Grr. Back again. Probably going to let things simmer for a while, as I have a workable solution set for current needs, but still a brain-bender.
Express Talk is on my athlon XP 2800+ system, running on a fixed private IP behind a SMC Barricade 7004ABR with ports forwarded at 5060, 5070, and 8000-8010, plus a LAN-wide 'special application' hole at 3478 for STUN and I can get calls but not call out.
I've dropped back to 2.02 to retain settings easier, but I've tested both 2.02 and 2.03 with the same results.
The STUN servers do give my correct external IP- but at port 59090. The ones the setup wizard picked were stun.xten.com & stun1.faktortel.com.au.
Calling out to *anywhere* gets a 'server not responding' after 2 'rings'. Whether the other end picks up instantly or not.
Putting the machine into the DMZ doesn't help.
I've tried manually checking the public IP and entering it as a fixed IP. No go. (ADSL, holds the IP a loooong time)
I've tried different base ports, and forwarded accordingly. Nope.
I've tried it with 4 different providers: IPtel.org, Freeworlddialup, Inphonex, and SIPphone.com. Same-o.
I've tried different STUN servers. Ha. Nada.
I've tried forwarding port 59090 (yeah, I know, associated with Trojan:AcidReign, but I've swept all 3 systems on the LAN with multiple virus and malware scanners and come up clean.) to no effect. As well as forwarding 59090 to either the RTP port or the SIP port. no good. And the other way around, just to be thorough.
And I *used* to be able to call but not get calls, and for the life of me I can't see a thing I've changed to reverse it.
But never have I had more than one direction working at once. Ever.
The craziest thing (and what takes the pressure off pinning the problem to a plate and slicing it any way I can right now- all I really need is free PC-PC calling to a friend in the next state over for the moment- he uses Gizmo Project on a v.92 modem) is that I installed the 3CX softphone to test (I've tried every win98se runnable client I can find)... and *it* can call out just fine- but it can't be called- well, it can but only with one-way audio. I can talk but not listen, it refuses to detect the other end's codec.
Very useless as a standalone solution.
No, I don't want help with 3CX, Express Talk is far preferable for my tastes, and I want ET running right! Just another reason to ask *why*??
Most SIP Agents/VOIP clients/Softphones I've tried won't work either direction, or crash, or.... you get the point.
Which is even stranger, because I set 3CX up *exactly* as I did ET, same STUN servers, ports, providers, just testing....
So I surrendered. Or at least put the problem on a back burner.
My workaround at this time is:
I will leave Express Talk up to take calls on sipphone.com (I'm in the white pages, look for 'mcmains' in Drain, Oregon, USA) when I'm up and willing to take calls, as the included voicemail>emailed .WAV function at sipphone catches calls when I don't have ET running so I won't miss calls.
When I need to call out, I run 3CX on Freeworlddiallup *at the same time* and use it to call out.
The two co-exist fine, so that gives me a breather so I can set back and research the problem... or get suggestions on how to make ET work both ways. I really would appreciate advice, as this has me going around in circles mentally.
Thanks in advance for any help that is offered. I'll check in occasionally and see if there's any new ideas.
Bob McMains, the hick in the sticks.