(OT) Need Some Expert Network Advice

Mark Phillips mark at phillipsmarketing.biz
Fri Jan 28 14:25:56 MST 2011 

YAUD (Yet Another Update)....please see below.

On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 2:19 PM, Mark Phillips
<mark at phillipsmarketing.biz>wrote:

> Please see updates below....
>
> On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 12:46 PM, Mark Phillips <
> mark at phillipsmarketing.biz> wrote:
>
>> Thanks to everyone for their help on this problem. After replacing my
>> phone, learning some of wireshark's features (way cool stuff), I have been
>> able to get wifi calling working from my office network. I have to change
>> some settings in both my wireless access point and my router.....I need some
>> feedback if these changes are opening my network up for problems.
>>
>> To recap, my network has a Motorola cable modem connected to a Linksys
>> BEFSX-41 router, and then I have a Linksys WRT54G Wireless router configured
>> as a WiFi access point. Lots of switches to connect the LAN to various
>> computers.
>>
>> 1. On the WRT54G access point, I had to disable MAC filtering. I had it
>> setup as only permitting certain devices based on MAC address. When enabled,
>> I can't connect to the T-Mobile network for WiFi calls.
>>
>> 2. On the BEFSX-41 router I had to disable the 'firewall protection, which
>> means I have disabled SPI. If this is enabled, then my phone can't connect
>> to T-Mobile for WiFi calls. I still have these setting enabled:
>> Block Anonymous Internet Requests
>> Filter Multicast
>> Filter IDENT (Port 113)
>>
>
> The  BEFSX-41 has a DMZ option for port 4, so I connected that port
> directly to the WRT54G, turned on firewall protection, and I can now make
> wifi calls from a somewhat more secure network. Still can not have MAC
> address filtering on the wireless side, but I think that is probably OK.
>

Well, I spoke too soon. With the WRT54G connected to the DMZ port, I can
turn on MAC address filtering and still make WiFi calls. So, I am back to
where I started with network security..just had to swap 2 wires in the
closet to make WiFi calls.....

Cheers!

