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Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issuesVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems are cheaper and more efficient than regular phones, and businesses are quickly adopting it. However, transitioning without a plan can cause a range of issues that can catch business owners by surprise. Here are a few you should keep in mind. Any of these VoIP issues can tarnish […]

The post Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issues appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issues

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems are cheaper and more efficient than regular phones, and businesses are quickly adopting it. However, transitioning without a plan can cause a range of issues that can catch business owners by surprise. Here are a few you should keep in mind.

Any of these VoIP issues can tarnish your company’s reputation and result in a profit loss, so it’s important to implement the following solutions.

Jitter

Jitter or crackly sounding calls result from electromagnetic interference, damaged equipment, or insufficient enough bandwidth. Here are some ways to fix this:

  • Make sure the phone cables are not damaged
  • Move your VoIP equipment far apart from each other to avoid electromagnetic interference
  • Do a bandwidth speed test

Echoes and audio delays

Echoes and audio delays are common issues usually caused by network latency, headset lag, or the device itself. Here are tips to solve this problem:

  • Make sure the device is properly plugged in and has the latest software updates.
  • Unplug the phone and plug it back in. This will empty the buffers and allow the phone to re-sync with your internet connection.
  • Try using a corded headset. Bluetooth headsets tend to lag, resulting in audio delays
  • Make sure you have enough internet bandwidth.

Dropped calls

Some users experience calls being dropped after 11 minutes. This usually happens when phones are not using the latest firmware, or because of a user datagram protocol (UDP) timeout. Here's how to fix these issues:

  • Make sure your phones are using updated firmware.
  • Adjust your router settings to avoid UDP timeouts, or use Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

Can't make calls

If you're unable to make outbound calls, or if you see a big X on the VoIP phone's screen, it could mean that you're using two routers dropping critical packets of data. This issue is caused by your network layout. Disable your router's Session Initiation Protocol Application-Level Gateway (SIP ALG). You also have to make sure that you're not using two routers, as this can inhibit the flow of data packets. Another way to fix this issue is to connect your VoIP phones to a virtual local area network (VLAN).

No sound

Are your calls connecting but you can't hear the person on the other line? Chances are, your firewall is blocking the Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) packets from coming through. To address this issue, you need to open some ports in your firewall.

Calls are redirected to voicemail

If you notice your VoIP phones are not ringing, it's possible that the calls are being redirected to voicemail. To fix this, make sure that your phone is not set to Do Not Disturb (DND) mode. Also, check if your VoIP phones are still registered with your VoIP provider.

If you need advice on installing a new VoIP system or fixing your current one, don’t hesitate to call us. Our experts can provide you with the consultation, support, and service that will enable your business to enjoy the cost savings and power of VoIP. Call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issues appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issuesVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems are cheaper and more efficient than regular phones, and businesses are quickly adopting it. However, transitioning without a plan can cause a range of issues that can catch business owners by surprise. Here are a few you should keep in mind. Any of these VoIP issues can tarnish […]

The post Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issues appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issues

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems are cheaper and more efficient than regular phones, and businesses are quickly adopting it. However, transitioning without a plan can cause a range of issues that can catch business owners by surprise. Here are a few you should keep in mind.

Any of these VoIP issues can tarnish your company’s reputation and result in a profit loss, so it’s important to implement the following solutions.

Jitter

Jitter or crackly sounding calls result from electromagnetic interference, damaged equipment, or insufficient enough bandwidth. Here are some ways to fix this:

  • Make sure the phone cables are not damaged
  • Move your VoIP equipment far apart from each other to avoid electromagnetic interference
  • Do a bandwidth speed test

Echoes and audio delays

Echoes and audio delays are common issues usually caused by network latency, headset lag, or the device itself. Here are tips to solve this problem:

  • Make sure the device is properly plugged in and has the latest software updates.
  • Unplug the phone and plug it back in. This will empty the buffers and allow the phone to re-sync with your internet connection.
  • Try using a corded headset. Bluetooth headsets tend to lag, resulting in audio delays
  • Make sure you have enough internet bandwidth.

Dropped calls

Some users experience calls being dropped after 11 minutes. This usually happens when phones are not using the latest firmware, or because of a user datagram protocol (UDP) timeout. Here's how to fix these issues:

  • Make sure your phones are using updated firmware.
  • Adjust your router settings to avoid UDP timeouts, or use Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

Can't make calls

If you're unable to make outbound calls, or if you see a big X on the VoIP phone's screen, it could mean that you're using two routers dropping critical packets of data. This issue is caused by your network layout. Disable your router's Session Initiation Protocol Application-Level Gateway (SIP ALG). You also have to make sure that you're not using two routers, as this can inhibit the flow of data packets. Another way to fix this issue is to connect your VoIP phones to a virtual local area network (VLAN).

No sound

Are your calls connecting but you can't hear the person on the other line? Chances are, your firewall is blocking the Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) packets from coming through. To address this issue, you need to open some ports in your firewall.

Calls are redirected to voicemail

If you notice your VoIP phones are not ringing, it's possible that the calls are being redirected to voicemail. To fix this, make sure that your phone is not set to Do Not Disturb (DND) mode. Also, check if your VoIP phones are still registered with your VoIP provider.

