Ringcentral WIndows won't respond in time to answer call

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phillip-demuth2959 asked Aug 26, '16 John answered Sep 5, '16

Ringcentral WIndows won't respond in time to answer call

My Ringcentral for Windows softphone rings when there is an incoming call but takes forever to launch. Typically by the time it responds the caller has already hung up. This is true even when I keep it always active and always on top. Is there any solution here?

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Answer 1 · 2016-08-26T19:40:46Z

John answered Aug 26, '16

Phillip, mine does that pretty often, too. When it hasn't actually been used in a while, as in either actually making or receiving a call, it seems like it kind of goes into a nap of sorts, and it has to have time to kind of wake up. This is especially true if it's the first incoming call of the day after the computer has set idling all night.

I think that it's probably not a problem with the software, but instead has more to do with the amount of RAM on the computer and the number and kinds of other software running concurrently on the computer, whether it is regular software running at the time, like Word or Excel or particularly Outlook (which is boggy), or software that is running in the background, like Carbonite doing a backup or Norton doing a scheduled search. I am running an engineer's workstation with a heavy-duty processor, but it only has 4 gigs of RAM and can run kind of slow sometimes.

I have found that it helps to wake it (softphone) up, as it were, first thing in the morning, or from time to time during the day, by calling my softphone number from my cell phone. In doing that, I don't have to actually answer the call, but only make it ring a few times to wake it up. Then after that, an incoming call pops right up immediately. I also have softphone set up so that it rings for an extended time before it goes to voice mail.

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Answer 2 · 2016-08-26T19:58:06Z

John answered Aug 26, '16 kim commented Sep 14, '16

Here is a test on mine:

I called my main RC number from my cell phone. When auto-receptionist came on, I pressed 0 for the operator. A few seconds later, softphone started ringing on my computer. From the time that softphone started ringing on my computer, it took about 3 seconds for the softphone popup window to appear, but that was only the outer borders of it with a hollow center, and then another 3 seconds for the interior of the popup window to appear containing the red "To Voicemail" and green "Answer" buttons.

After that, I called a second time, and on this second call the softphone popup window appeared immediately.

I've tested this in the past, too, and sometimes that first call can take much longer than 6 seconds or so for the softphone popup window to appear and be totally populated.

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kim commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 02:13 PM

John - This is a common question. The time it takes to route a call is dependent on the local Network Configuration and ISP (speed, bandwidth, etc.). I recommend starting there for troubleshooting this.

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Answer 3 · 2016-08-26T20:07:26Z

phillip-demuth2959 answered Aug 26, '16 kim commented Sep 14, '16

John -- Yep, that's me. Thank you for your very useful suggestions. Best, Phil

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kim commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 02:16 PM

Phillip -

What Operating System do you have?
What version of the RC Desktop App do you have? [check for an update]
Please clear the App Data folder and test.

Then let me know. :-)

Kim

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Answer 4 · 2016-08-29T17:32:38Z

John answered Aug 29, '16 John commented Sep 14, '16

A reading of my and Phillip's posts above reveals that we're not talking about the time it takes to route a call. Calls come in to softphone immediately, and softphone rings immediately.

What we are talking about is the amount of time it takes for the popup answer window to appear on the screen and populate when the call comes in.

As Phillip and I both wrote above, if softphone hasn't been used in a long while, like several hours, then when a call comes in, softphone rings immediately, but the popup answer window is slow to appear and to populate. But then after that first call or two, and softphone has been used just recently, as in the last few hours or so, the slowness disappears, and the popup answer window appears instantly when calls come in.

To keep the problem from occurring, during the business day I make a call from my cellphone to softphone every few hours or so.

I am running the lastest version of softphone on a Windows 7 Pro 64 bit engineer's workstation.

As I wrote above, I think it may have something to do with whatever other software is being used at the time. It may also have something to do with the video driver being used on the computer.

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kim commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 05:49 PM

John - I understand. Please see steps provided above to Phillip.

