this may sound I am rarely able to get new things and it was important to me getting a new, not refurbished R 15 that was besides having a history of problems when I have dealt with refurbished units with other electronics. It's usually been a disaster for me. I'm sorry this is so long but I really don't know where else to turn for advice and this forum has always helped me so much before. Bottom line, is if I decide to simply plug the R 15 back in to the phone line and just live with the "in use" light coming on several times a day and night and hearing computer tones at times on the line will that be the biggest problem? Or like I mentioned if it is the modem going bad and I keep the unit am I in for bigger, different problems. I really, truly don't want to call D and get a refurb. Input would be appreciated. Thank you.
FYI: I have already tried replacing the phone line to the R 15 as well as putting on a new DSL Filter.