Mark

>
> Am I missing anything?
>
> Mark
>
>>
>> I don't think #1 is a big issue, but #2 scares me. If either one is a
>> major security problem, can you suggest any way I can isolate the phone in
>> someway to shore up the security for the rest of the network.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 8:13 PM, Joseph Sinclair <
>> plug-discussion at stcaz.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Something like Wireshark (or other similar tool) on the local network
>>> might help you diagnose the root of the problem you have with T-Mobile WiFi
>>> calling at home.
>>> You'll be "drinking from the firehose" when you monitor the detail
>>> traffic for your network, but if you can filter down to just the packets
>>> to/from your phone you may be able to see what kind of network issues it's
>>> having and figure out how to make it work more reliably.
>>>
>>> Mark Phillips wrote:
>>> > The Gizmo5 service is gone...Google acquired them in Thursday, November
>>> 12,
>>> > 2009. It is being rolled into google voice; not yet released.
>>> >
>>> > I am trying to understand how google voice can help me make calls over
>>> WiFi.
>>> > I don't really want another phone number. Is that the only way to
>>> connect my
>>> > phone for WiFi calling? Is there no way to diagnose why my network
>>> setup
>>> > won't allow WiFi calling from my phone?
>>> >
>>> > Thanks,
>>> >
>>> > Mark
>>> >
>>> > On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 9:44 AM, Lisa Kachold <lisakachold at obnosis.com
>>> >wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Hi Mark and Jordan,
>>> >>
>>> >> On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 9:33 AM, Jordan Aberle <
>>> jordan.aberle at gmail.com>wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>> Have you tried this?
>>> >>>
>>> >>> http://tinyurl.com/luwroy
>>> >>>
>>> >> This is HOT!
>>> >>
>>> >> Excerpt:
>>> >>
>>> >> The one big thing Google Voice doesn't offer, besides automated
>>> >> telemarketer taunting, is free voice-over-internet phone calling
>>> through
>>> >> your cellphone. On an Android phone, however, you can use the Gizmo5
>>> >> service <http://gizmo5.com/>, Google Voice, and a free application to
>>> call
>>> >> anyone for free.
>>> >>
>>> >> A free, open-source, and unofficial Android app, Guava<
>>> http://gizmo5.com/guava.html?loc=guava>,
>>> >> gives any Android phone the ability to make and take calls over
>>> Gizmo5's
>>> >> VoIP service, connected through a Google Voice phone number. It works
>>> over
>>> >> Wi-Fi, 3G, or, for the daring, EDGE. You probably won't want to use
>>> Guava as
>>> >> your primary phone call manager, as the call quality varies with your
>>> >> connection and really works best over Wi-Fi. That said, if you're
>>> running up
>>> >> against your minute allotment, or find yourself in a basement-like
>>> spot with
>>> >> decent Wi-Fi but really bad cell coverage, Guava is a great little
>>> tool to
>>> >> have at your disposal.
>>> >>
>>> >> It's also worth noting that, depending on who your carrier is, making
>>> a
>>> >> VoIP call over an EDGE or 3G network may violate your contract's terms
>>> of
>>> >> service. A little "hard" data use now and then likely won't be
>>> noticed, but
>>> >> if you plan on using Guava heavily with your cellular data plan, you
>>> should
>>> >> check and read into what's tolerated and what's not before embarking
>>> on your
>>> >> bold data-only adventure.
>>> >> Mark, will you let us know how it goes?
>>> >>
>>> >>> On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 9:01 AM, Mark Phillips
>>> >>> <mark at phillipsmarketing.biz> wrote:
>>> >>>> This is not totally off topic.....Android is based on Linux....;-)
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> I need some advice from an expert in networks to give me some advice
>>> on
>>> >>>> getting my phone to make WiFi calls....
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Anyway, I have a T-Mobile MyTouch 4g phone. It is supposed to be
>>> able to
>>> >>>> make calls over WiFi, which do not use an plan minutes...ie "free"
>>> >>> calls. I
>>> >>>> depend on this phone for my business, and I have a wireless network
>>> at
>>> >>> the
>>> >>>> office, so I don't have to pay for gillions of minutes. This worked
>>> >>> great
>>> >>>> when I had my Blackberrys - I could talk all day in the office and
>>> not
>>> >>> use
>>> >>>> any minutes. All of this is above board with T-Mobile - I actually
>>> pay a
>>> >>> low
>>> >>>> monthly fee for unlimited WiFi calling.
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Anyway, much to my chagrin, I discovered yesterday that I had gone
>>> way
>>> >>> over
>>> >>>> my plan minutes. I checked with T-Mobile, and none of my calls had
>>> gone
>>> >>> over
>>> >>>> WiFi. The agent refunded all the charges for the over-plan minutes
>>> and
>>> >>> gave
>>> >>>> me extra minutes to get through the rest of the month. She sent me
>>> to
>>> >>>> technical support, and we could not get my phone to make calls over
>>> my
>>> >>> WiFi
>>> >>>> network. Even though the phone says I am connected to WiFi. So, I
>>> went
>>> >>> to
>>> >>>> the T-Mobile corporate store in Fashion Square, and the manager (she
>>> has
>>> >>> the
>>> >>>> same phone) and I tried to connect to the mall WiFi, and we could
>>> >>> connect to
>>> >>>> the mall WiFi, but could not make WiFi calls. Same error - could not
>>> >>> connect
>>> >>>> to T-Mobile network.  I then tried to make a WiFi call at Starbucks,
>>> and
>>> >>> it
>>> >>>> worked! It also worked at Barnes and Noble after I agreed to the
>>> free
>>> >>>> Internet terms and services (didn't work before then).
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> I googled for issues with WiFi calls with this phone, and found a
>>> lot of
>>> >>>> them. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The error message
>>> >>> that
>>> >>>> pops up says the phone cannot connect to the T-Mobile network.
>>> T-Mobile
>>> >>> is
>>> >>>> aware of the issue, but does not have a fix or ETA for one.
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> One posting had this to say about the WiFi calling.....
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> The WiFi Calling app is Kineto's WiFi Calling app branded for
>>> T-Mobile.
>>> >>>  The
>>> >>>> WiFi Calling app is an implementation of 3GPP GAN, which allows
>>> >>> something on
>>> >>>> the Internet to get into a cellular network and do stuff (in this
>>> case,
>>> >>> make
>>> >>>> and receive calls).If you care to pull up the most recent version of
>>> the
>>> >>>> spec, linked above, you'll find that "registering" (ie, logging into
>>> >>> home
>>> >>>> base) involves these steps (get a glass of warm milk and see
>>> 8.4.1.6)
>>> >>> ...
>>> >>>> 1) Performing a DNS query to get the address of thing it's trying to
>>> >>> connect
>>> >>>> to (if necessary)
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> 2) Setting up an IPSec tunnel to thing resolved in step 1 (called a
>>> >>> SEGW)
>>> >>>>  3) Resolving and connecting to (using TCP over the tunnel setup in
>>> step
>>> >>> 2)
>>> >>>> yet another thing called a GANC
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> 4) Sending the GANC a "register request", which includes your
>>> phone's
>>> >>> IMSI,
>>> >>>> information about the cell you're currently connected to, or last
>>> >>> connected
>>> >>>> to if no longer connected, and other stuff
>>> >> This is a capacity and QoS issue on the other side.  Get another app.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>>> 5) Getting back a response that the GANC is happy with you and all
>>> is
>>> >>> well
>>> >>>> I started to think that perhaps I have a router issue on my network.
>>> I
>>> >>> have
>>> >>>> a Linksys WRT54G wireless access point going through a BEFSX-41
>>> Linksys
>>> >>>> router to my cable modem. I checked the routers, and IPsec is
>>> enabled
>>> >>> for
>>> >>>> both. The WRT54G uses MAC filter to allow only certain devices to
>>> >>> connect,
>>> >>>> and WPA Personal, AES algorithm, and a shared key of 64 characters
>>> in
>>> >>> it.
>>> >>>> The WRT54G says I am connected to the phone when I enable WiFi on
>>> the
>>> >>> phone.
>>> >>>> This is a long way to get to my question...thanks for staying with
>>> me.
>>> >>> is
>>> >>>> there a way to look at what the phone is doing when I try to enable
>>> WiFi
>>> >>>> calling to see where it fails? A wireless sniffer?? Does any of the
>>> >>> above
>>> >>>> give you network gurus an idea of what may be wrong and if it could
>>> be
>>> >>> in
>>> >>>> issue with my router?
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Thanks for any help you can provide....I would hate to go back to a
>>> >>>> Blackberry as I really like Android now!
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Mark
>>> >>
>>> >> --
>>> >>
>>> >> (503) 754-4452
>>> >> (623) 688-3392
>>> >>
>>> >>  http://www.obnosis.com
>>> >>
>>> >>
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>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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>>
>>
>
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