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phillip-demuth2959 commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 05:56 PM

Don't understand. My internet connection is lightning fast with tons of bandwidth. Every other program responds instantaneously. The only program that doesn't is the RingCentral Windows softphone, which seems to be on another planet. Although, exactly as John said, once coaxed back into life it, too, responds instantly...until it doesn't. Something seems to allow it to go to sleep after a period when it is not actively being used, even when it is being kept onscreen the whole time. Thanks.

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John commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 06:04 PM

This is exactly what is happening.

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Answer 5 · 2016-08-29T17:54:23Z

John answered Aug 29, '16 kim commented Sep 14, '16

By the way, the way I know that it the calls come to softphone immediately and ring softphone immediately, and that the delay is not due to a delay in routing, is that I am making the test calls myself from my own cell phone to my own softphone.

I test using my cell phone with its regular carrier service and call my RC direct line, when the auto-receptionist comes on I press zero for the operator, and the call quickly comes to my direct line and softphone rings. If that is the first call to softphone in a long while, it takes the popup answer window several seconds to appear and to populate. If it is not the first call in a long while, then the popup answer window appears very quickly.

Same thing if I test using the RC app on my cell phone to make the call.

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kim commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 05:55 PM

Please clear the App Data folder and test. Let me know.

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phillip-demuth2959 commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 06:03 PM

It terrifies me to have to "deauthorize my computer" Is this really the only way to clear the app data? I will really be able to just click on Ringcentral for Windows and it will just pop up and work after that? I don't have time to spend half a day with no phone dealing with customer support to try and get even the impaired service I now have up and running.Thanks.

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kim commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 06:07 PM

Phillip - "deauthorizing" the PC is equivalent of rebooting your cell phone or restarting your PC. When you log back in, it will re-register automatically.

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phillip-demuth2959 commented · Aug 30, 2016 at 12:15 AM

Thank you. But doesn't this happen automatically every time I install an update?

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kim commented · Aug 30, 2016 at 02:11 PM

The Desktop App does not Deauthorize when you install and update, it needs to be done manually.

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Answer 6 · 2016-08-29T18:07:35Z

John answered Aug 29, '16 mike commented Nov 27, '17

The thread you referenced here App Data regards problems with the app crashing or going blank.

These are not the problems Phillip and I are having. We are not have problems with the app crashing or going blank.

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kim commented · Aug 29, 2016 at 06:22 PM

John - these steps are also for other troubleshooting (not just crashing) with the Desktop App, which is why we recommended it. This is the troubleshooting steps to start with for any desktop app issue. Please start there. Please open a web case if the steps above do not resolve the issue.

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John commented · Sep 02, 2016 at 04:30 AM

Phil,

I tried the approach of deauthorizing the computer, deleting the App Data folders, then logging in again. That didn't help. Next morning, I was right back to the slow response with the first incoming call.

I have the same experience with other software on my computer. For example, if I call up Norton to run a quickscan or whatever, its window is slow to appear and populate the first time, like it has to be awakened from a nap. Then after that, it's quick to appear. So are others. I am convinced that this is individual computer related and has nothing to do with the RingCentral software.

You have another option, though I don't recommend it: You don't have to use the pop-up standalone window to answer calls. You can turn the pop-up standalone window option off, and use the softphone (RingCentral for Windows) window by itself to answer calls. (That's the window one with the dial pad, etc.)

However, if you do that, you have to be sure to have softphone launched and its window actively running on your desktop to answer a call. When a call comes in, the buttons to Answer and To Voicemail appear in that window, the same way they do in the pop-up standalone window.

You can have the window minimized while it's running, but softphone still has to be actively running. If it's not actively running, then when a call comes in, you will hear softphone ringing, but you'll have no way to answer.

Also, if you have softphone actively running, but have it minimized, then when a call comes in, and softphone rings, you'll have to click the softphone icon in your system tray to bring it back up before you can answer the call. (That might not be required if you are using one of those expensive headsets that allow you to answer from the headset.)

