SPA3102 red light blinking

IA AP · ‎01-30-2017

Hi,

I am hoping I can get some help here. I have spa3102 which started creating click sound and would drop ethernet connection and as a result started dropping calls. I noticed that on picking up phone it would create a click sound and ethernet goes out for a sec or two and then comes back but ofcourse due to this the calls drop.

So after reading a bit I decided to upgrade firmware to 5.2.13 I believe, the latest from the site. It took the update and I was working with it fine, assigned IP address but still was noticing click sound and network drop. After a little while reboot it as it was still clicking. Now after reboot it didnt come back. Its blinking red power light with a short green light. So its like slow red and then short green and keeps repeating. I tried recovery tool but didnt work cause there is not network connection and IVR not responding either.

Please help..

thanks

Dan Lukes · ‎01-30-2017

So little chance to success.

It may be caused by broken power adapter, so try another one. But I assume it's just hardware failure of SPA3102 instead. You should consider to replace it by SPA122 (as SPA3102 is no longer available).

IA AP · ‎01-30-2017

oh that would be quite odd as it kept working for quite a while after firmware update and then goes out. I was able to bring up GUI and put in SIP details etc after update and then it had problem. But intermittent problems has been going on with the its network interface along with clicking.

IA AP · ‎01-30-2017

one more thing Dan. I had 3 SIP gateways defined on this device which I use along with dial plan to certain destinations/numbers.

Does SPA122 support gateways ? I thought SPA122 is quite basic & similar to PAP2 ?

Dan Lukes · ‎01-30-2017

The PAP2T successor is SPA112. SPA122 is like SPA2102.

Moreover, you need to be more specific asking for "support gateways". The feature set supported is not the same, so it may or may not fit your requirements.

IA AP · ‎01-30-2017

so I opened the device and there is no capacitor burnt and no marks at all. For some reason I think its firmware issue (maybe corrupt?) or config that I saved after everything was good got corrupted ? Does the flashing light like that points to that or some other issue ? I didnt find this flashing pattern in any documentation.

Is there any data sheet for the chip inside so I know which pins are for data and which for voltage etc ?

In terms of replacement, I guess there is no replacement from Cisco which has the same features as SPA3102 (except for very high end models) ?

Dan Lukes · ‎01-30-2017

I opened the device and there is no capacitor burnt and no marks at all.

You like living on the edge isn't it ?

OK. If the internal firmware is corrupt, it's worse than hardware failure. There are just two chances - it's good enough to start and it will allow you to re-flash it. It seems not to be case. Or it's broken enough to be recognized broken - in such case device should be in recovery mode and firmware recovery tool may be able to flash new firmware into it. It seems to be your only chance.

Is there any data sheet for the chip inside so I know which pins are for data and which for voltage etc ?

Definitely, you are man with no fear ;-)

Sorry, I never meet SPA3102 - even with no opened case. So I know nothing about chips inside. But I'm familiar with SPA50x's insides as repaired few of them. If I will assume similar design, then there's an generic MCU. With a luck, you will be able to identify JTAG wires. But no documentation beyond generic documentation related to the chip used.

It may be famous challenge to repair it, and be sure I recognize this kind of challenges as well, but unless you consider your time valueless, it's far more expensive to repair it than implement brand new solution ...

I guess there is no replacement from Cisco which has the same features as SPA3102 (except for very high end models)

No replacement at all, IMHO. But as you are willing use even solder to repair it, you may consider other solution acceptable. Use any dumb POTS<->SIP bridge - wither two SPA112 or even a non-Cisco bridge. And use an small embedded computer like Raspberry PI or so running a Linux distribution and Asterisk in-between to implement all the smart logic you wish for.

IA AP · ‎01-30-2017

- it's good enough to start and it will allow you to re-flash it. It seems not to be case. Or it's broken enough to be recognized broken -

haha.. I dont give up easy on my gold devices like you said :).

Anyhow, I think i will give it a try to replace adapter first. Electrical components are not burnt but you never know. It could be beyond usable.

It may be famous challenge to repair it, and be sure I recognize this kind of challenges as well, but unless you consider your time valueless, it's far more expensive to repair it than implement brand new solution ...

I am just going to try it a few times. Not going to spend too much time on this as I know the latest hardware is much better in voice reception. Quality of new devices like SPA112 or SPA122 I am not sure about.

