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Posted By: oops Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/07/13 07:19 PM
Hello All,

I have a mitel sx200 and one ext. (that I am aware of) that will not allow calls from external sources (internal ext dials work fine). The user has a Superset 4025 which is what most of our office phones are... When I call into our phone system's main greeting I can dial the number's extension and it says I am being transfer to the user, rings once and I end up back at the main greeting. Another strange (to me) symptom is that when I call into my own extension and then try to transfer to the ext in question the display says ringing you back and the call is just sent back to my ext.

I have...

confirmed that the phone isn't forwarding to anything except vm on busy and no answer.

I even removed the vm forward and tested with the same results.

I tried replacing the phone with mine which gave the same results (mine works normally when connected to my port/ext)

I rebooted the cabinet that the user connects to as well.

I checked the voice mail setup for that mailbox, but didn't see where it was configured any different than any other.

I check that the port was configured (maintenance --> 9) with the same COS, COR, etc. as my other phones and it was.

The only difference was that this phone along with some of the other ext. had a Page number assigned, but I tested another with this page number and it would receive outside calls.

I may be able to move his ext. over to another port on that card if I can find one free/working, but I have yet to look into that. Alternately I could try his port with a different ext., but I am not sure which is more likly to net helpful results. I should also mention that this user only recently moved into this office which was previously home to an analogue phone and the user can't say with any certainty if the external calls ever worked in that location, but they did work from his previous location (different building and cabinet..same system). I supose that would point the finger in the direction of the port?? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Posted By: Rcaman Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/07/13 07:28 PM
Delete the extension and reprogram the port. You didn't mention which Mitel 200 system you have, but it looks like you have either an older spine system (the issue you describe was a bug) or an ICP. In any event, try a delete and reprogram.

Rcaman
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/07/13 07:57 PM
Hey Rcaman,
Thanks for the reply. I don't know any more specifically what type of system this is, but I can tell you it is 10+ years old. I tried deleting the ext from the port and reprogramming and I got the same symptoms as before? I can try to move him to another port, but that is more down time for the user and I wanted to make sure there wasn't any other tricks I needed to try that wouldn't be as much of a disruption first. Thanks-

Posted By: Rcaman Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/07/13 09:02 PM
It could be a 200 Digital with a spine, or an EL or an ICP. In any event, you need to completely delete the extension. That means wiping out all button programming and then deleting the extension completely, not just changing the extension number.

Rcaman
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/07/13 09:37 PM
I used the delete command and confirmed the delete, the loss of programmed buttons, and maybe another confirm in there too when I tried earlier. Thanks again for any help.

Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/14/13 03:12 PM
Sorry for the silence...I have been MIA with the crazy Flu I am still fighting. I wanted to give an update on what I tried this morning. I deleted (using the delete option...alt 9 maybe?) the extention from the phone system and imediatly deleted the vmail box. I called and requested the extention (which was invalid) to confirm it was gone. I then recreated the extention in the phone system and then the voice mailbox and tested. I was still dumped back into the main greeting when calling from the outside. Next I used the move option to move the ext in the phone system to a different port on the same card (didn't bother to move the phone/punched drop) and tested. I got the same results from that port as well.

I'm very puzzled by all this and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Posted By: nortelvoip Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/14/13 11:02 PM
Which VM are you using. There may be a Do Not Disturb option turned on in the mailbox for that particular mailbox.
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 04:15 PM
If it was a guest I would say it's not checked in. I would make sure the extension in question is set up as an extension, not a guest mail box.
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 05:08 PM
Thanks for the responses. The voice mailbox is set up as an ext and everything is more or less defaults for the voice mail setup, but there really aren't too many options anyway.

Again the symptoms are:

the extention works normal for internal calls

external calls requesting the extention by dialing it in or using the first two letters of the users name rings once and then goes back to the greeting.

If I call into my own extension from the outside and then try to transfer it will ring back to my extention.

I know that other extions on the same card work and I have tried this ext on another port on this card with the same results.

I'm at a loss....any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 06:38 PM
What happens when you remove all forwarding on the phone and then call in to it?
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 08:08 PM
At present it only has busy and no answer to voicemail, but even when those are removed it still goes back to the main greeting. I tried putting my own phone in the same place as the users and it responds the same as well. Thanks again to everyone for the help.

Posted By: telephoneguy Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 08:28 PM
It sounds like the voicemail does not recognize that extension as having a mailbox. Are you sure that the association between the mailbox and the extension is set up correctly?

It will help to know exactly what sx200 -- does it look like a refrigerator, or like a row of PCs, or like a microwave, or like a pizza-box sitting on top of a microwave?

Also, what voicemail? Replay, Repartee, NuPoint Messenger / Mitel Mail, Express Messenger, EMEM?