To turn off the standalone window, launch softphone.

At the bottom of the softphone window, click on the View Settings gear wheel icon. That will open the Settings window.

On the left-hand side of the Settings window, click the telephone handset Calls icon. It's the third down from the top.

On the top line, right-hand side of that window, click the left, blue side of the switch to turn off "Display incoming call in the standalone window."

You might want to click the General gear wheel at the top on the left-hand side of the Settings window, then on the right, fourth line down, click the switch button to turn on "Keep app in foreground." You can still minimize the window with that setting in place. But when you bring the window up, it will be on top of anything else.

I have decided to keep my pop-up standalone window turned on. Every morning, first thing, I'll give it a call from my cell phone to wake it up.

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phillip-demuth2959 commented · Sep 02, 2016 at 02:45 PM

John --

Thanks for this tip and detailed instructions on how to implement it. So far I am pleased with the results from your first tip -- just calling myself first thing every morning to wake up the softphone. Why didn't I think of that? You have been incredibly helpful. Many thanks -- Phil

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John commented · Sep 02, 2016 at 03:18 PM

You're very welcome, sir.

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mike commented · Sep 02, 2016 at 05:48 PM

Phillip, I'm curious. What operating system are you running? Just wondering if you are on Windows 10 and this something we just haven't encountered yet. I don't have an exact ETA, but the application is currently not supported for Win10 but likely will be within a few weeks.

Mike

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Answer 7 · 2016-09-02T19:13:08Z

John answered Sep 2, '16

Phil, which are you running, a desktop computer or a laptop?

I'm running a Windows 7 Pro 64 bit laptop. This last year or so, unless I'm imagining it, my system has slowed some all the way around so far as goes the initial launch of anything. Anything I do, all the way for example from waiting for the list of Control Panels to populate under Start > Control Panels, to launching Firefox or Internet Explorer to opening WiFi configuration, all are several seconds slow, ten to 20 seconds or even longer, to launch on initial launch, but then thereafter launch immediately. It could be that it's always been that way, and I'm just this past year really noticing it.

I'm probably as sure as anyone can be that I don't have malware or other problems, because I'm religious about running Norton and anti-malware software.

Some months back, I had some instability problems with various options in the Power Options control panel. For example, for a while there, I had trouble with the computer going into sleep mode during the night, even though I had power plugged in and had selected a Power Option that never lets the computer go to sleep. And then sometimes when I would try to wake the computer from sleep, it would be totally unresponsive.

This afternoon I've selected a Power Option called "High performance." I'm going to try that for a day or two and see if that makes a difference with the RC softphone and other applications. Will let you know if that helps.

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Answer 8 · 2016-09-02T23:19:47Z

John answered Sep 2, '16

Phil, here's another tip for you: In order to "wake up" softphone from its nap by making a call to it, you don't have to make that call from an outside line or another phone such as your cell phone. You can instead just make that call from your own softphone, itself.

You can actually use your own softphone logged in on your own main number to call to your own softphone at your own main number, then press "0" for the operator, or press whatever other extension number that would make your own softphone ring, and that will make your own softphone ring and and wake up and bring up the standalone window, just as if you were calling from an outside line.

Or at least that is working for me as I test it. So far as I know, it should work for you, too.

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Answer 9 · 2016-09-02T23:20:57Z

phillip-demuth2959 answered Sep 2, '16

Thanks -- even easier!

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Answer 10 · 2016-09-05T14:45:14Z

phillip-demuth2959 answered Sep 5, '16

Hi John,
Thanks for the tip. Obviously something is letter the program go into "sleep" mode from which the initial call has to awaken it. You have found the culprit with your laptop. I am using a desktop. However, for reasons unknown, for the past 10 days or so the problem as disappeared. When I call in the morning to "wake up" the program it pops up instantly,as it should. I wish I knew why, what is new and different, but I don't. Best, Phil

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