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  • 1.  Troubleshooting Voice Quality Issues

    Level 1 Contributor
    Posted 09-30-2021 10:02
    Should you experience audio quality issues that happen over multiple days and multiple users 8x8 recommends the following process to help 8x8 guide you to a resolution. 

    1. Open a support ticket reporting the issue, it is required to provide an extension number having the issue, the date and time of the issue along with the caller ID's involved with the call. This will allow 8x8 to track the issue on our side as well as provide you a Network Utility Key. Even if you already have a Network Utility key you need to report the issue with the call details.
    2. Download and install the Network Utility on a machine that is on the same VLAN as the device(s) having the issue. Running the network utility on a different VLAN/Network may (and often does) yield invalid results. 
      1. Download: https://support.8x8.com/us/Support_and_Services/Support/Download_the_8x8_Network_Utility
      2. Manual: https://docs.8x8.com/8x8WebHelp/8x8-network-utility/Default.htm
    3. Once the Network Utility is installed and registered using the Key Provided by support on the PROPER VLAN/Network please run the Monitor Test, this will run the applications media test for 24 hours and return the results to 8x8. It is important to make sure the test runs during the same time period as you reported the issue as well the entire business day. This is to provide a full day of data to be analyzed by 8x8.
      1. To run the monitor test, simply select "monitor" from the test profile selection box
    When reviewing the results each key data point is graphed out showing the actual results, the max recommended value along with the local date and time stamp of each data point. 

    If the Network Utility graphs indicate there is an issue aka packet loss, latency, jitter 8x8 will provide guidance on how to identify WHERE the issue is happening, either inside your network or on the internet using a 2nd application called Ping Plotter which will identify WHERE losses are being introduced. Details on that process are found here: How to Use Pingplotter for Network Troubleshooting

    Examples of Network Utility Monitor Test Results:

    An Anomaly:
    The following can be ignored due to it only happening one time in a 24 hour period


    Pass, no issues
    The next example is fine, all data points are well within the max allotted values, and are consistent


    Fail
    The next example is a fail for a few reasons, 1) it is very inconsistent, that is the data points frequently fall above and below the thresholds, and 2) there are a number of data points above the max threshold.



    Conditional
    This is example is conditional, and may even be a pass as the "issues" happen outside business hours aka 7pm up to around 8am, IF the business is not operating this would not be a concern. 





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    Paul Chase
    8x8 Network Engineer (Pre-Sales and Deployment)
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  • 2.  RE: Troubleshooting Voice Quality Issues

    Posted 10-11-2021 06:52
    that's some powerful stuff there Paul.  Thank you for sharing.

    One thing I've always wondered about.  Regarding your point #2.  - Ensuring the VLAN from which you're conducting  the Network Utility.   If I have a voice VLAN just for desk phones​ and the only way you can get on that voice VLAN is by being a desk phone (because of the LLDP identifier), then how might I connect a PC or laptop to that voice VLAN?

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    Steve O'Neal
    Sr. Deployment Engineer
    8x8 Center of Excellence
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy5ZlPF5hYa-scDJp7nyzlQ
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  • 3.  RE: Troubleshooting Voice Quality Issues

    Level 1 Contributor
    Posted 10-11-2021 07:38
    In most cases, IT will either set up the laptop to join that VLAN explicitly or set the switch port to be the proper VLAN.

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    Paul Chase
    8x8 Network Engineer (Pre-Sales and Deployment)
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