Startalk Flash 1

[simion]

Pulled out a Norstar CICs system and startalk flash from another office. reconnected the Startalk Flash to the CICS and when I now hit feature 983 I get an invalid feature message.! The Startalk RJ connectors are connected to the last two station ports on the amphenol connector, and the light is on. The CICS was completely rebooted and reconfigured so all the old extensions are gone - and they are now DN 3 extension numbers. Any ideas?

 

[mcrackin]

It sounds like lost the flashtalk range. Try to do a F903 first to re-establish the range. Then F983 should work. If that does not work then try to call the pilot port directly and see if it answers. If it does not answer then you might have some hardware problems.

Richard S. McCranie
CoMatrix Southeast
richm@comatrix.com

 

[Arr]

Your problem is that the Flash is looking for 2digit DNs. You now use 3digit DNs. You must default the flash and reconfigure for 3digit DN operation.

For kicks you could do an XFTEST but I don't think you will have success. Easiest way is to put the flash back on a two digit system and do a F983 (PWD) then 1 (reset).
Reboot the Flash and
try doing a F9*1. Tel us what happens.

PhM

 

[westcoaster]

You indicated the flash was connected to the last two station ports on the cics. This tells me the flash is a four port.
If your flash is a four port power down the flash and pull the four port module, power up the flash,(flash detects a downgrade during self test and wipes out programming) wait 10 min, power down and re-insert the 4 port module, power up. folluw the procedure to initialize the flash for the first time (feature 903 etc. etc.)
*warning* If there have been keycodes installed (upgraded from flash light) this may wipe those out as well.

 

[simion]

Hitting feature 903 or 9*3 still gives invalid feature. I think the old set up was also 3 digit DN's as well, so I dont think that is the problem. I am trying westcoasters cold boot process (when you say 'four port module' I assume you mean the PCMCIA card) suggestion. The system came with 16 phone stations - would that still mean that the last two ports on the panel would work (ports 23 and 24 I think)? when booting the CICS would it read anything on those last 2 channels?

 

[executone]

No, he means the plastic module that is on the upper half of the unit. If you have a two port unit it is a plastic filler plate, but if a four port unit it is a circuit card on the plastic filler unit.

You can plug a phone into the ports that you are trying too use for the voicemail. If they come up the ports are good and the voicemail should work. If they do not come up: Try another port with phone until you find one that works, then hookup voicemail to that port.

Good Luck!!

 

[simion]

I am a bit confused, My Startalk Flash unit has no upper anything that is removable, there are 2 rj11 sockets and there were 2 cables coming out of these 2 jacks that were plugged into the old amphenol connector at the old office. Thats why I assume its a 4 port. There is a PCMCIA card plugged sidways into the top part of the flash unit, and a bottom cover that can be removed, revealing a fascinating printed circuit board, there is a power plug and a red light and that is pretty much it.! Help! Please

 

[executone]

There usually is one large cover over it all. If you open this cover you see the 2 RJ11 connectors, a PCMCIA card (that is the software), and then there is another section of the unit that is removable (this one is a two port expansion module that makes it a 4 port unit).

Good Luck!!

 

[simion]

Oh boy - thanks for the help, indeed there is a hinged cover on the whole thing, which I have opened, but there is nothing else beneath that cover that can be removed other than the PCMCIA card, without unscrewing or breaking something. There is a removable plastic cover plate that has 2 written on it, which I take off, but it is just decoration and serves no purpose other than a dust cover. The upper section of the flash unit is not removable, it has two rj11 sockets on it marked 2 and 4 and a power input socket above that, but its a sealed unit - nothing removable.....

 

[executone]

The decorative cover is where a two port expansion would go and make your system a four port unit. You have a two port voicemail. It only uses the one RJ11 jack and gives you two ports for voicemail.

Have you tried a phone on the station port?
Did the phone work?

 

[simion]

Thanks now the mystery is a bit more solved - but I now have a quandry, there were 2 rj11 cables coming out of the two ports when it was connected at the other office - one port marked 2 the other marked 4 - you say that only one should be connected to the amphenol - which one? and what is the other one connected to? forgive my ignorance.

 

[Roldan]

the only one that should be connected is the one that has a 2.You only need 1 rj11 cable for the 2 ports,the other may have been connected but it wasn't doing anything.1 station port=2 vm ports. everything you stated indicates that you have a 2 port vm and not a 4, that removable cover would have a 4 and not a 2 if you had a 4 port vm. try a phone on the port that you're using for vm, make sure that the phone works.

 

[MarvO1]

You mentioned earlier about ports 23 and 24, but unless your CICS is expanded, you will only have 16 active station ports. Did you ever try a phone on the port you are trying for your Flash?

MarvO said it

 

[exsmogger]

Marv01,

That sounds like the answer. With only 16 active stations it appears the Flash is connected to inactive stations. Check out the Reference Guides on our website and look for a CICS wiring chart I have posted there.

Brian Cox
J & J Communications

http://www.jandjcommunications.com

brian@jandjcommunications.com

 

[simion]

Well I plugged in the Startalk (port 2) into an active port on the CICs (confirmed working extension) - but alas after reboot (power down cics) it still says feature 9** are invalid features - Is there something in admin of CICS that would enable seeing the Flash unit?

 

[Roldan]

Feature 9** is to program a RAD, do you mean Feature 903?

 

[westcoaster]

Everything you have done so far *should* have made your flash work. couple of things...
If you have a computer with a serial port, you can connect to the flash using the db 25 serial connector and a terminal program (hyperterminal). The connection speed is 1200, 8, n, 1, Xon Xoff. Every time the flash powers on there is information that is spit out to the serial port. This will tell you pretty much in plain english what is wrong. Second thing the pcmcia card may have gone bad (once again the laptop serial connection will tell you) I had one on Friday, Powered down the flash and it wouldn't come back...

 

[simion]

Nortel Norstar Flash Diagnostics Started. Please wait.

NVRam Test: Passed
B84 Test: Passed
Program ROM: Passed
Voice Prompt ROM: Passed
Serial Port Start: Passed
DSP Test: Passed
RAM Disk Test: Passed
RAM Disk Start: Passed
ROM Disk Start: Passed
O/S Start: Passed
VFS Test: Passed
VFS Start: Passed
Timer Test: Passed

Version Code: 06VBL046
Stream: Merged Stream, ACD_LOAD ON, KEYCODELESS_VM ON
Access: Access 4.0 and above
Language: Cdn English / Cdn French

Starting Nortel Norstar Flash Access/2
!! Unable to start flashtalk,Please check port and TCM connections

 

[westcoaster]

your pcmcia card is good, and it looks loke the rest of the flash is good. It appears that the flash is not communicating with the ksu. one of three things
1. bad tcm port to the phone system. I understand you have plugged a phone set into the station port and verified it's operation... BUT make sure the port connected tthe flash is as followes... flash tcm connection,-> modular line cord (factory made) -> rj11 jack, -> solid core telephone wire -> telephone system. and verify using a telephone set (again)
2. your CICS was in fact at 2 digits. Change the CICS back to 2 digits and try again (after 1. above)
3. you upgraded your CICS software and the flash no longer can communicate with the ksu

The last possibility is a faulty tcm port on the flash check to see the pins in the rj11 jack arn't bent.

 

[westcoaster]

one more thing... make sure the modular line cord is plugged into the port that says 2