Read on for more information about the problems this third-party firmware solves, or skip to firmware downloads if you want to get started right away.
You are likely here because you own an OBi device. Traditionally, OBiTALK was designed as a remote configuration tool for your OBi hardware. A hardware owner sets up a desired outcome/configuration on OBiTALK, and the OBiTALK system was able to update the hardware configuration next time it called home. There has always been a way to directly configure OBi hardware via logging in via a web interface, but it was always a bit complicated and prone to complications for some configurations, e.g. Google Voice and its authentication process. Recently, the company has announced that several OBi devices, specifically the 2XX models, will enter End of Life in 2023. There are some uncertainty what will become of OBiTALK after the 2023 deadline, but it seems clear that OBiTALK will not be able to further configure OBi hardware for Google Voice. There are of course other VoIP providers besides GV, and many think that OBiTALK will remain, much as it is today, a terrific way to set up OBi hardware for these other services. But nothing is for certain.
This new firmware for your OBi device, like other community developed firmwares for e.g. routers and Android phones, makes the current/future functioning of the hardware a bit more independent of the company that sold you the hardware. With it, your OBi device is less dependent on OBiTALK, especially for those that wish to set up their OBi device to use GV after the End of Life deadline. Whether there are advantages for users of other, non-GV VoIP services is unclear. This new community-created firmware will continue to grow and evolve, likely increasing the useful life of the hardware, and adding a few capabilities right now.
-written by Klaberte on DSLReports
On 19 June 2018, Google decommissioned XMPP servers so OBi100/110 don't work any more, even with the third-party firmware. While it's possible to make the 100/110 work, it's not that easy. If anyone likes to work on this project, please discuss it at DSLReports.
Still are good features in the third-party firmware for OBi2/3, OBiPHONE, and now OBi5. Also adds a SSH server, allows unlocking of vendor-customized devices, and allows Caller ID contact list.
These firmwares, like the official Obihai firmwares, are provided without warranty. Standard precautions apply, such as do not install firmware over a wireless network connection.
Obihai does not support OBi100/OBi110 ATAs (and doesn't really support their other products either).
DSLReports hosts one of the busiest VoIP forums on the internet, which is the forum where this firmware was first discussed and published.
The OBiTALK Community is a forum specific to users of OBi products. It has largely been abandoned by Obihai but the users are sometimes helpful.