Check that the extension is forwarded to EXACTLY the same thing as other mailboxes. Check that the mailbox number matches the extension number.

If voicemail is EMEM, check the number of mailbox licenses, and check that the mailbox is assigned to the extension.

Can you log into the mailbox and check messages?
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 08:43 PM
With forwarding removed, how many times does the phone ring before it forwards to the main greeting?
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 08:45 PM
Hey Telephoneguy
I guess I don't know how to setup the association between the mailbox and ext. except to have the same ext in device setup and use the same ext when setting up the mailbox. Is there something more I need to know?

I believe it is an SX200 ml/el. I have about 6 cabinets over our site and various digital and analogue cards on site.

I believe the voice mail is Express Messenger since when I log into the admin box to make changes it says "Welcome to express messenger telephone administration..."

I know that the phone is forwarded on busy and no answer to voicemail just like all other phones and the mailbox and ext. are both the same as well.

prior to all the deletions, removals, and recreations of the mailboxes I did put a message in the users inbox which they were able to get. Now that I think about it I did not try that myself, but I remember them saying the light wasn't on... I was thining the light was just bad, but perhaps the light wasn't on since the users phone was somehow not associated correctly???

Thanks again.
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 08:47 PM
Hey Westerntelephone
Thanks for trying to hlep! It was the same one ring and then back to the main greeting. Thanks-
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 08:57 PM
Then it's still forwarded or is on dnd.
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 09:09 PM
how do you set/remove do not disturb? Is dnd associated with a phone, port, or ext and would dnd allow for calls from internal extentions even when it was not allowing for external calls. I would also thingk that it should send them to voice mail and not back to the greeting.

I have switched card port and the phone with no sucess so if dnd is on the ext then that would make since...just need to know how to toggel.
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 09:20 PM
So you're saying that when you call it internally from another extension it just rings and rings?
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 09:31 PM
if I call from internal it will ring until voicemail (or the user) picks up and a message can be left. If I call from outside and select that ext it will ring one time and go back to the main greeting for our orginization.
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 09:49 PM
I suggest that you go in to maintenance and do a show status of that extension, call into it and see what is taking place.
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 09:52 PM
Thanks again Westerntelephone,
I really don't do much aside from change the time on the maintenance side. Is there more I need to know prior to trying this or any pitfalls I need to be awere of before hand? Thanks-
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/15/13 10:20 PM
No, it's a good tool to use.
Posted By: Rcaman Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 04:14 PM
Wait a minute. I think I read one post that asked you to remove all forwarding. Did you do that? If you do, what happens when a call from the outside is directed to that extension?

With the forwarding removed, if an outside call is completed to another working extension and that call is transferred to this problem extension, what happens?

When you write that the outside caller goes to the company's main greeting, is the greeting coming from the system voice mail automated attendant feature or is it coming from another piece of equipment being used for auto attendant?

There are a lot of variables here that need to be nailed down. I am convinced it's not a switch issue. When you deleted the extension, you wiped out every condition that could have existed that would make the problem you described. Check out all the "boxes" and provide a list of everything that is associated with the telephone system. With all the pieces in place and known, this is an easy problem to correct.

Rcaman
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 05:27 PM
Hey RCAMan,
You are correct I did remove the forwards (on busy and no answer) to our vm system on the users phone. This did not have any effect on the issue. It would say now transfering to user name one ring and then back to the main greeting. I have deleted the vm box since then so the users name is no longer there (unless he has recreated it again), but still same result.

I also tried going to my own office ext/phone and then transfering to the problem ext. which would result in the call being sent right back to my phone/ext. On my display it said "ringging back" I believe and when I pick up my phone I have the outside call again.

Yeah the "main greeting" I am refering to is our vm system. When you call our main phone line you first get this message allowing you to select ext. or dial by name and a few other options. If you dial by the users name or select the ext. directly it will say now transfering to user ring once and then you hear the main greeting again as though you call in again.

What sort of informaiton do you want me to gather and from where? When you say "boxes" are you refering to hardware? I could go so far as to list all of the cabinets and associated cards in each, but I don't know if all of that is pertinent.

Something that has recently been pointed out to me that may be a helpful piece of the puzzle... In the past when I have had to move an ext/phone to a different place on site I have simply removed the ext (or given the cab/slot/port a different ext) and put the users ext in the new cab/slot/port location. I have been told this can cause a breakdown between the ext and vm box and that it is best to use the move option. This particular user/ext. was moved prior to the issue happening (twice in fact). I have moved numerous users in the past two years without any issue like this so not sure what is different. The user moved to a location that was previously occupied by an analogue phone, but after moving the jumper on the punch down the drop is going to the digital card it should...