No replacement at all, IMHO. But as you are willing use even solder to repair it, you may consider other solution acceptable. Use any dumb POTS<->SIP bridge - wither two SPA112 or even a non-Cisco bridge.

yes I am sad to hear this. But I guess that was the decision made by Cisco.

I havent tried what you said above. Is that possible to have simple SPA112 devices in such a manner as you mentioned above ?

I think to route calls to multiple SIP/VOIP providers based on dialplan I can take a look at Asterisk but never played with it before.

Dan Lukes · ‎01-30-2017

Broken adapter may provide so noised DC. It may disrupt casual chip functions. Dried-out electrolytic capacitors on the PCB may cause the same.

Quality of new devices like SPA112 or SPA122 I am not sure about.

At the time of their release, the firmware has been just unsuitable for production deployment. Even after two years, it still has been unstable and buggy. Although current firmware looks acceptable, my trust to this product line is broken badly. Also, almost nonexistent vendor support needs to be taken into consideration.

Is that possible to have simple SPA112 devices in such a manner as you mentioned above ?

Despite my previous paragraph, SPA112 can be used as simple (POTS1<->SIP1, POTS1<->SIP2) bridge. Even with SPA112 you can try to route calls using dial plan tricks (see DialPlan string for SPA122 with <@sip-operator;uid/usr=; pwd= > for more) but it's still not so well documented feature. I verified it working on particular firmware, but I'm unsure it's safe to depend on it.

I can take a look at Asterisk but never played with it before

I don't know your skills. But I guess you can take it.

IA AP · ‎01-30-2017

hey something strange happened. While playing with SPA3102 after opening it I get it to a state which is different from before, i.e red light just flashing with short green light.

Now its red power light is flashing slow and then rapid, looks to me 3 times. But green is on too. I tried to ping to last known IP and its responding. However there is no IVR. I loaded up 5.2.13 recover tool and it can communicate with it and tried to upload firmware again which started to load. Half way through the upgrade device powered off and went to initial condition of red blinking and firmware upgrade failed to complete :(.

Now dont know what to make of this condition. its dead or not dead is the question ?!!!

Dan Lukes · ‎01-31-2017

Just poor contact of some component. I repaired several broken SPA504G by just disconnecting and reconnecting display connector.

According your description, you received Morse's SOS call ...---... from device. You identified correctly the time for recovery tool.

I can just guess what happened next - it looks the device has downloaded firmware correctly, but failed either to erase flash or write to it.

Is "your" pattern one of those described in Understanding the SPA2100's LED Blinking Pattern ? Yes, I know, the SPA2100 is not SPA3102, but it's only documentation we have and patterns may be similar.

Well, regardless the pattern, based on your description I assume flash chip broken.

As you are desperate, it's time to advise you to read the following document: spa3102 - red - green blinking power light. I endorsed most important comment of such thread.

According such document, the flash chip is external in SPA3102. Thus it can be replaced if broken ...

But remember - I'm just guessing, I never meet SPA3102 personally ...

IA AP · ‎01-31-2017

ok Thanks Dan for the links and great information and insight from you. Even if it doesnt solve this issue, made me learn a bit about these devices :). I will take a look at those documentation.

I think I have given enough tries on this so maybe a little bit more time on this and thats it.

Dan Lukes · ‎01-31-2017

I'm so curious. I wish to be informed of future progress on it, please.

Note - it you consider to replace flash chip, it may be necessary to copy it's content. Not because the firmware, it can be flashed by recovery procedure - but I suspect there's "hw configuration data block" inside - it contains things like device's Serial Number and MAC address, device's certificate. But most important - it may describe device's mode (thus hardware configuration). Device may fail to start with no such block present in the flash. Or it may start in special "pre-finalized" manufacturer's mode which no one of us is familiar with. Thus we will be unable to finalize the device configuration.

Dan Lukes · ‎01-30-2017

Well, I also dislike to just trash old gold devices. If you have spare time and brave heart, you can open the SPA3102 and check components soldered on printed circuit board. If a component looks suspicious (visible damage from heat, black soot or so) you can consider to replace it. Focus your attention on large capacitors - electrolytic capacitors have limited lifetime.

With luck it starts work again.

Have fun.