If you need advice on installing a new VoIP system or fixing your current one, don’t hesitate to call us. Our experts can provide you with the consultation, support, and service that will enable your business to enjoy the cost savings and power of VoIP. Call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Improve VoIP communication by troubleshooting common issues appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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Simplify your email management with these Gmail tricksMany Gmail users find the email service to be convenient and reliable, but they’ll be surprised to learn that the following hacks can make for an even better Gmail experience. Undo Send In the fast-paced world of business, mistakes happen. And because everybody deserves a second chance at writing that email, Gmail has provided a […]

The post Simplify your email management with these Gmail tricks appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Simplify your email management with these Gmail tricks

Many Gmail users find the email service to be convenient and reliable, but they’ll be surprised to learn that the following hacks can make for an even better Gmail experience.

Undo Send

In the fast-paced world of business, mistakes happen. And because everybody deserves a second chance at writing that email, Gmail has provided a way to recall sent emails — as long as you do it immediately after hitting Send.

To recall your email, simply click on Undo or View Message > Undo beside the “Message Sent” prompt at the bottom left of your screen.

Gmail templates

Gmail templates, formerly known as canned responses, are pre-written email formats that you can use as is or as the starting point of a fresh email. These are great for regular messages that follow a specific template. Instead of writing the same lines of text over and over again, you can simply choose any of the customizable templates with a click of your mouse.

Access your Gmail templates by composing a new email and clicking Templates > Insert Template.

Send large attachments with Google Drive

Need to send a high-resolution RAW image to a client but Gmail’s attachment size restrictions won’t let you? You can simply upload your files to Google Drive and click on Share to get a sharing link you can send to your client or your boss.

Alternatively, you can click on the Google Drive icon at the bottom of your email composition window and choose the files you wish to send.

Turn on Priority Inbox

The Priority Inbox feature organizes your messages by their importance using machine learning. You’ll be able to divide your inbox into five sections, where the messages will be displayed in the following order:

  1. Important and unread messages
  2. Starred messages
  3. [Customizable section]
  4. [Customizable section]
  5. Everything else

Enable advanced settings

Configuring Gmail’s Advanced Settings is an excellent way to increase email efficiency. Some of these features include Multiple Inboxes, Preview Pane, and custom keyboard shortcuts. Access them by going to Settings > Advanced.

Spending the right amount of time with emails while managing other crucial business areas is a balancing act many business owners find difficult. If you have questions or need further assistance regarding Gmail or IT in general, feel free to contact us.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Don’t believe these disaster recovery mythsModern technology changes rapidly, but not all businesses can match its pace. When it comes to disaster recovery (DR), we see business owners clinging to ideas that no longer apply. It’s high time you learn the truth about the following DR myths, so you can stop believing them. Myth 1: Tape backups are the best […]

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Don’t believe these disaster recovery myths

Modern technology changes rapidly, but not all businesses can match its pace. When it comes to disaster recovery (DR), we see business owners clinging to ideas that no longer apply. It’s high time you learn the truth about the following DR myths, so you can stop believing them.

Myth 1: Tape backups are the best DR solution

Tape backups are physical objects that deteriorate over time. Try listening to a cassette tape from the ’90s. Its sound may be distorted already, or it probably doesn’t work at all. Similarly, your tape backups will start to fail as years pass. At first, only a few files will be affected, but you may gradually lose all your data.

It is also a common practice to store another set of tape backups outside your premises so that they will be safe in case a natural disaster befalls your office. However, if your storage spaces themselves are unsafe from natural disasters, this could pose a problem.

Unlike tape backups, cloud-based backups are safe from deterioration. They are also stored in multiple secured locations that are protected from natural disasters. This means your data backups are as safe as they can be.

What’s more, cloud-based backups save you time in several ways. Data is automatically backed up online, so you don’t need to manually copy information onto your tapes. You also won’t need to manage boxes of tapes, freeing you to focus on your assigned tasks.

Myth 2: The RTOs you want are too expensive

Essential to any DR plan are recovery time objectives (RTOs), or the ideal length of time needed to get everything up and running again to avoid serious losses. Before the cloud, a “swift” recovery time would take days and cost up to six figures.

Cloud and virtualization solutions have made this much more affordable and faster than ever before. Most DR providers can back up your critical data in an hour or two. And if you ever need to recover data, most services can do so in less than a day.

Myth 3: Disaster recovery is for big businesses, not SMBs

Because of the astronomical costs previously associated with DR, only big businesses could afford backup and recovery solutions. But now, the cloud has made these valuable services affordable for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). From dental offices to small retail operations, SMBs can now take advantage of the best DR solutions in the market. Advances in IT and the cloud have also eliminated the obstacles of complexity, costs, and insufficient IT resources.

We hope that by dispelling these myths, you’d be convinced to implement a disaster recovery plan (DRP) for your business. Not only is a DRP necessary to your business continuity, having one is also more affordable and efficient than ever. If you’d like to learn how our disaster recovery solutions can safeguard your business, send us a message and we’ll fill you in.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Don’t believe these disaster recovery myths appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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