I hope something I have said will help move us in the right direction. Thank you all agian for helping out with the strange puzzle.
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 07:43 PM
Again, if you remove all forwarding on the phone then call from outside does it just ring and ring?
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 07:52 PM
Hey Westerntelephone,
No. When i removed forwarding and called from out side I got one ring and was then dumped back to the main greeting. No change at all. Thanks-

Also for clairification when I say I get one ring I mean to say that the caller hears one ring...the user at his desk doesn't get any rings. I hope that makes since.

Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 08:02 PM
What tenant is the phone in? Same as the trunks?
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 08:04 PM
yeah we only make use of one tenent
Posted By: westerntelephone Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 08:13 PM
Did you try show status of ext. in maintenance?
Posted By: Rcaman Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 08:18 PM
The reason I wanted to know what equipment you had is because the Mitel EL/ML is a little different from the old spine system and the ICP. Most all the programming and configuration is the same, but there are subtle differences.

OK, so since the problem extension is the exact same COS and COR as other working extensions and is in the same tenant group, there is one other place to look. Check out form 19 and see where the trap is set for illegal and vacant numbers. Also, check form 17 and let me know which hunt group and pilot number is the VM ports assigned.

Rcaman
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/16/13 08:50 PM
Hey guys,
I will check the two forms you suggested and the trap in maintenance as well soon. I have been stuck at home and the boss man doesn't want me bringing bugs to share so the on site tests will have to wait a bit. Will let you know when I can give you details on those two things.

I have also thought that I may just move the touble ext. to my own cab/slot/port and see if the issue persists. If so then it is certianly something to do with the ext/vm box and not the hardware. Do you guys think this is a worthwile test?

Thanks again.
Posted By: Rcaman Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/17/13 05:51 PM
It wouldn't hurt to to program the two ports and see what happens.

Rcaman
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/21/13 01:27 PM
Hello All,

Thanks again for all your help throughout this problem. I believe I have everything working again thanks in no small part to you all.

This morning as I was preparing to look over the two form, check the show status on the ext., and move it to my own phone's b/s/p location I noticed that there was a place holding ext for another b/s/p that was the same ext. with an addtional number on the end...our ext. are 3 digit and the place holder was 4 digit the first three of which were the ext. for the user. I changed this place holder to another number outside of our normal ext. range and tested again. I guess the vm system did not know what to do with this and just rolled the call back into the main greeting.

If anyone want additional informaiton on the issue or clairificaiton please let me know and thanks again for the help.

Posted By: Rcaman Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/21/13 07:55 PM
To be honest, your explanation does not make sense, to me, but, no matter, the main thing is that you have solved your problem. I knew, early on, that you did not have a switch problem and the resolution would be one of those "head slap" moments.

Rcaman
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/21/13 09:23 PM
Hey Rcaman,
Thanks again for all the help. All I can say is removing the 4 digit extention which had the same first three digits as the trouble 3 digit ext. corrected the issue. Sometimes I wish I could get to the head slap moments without the head bang moments in between. Anyway thanks again.

Posted By: telephoneguy Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/21/13 10:39 PM
Okay, now I understand why you had the problem.

This sort of technique -- using "placeholder" extensions -- is an extremely poor practice because it requires the system to use "conflict dialing." The call can't complete until the inter-digit timer waits to see if you're going to dial another digit.

It is better to leave the unused PLIDs unprogrammed. This also tells you, later, that the PLID is available, whereas a "placeholder" makes it look like the PLID is in use. I recommend that you delete all of the "placeholders."
Posted By: oops Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/22/13 01:18 PM
Hey Telephoneguy,
Thanks for the reply and help along the way. I have only been involved with this mitel system for about two years and I have had to learn everything from scratch. Comming in I didn't want to make any changes unless I understood (or at least thought I understood) the ramifications so I maintained this porcess, but hearing your thoughts on it makes a lot of since. I may have to start removing entries and get rid of the placeholders. Unfortunantly I have some port that are known to be bad and they don't always get fixed right away...do you use placeholdings in this case? I.e. "bad Port" for a comment or similar?

Thanks
Posted By: telephoneguy Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 01/22/13 11:02 PM
The best practice is to replace the card (low-powered cards are hot swappable on most digital Mitels).

I have seen techs put a piece of tape on an ONS card and mark "ports 1-3 BAD" or similar. In programming, you can program it to an unused non-conflicting number, as per your numbering plan, and name it "BAD," but replacing the card is the best practice.
Posted By: Craig A. Ahrens Re: Outside calls fail to one ext. - 02/09/13 07:44 PM
Is the phone in a different tenant? There are a couple of interconnect forms that restrict calls connecting from different tenants or devices.
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