SPA112 invalid call sate (alarm system/voip)

[evacc4444]

Hello. I have a SPA112 setup with my voip pbx. Line 1 is connected to my (very old - late 1980s ITI Caretaker system) alarm system. Line 2 is a normal analog phone. Both lines work correctly (dialing out and receiving calls) when the phone is hooked up, but when I plug my alarm system into Line 1 I get a blinking light on the physical ATA for this line. The status of the line from the web interface is "invalid" call state.

The alarm system reports "phone line failure". If I try to reset the SPA112 through the web interface it tells me that a voice call is in progress and I can't reset until it is done. I unplug the alarm system from line 1 and I can then restart the ATA.

What should I be looking for here as far as line settings? I have tried so many different configurations on the SPA112 that I can't even summarize what permutations I have tried.

Attached are my current settings.

[Dan Lukes]

Syslog&debug captured from phone's Voice Application is necessary to analyze the issue.

But as a blind shot - I assume the alarm's line is considered off-hook all the times. You can see such state for a short time once alarm become plugged in to SPA112. But no dialing occur, dialing timeout is fired and line state turns into invalid then.

[reymundo48]

Try: DTMF TX Method: Inband + Info and under your network settings ensure that network jitter buffer adjustment is set to: NO. 

What I posted in a similar thread: 

I have been through about 20 different forums, support pages, everything! I was able to successfully get ..... now 3 Alarm lines fixed and operating off a Cisco SPA122 where as before my company did not previously offer that type of solution. 

The secret Sauce within the Line settings on FW:  Version 1.3.5 (004p)

Network Settings:

Network Jitter Level: Has worked on Both High/Extremely High

Jitter Buffer Adjustment: No

Audio Configuration: 

DTMF Tx Method: Inband+INFO (default is Auto)

DTMF Tx Mode: Normal (default is Strict)

I've also read through posts about T38 needing to be enabled and have it working when enabled and disabled so i will go ahead and label that as a setting that's not needed on an ATA for an alarm line to work. Also want to note that echo Cancellation set to: Yes does not impact the alarm line operation but also saw that setting thrown around in some forums. 

Again, i'm no alarm expert, SIP/VOIP engineer or even understand DTMF in it's entirety but these are the settings that worked for me. 

Cheers, 

RJ Maldonado 

Network Technician  

[Dan Lukes]

I appreciate your attempt to help, but placing the same comment again and again under various threads, even those unrelated to things you are speaking about, helps to no one. May be you should read the issue description first ...

Cheers

Dan

[Dan Lukes]

Only the ones regarding spa112 or spa122 that were unable to get an alarm line to process correctly and would connect to the alarm company just not process the tones, I examined sas traces toyed around with settings and was able to get mine to work in addition to a few customer so it seems relevant, just offering some settings to test rather than more possible questions since this thread is still unsolved

Not every alarm sytem is using DTMF to communicate with alarm center. But even if system is using DTMF, best DTMF Tx Method depends on PBX - there's no single advice for all. And you even didn't described your environment - the alarm system and PBX/provider the SPA1x2 is connected to - so we don't know for which environment your kind advise apply.

Jut note this thread issue is - alarm system doesn't dial at all. So we have no connected line and we need not to care how to transfer information thru it until we have one.

[andretremblay]

Thank you so much reymundo48 for those configuration tips, it is working perfectly with the ADEMCO Vista 20p we have at the office with our Montreal alarm central. 

Up to now, most technicians were telling us that the Vista 20p can't communicate over VoIP. 

After testing, the alarm central is receiving the events communications as it did with the traditional copper wired phone lines. 

[reymundo48]

That's Awesome @andretremblay ;

I figured if I got this working with the ancient alarm systems experienced with the customers in Southeast Colorado it might benefit a few others. Could not find any sort of recommendations for settings and usually starting somewhere poses solutions! 

Thanks for the helpful votes and hopefully saved you the pain of any crazy research! 

Have a blessed week, 

RJ Maldonado

Network Operations

[andretremblay]

Hello RJ,

I don't know how you found this setup, but I may say that you just nailed it!

After more than 24 hours of testing, I observed that all communications were successful between the Vista 20p and the alarm central, as I am receiving confirmations by emails for everyone of them.

For many days, with the help of a knowledgeable expert, we struggled to find why the ADEMCO Vista 20p was generating “Communication Failure” errors with the new CISCO SPA112 over VoIP.

Your suggested settings are simple and clear.

I decided to give a try!

On the very first trial the communication went through as it was doing with the previous POT lines.

On the moment, it looks like magic, as most other technicians in the alarm industry were telling that Honeywell alarm system couldn't work over VoIP because of there CID protocol!

As a reminder, here are my notes for my intervention, previous settings between parenthesis:

https://community.cisco.com/t5/atas-gateways-and-accessories/spa112-invalid-call-sate-alarm-system-voip/td-p/3377131

Network Settings:
Network Jitter Level: High
Jitter Buffer Adjustment: No (yes)

Audio Configuration:
DTMF Tx Method: Inband+INFO (default is Auto)
DTMF Tx Mode: Normal (default is Strict)


Again, thanks a bunch for your post!

My best regards

André Tremblay
PhotoGraphex