Is the global initial dialup # broken?  

I had a friend who has been having broadband issues since 5/8 and
guide data is about to run out tomorrow.

I suggested they connect replay using modem until they fix the
broadband issues.

Despite multiple attempts to switch from ethernet to modem,
changing the speed 9600, 14.4, 28.8, etc. they were unable to
perform the *initial* connect where you give it your area code
and prefix and it dials the 800 # to get a list of local #s.

We hear the unit dial and the server side modem pickup and
negotiate the connection, but then the replay status switches
from "dialing" to "connecting", then "disconnecting" It never
tried to download the local numbers.

I tried it on my 50xx and it does the same thing. At first I was
tricked into thinking mine was working because I had both the
ethernet and phone line plugged in. In this case, when you
switch to modem, it dials up the 800#, but when it downloads
the phone # information it uses ethernet instead of using the
dialup modem connection, making you think the initial dialup
worked, when it didn't. When I redid the sequence, with the
ethernet disconnected, the dialup failed just as described above.

Anyone seeing this problem? It would affect people switching
from ethernet to modem who've never configured modem or
people installing replay for the first time and choosing modem.

I don't think replay will actually use the # for net connect until you can
configure the initial list of local phone #s. It would be nice if that worked
because the local dialins are working but the 800# for the initial master
list of local dialups is failing (it seems failing during the login because the
modems negotiate enough to get past the "dialing" stage)

Also I don't recall for sure, but I thought replay limited the prefix area
to something like 5 or 6 numbers in the recent software and this
workaround was more useful for the older generation.

blacknoi's suggestions, while innovative, fell to icecow's dial tone detection
dilemma.

I ended up doing a variation/simplification of icecow's suggestion.

o I picked up a handset and let Replay dial the 800#
o once it finished dialing, I disconnected the phone plug from Replay
o hung up the handset
o picked up handset
o dialed known working local #
o reconnected phone line to replay

During this time replay was doing the countdown waiting for modem tones
and it negotiated with the substituted remote modem nicely when the
phone line was reconnected.

So it seems (for this scenario) the 800# wasn't working (there's a modem
listening but it looks like PPP login failed) but when substituting a local #
it does work.

Despite some skepticism I tried the factory reset steverap suggested and
it worked. I specifically tested the global 800 dialup prior to 382-zones
and verified it dialed, connected, but disconnected without downloading
local phone #s. I immediately performed 382-zones and configured for
modem during Initial Setup and it worked without issues.

My suspicions at this point are similar to steverap's and I'm further
*guessing* the PPP login information for local dialup and 800 dialup are
different and during the initial setup, the 800 dialup uses the correct
login, but if you configure for ethernet in the initial setup, then try to
switch to modem, the 800 dialup uses the wrong PPP login information.

Once you have modem configured properly, it doesn't bother with calling
the 800# when you switch back and forth from ethernet to modem because
it uses the dialup information previously downloaded/configured so most
people wouldn't notice this problem. Only people who initially configure for
ethernet (and thus don't have any previously saved dialup info), then later
try to configure for modem will see this problem (steverap mentioned this
indirectly) The other case is when you configure for modem, then later
need to switch area code and the 800 # needs to be contacted again.

To verify some of this theory, I performed a second factory reset, this
time configuring for ethernet in the Initial Setup and then switching to
modem. Same failure as before on the global 800 dialup. Please note
in this experiment I needed to disconnect the ethernet cable *and reboot*
prior to trying modem, or another bug in replay would cause it to dialup
then hang because it still thinks the ethernet connection is active and
even though it dials the 800#, tries to send packets to ethernet interface.

Not sure if it would make any difference but these test were run on build 141.

I think the common scenarios where this 800 dialup # would most likely
be seen would be:

1) configured initially for broadband but due to broadband problems decide
to switch to modem temporarily

2) configured initially for broadband to download latest software then
switch to modem for longer term setup

3) configure initially for broadband, then sell unit on ebay to someone who
is going to use dialup instead

4) configure for modem, then later need to switch to different area code

Hope this information is useful to somebody and thanks for all your
suggestions.

You're right, funny thing I've seen that screen many times and changed
the speed a few times recently and never even noticed the wait for
dial tone option. Talk about tunnel vision.

It turns out for me the variation on icecow's workaround was simpler
for me to use. I think I dialed an Oklahoma # by mistake when trying
blacknoi's suggestion because I entered the last digit '9' and didn't
pick up the phone before replay could dial out. I think 9 1-800-xxx-xxxx
is an Oklahoma # :( At least it wasn't 911.