What switches were you using, and what did you migrate to? Just so if others experience, they have a bit more reference on what to do - besides, someone on here may say “oh yeah, you have to do x to fix the managed switch”, which would hopefully help others even more. 
Can’t remember the exact model of the first switch, but it was a Netgear, ironically replaced with an unmanaged Netgear. It was over two years ago, but the pain I went through was unreal. Thought I was doing the customer a favour by using a more expensive switch, wow did that back fire. The phone system was completely separate from the data network, so didn’t require any configuration, just thought with a managed switch we could see more of what is happening with the voice network.
We’ve had nothing but problems with Netgear (managed or unmanaged - quality just isn’t there). Biggest issue is port failures, but on their managed switches, we’ve had lots of issues with LLDP (which we use a lot).
We started using Cisco Small Business, as well as older Cisco Enterprise.
Once Ubiquiti starts supporting LLDP, we’ll be moving to that.
I have been a systems integrator for 31 years and have installed literally 1000’s of Netgear Prosafe switches most in the last 8-10 years POE we have had 6 go bad where we had to exercise their lifetime warranties. We swear by them for voip, ip cameras and our campus wireless solutions. We have gone only for the 24 port and 48 port varieties over the years.
Well I believe that Grandstream also might have fixed the issue regarding BLF’s not updating after the fwconsole restart command just like Sangoma and Digium.
PBX Firmware:10.13.66-17
PBX Service Pack:1.0.0.0
Asterisk Version: 11.24.1
All FreePBX Modules Up to Date
Grandstream Beta Firmware 1.0.8.27
Server Hosted at FreePBX Hosting (So a remote server)
I have set my GXP2160’s for 1 Minute Registration, 1 Minute Subscribe and “Publish for Presence=Enabled” and of course all of the other settings that commercial EPM would normally set. But those were my only 3 tweaks that I had done.
And I cannot get it to fail. It has worked every time on every phone. Each time I would send the fwconsole restart command I would immediately make an outbound call on a phone (once the server was ready again) and every other phone showed the proper “Red” on their associated BLF.
Wow I am impressed, it took a while, but it works now.
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Frank, we tested that firmware (as well as 1.0.8.34). Did you have any isssues with the phone claiming “NO LAN CABLE” (even though it has an IP address and can be accessed via the web interface)? GS is at a loss - just curious if you happened to see such a thing (tried on multiple gigabit and 10/100 switches).
@kristiandg No I have had no issues such as this. I have dozens of phones on the new 1.0.8.x firmware with absolutely no issues at this time what so ever. Everything seems to be working flawlessly … so far.
Thanks. I’ve had a ticket open with GS “support” (note the quotes), and they’ve been less than helpful in identifying the cause.
So are you saying that when you use an older firmware you don’t have the problem??
Yes sir. Downgrade back to the previous published release (1.0.7.x) “fixes” it.
This is a very well known issue with Grandstream phones ans several other brands. Most people still use 1.0.7.25. I’m using 1.0.7.97 because I had the luxury to do a factory default on all the phones and start them from scratch, which most people don’t. If you reboot the PBX you’ll have to reboot all the phones.
I hear that the latest Grandstream firmware version fixes it, but it introduced several new bugs; you best bet so far is 1.0.7.25. Another thing that people have noticed is that it generally works better if you uninstall or disable the FreePBX DND module.
YMMV.
@michelpy I’m very interested in hearing any bugs or problems you have heard of in the 1.0.8.x firmware. We have now standardized on it with all of our clients. No one has uncovered a bug as of yet?? Yes I can confirm this new series of firmware corrects the blf issues.
@frankb the show stopper for us is the new call screen with the stupid avatar and the stupid new layout that makes everything unreadable. The issue may not be as acute on the 2160 because of the larger screen but on a 2130 it’s a disaster. I’d rather live with the phone reboot (the issue has been there forever) if I need to reboot the PBX than dealing with all the new bugs.
Fixing the bugs is nice but each time they fix one, they introduce something else that changes the user’s perception. To me the display changes go into the wrong direction; some features have been removed (such as the overview screen and the 2-line label). Their changes are driven by brain-dead marketing, they don’t listen to user feedback when they break a feature that we actually use, which is why now so many people are entrenched into older versions because we don’t have a recent one that behaves like the one we have and that fixes the bugs.
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@michelpy yes the new screen is quite different but everyone seems to like it as far as our users but we only have the GXP-2160’s. I have not seen how the interface looks on a 2130 however.
You didn’t actually mention any bugs however. As I had mentioned our users havnt uncovered any as of yet, however we have only standardized on the new version for about a month now.
Our user complaints are centered around migrating from their existing system, where the buttons are always there for calls and features. Users HATE having to be on a call, then jump to a home screen to access features (like PARK).
The interface has always been clunky, but I will say I’m glad they finally allowed multiple button “pages” (about dang time since everyone else has done that for years)…
Well, that NO LAN CABLE one is a pretty big one…
The interface has gotten very sluggish over the past couple years (even the newer 2135/2170 phones are very sluggish).
@kristiandg thanks for the feedback. We haven’t seen that prob about the lan cable, I’m guessing this is not occurring specifically on the GXP2160’s??
We program a BLF to park so no messing with the interface for our users.
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We use mainly 2170s now, without native BLF buttons, so yeah, I can see why that wouldn’t be an issue.
Haven’t tested that firmware on the older 21xx, so not sure if it’s an issue (from what you say, doesn’t sound like it is). It’s darn annoying though. Phone displays NO LAN CABLE, yet you can find it’s IP in your DHCP server and access the web portal all day long. It even provisions on boot. ARGH!!!
@kristiandg I read somewhere about the NO LAN CABLE, looks like you can recover from that (I remember it having something to do with VLAN or VLAN priority).
@frankb I can’t report any bugs because I removed it within 2 hours of deploying the first ones because users screaming bloody murder. The new off-hook screen is a total no.I am on 1.0.7.97 (latest official) and read that plenty are still on 1.0.7.25. I think since 1.0.7.15 there has been no release or beta that has not caused trouble for someone.
I have ordered a Fanvil X4 for evaluation.
I think that people are irritated because of these issues when they see GS wasting time and resources on BS like the avatar, the new 1700 series and other things instead of fixing simple display issues that we have been reporting for a year or two.