This page lists all options related to provisioning the phone system.
Overview
VoipNow can automatically configure the SIP devices associated with a Phone terminal extension using either customized provisioning templates added by the extension's parent accounts (including the system administrator) or the default configuration files, specific to each device model. This feature is called provisioning and it helps you set and maintain identical configurations for a large number of equipments.
After setting up the contact information, permissions, limits and all the other specific features, VoipNow displays the following message:
Extension John Smith (0027*001) has been successfully added. Click here if you want to provision this extension now. If you want to provision every newly extension, click here.
If you click the second link, the Provisioning and SIP Preferences for Extension <extension_name> page is added as the last step when configuring a new extension. You can provision a new device using the controls grouped into the fields detailed below.
Provisioning
Enable Use provisioning if you want to provision a new SIP device for the current Phone terminal extension. This unlocks the Device Information and the Device Settings fieldsets, allowing you to configure the equipment.
By doing so, the extension gets all its setup parameters from the provisioning server. Otherwise, the extension user will have to manually set the device parameters.
As a system administrator, you have access to this option regardless of the Allow to provision devices permission level set for the extension.
Device information
You can use the available controls if you have previously selected the Use provisioning checkbox.
Option
Details
Friendly name
Fill in a custom name that will differentiate the provisioned device. Value must be alphanumerical and 3-32 character long; it is not unique.
Manufacturer
Choose the manufacturer that produces the device you want to provision. The drop-down list contains all the brands supported by the VoipNow provisioning system.
Model
Select one of the device models available for the chosen manufacturer.
Firmware/Version
Select one of the firmware/product versions corresponding to the selected brand and model. Have in mind that the configuration file may be different for the same device, depending on its firmware/version. For the moment, only Cisco (7940) and Cisco (7960) have two different configuration files, for firmware 7.x and 8.x.
Application version
Provide the firmware version of the device specific (e.g. P0S3-08-11-00). This value will be retained in the data base and used in the configuration file generated for the selected device. For most devices, you do not have to fill in this text box, but there are certain cases (i.e. Cisco) when the device requires the presence of the exact application version in the configuration file in order to be provisioned. Check the supplied user guide for clarifications.
MAC address
Fill in the device MAC address. The text box is auto-populated with the first three segments specific to each manufacturer (e.g. 00:04:13 for Snom); Value must have the standard format XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, where X is a hexadecimal digit (e.g. 0-9, A-F or a-f). Check the equipment's manual to find its MAC address. You can also edit this parameter when a device is already provisioned for this account.
Use MAC based provisioning
The provisioning link is generated based on the device MAC address as long as the Allow MAC based provisioning on HTTP(S) option is enabled from the Unified Communications → Equipment Templates → Global Preferences section and the Update protocol is either HTTP or HTTPS. See the Provisioning Link section for some examples.
Status
If you just want to define and assign the device without provisioning it, then you should select Disable and the provisioning file will not be generated; On the other hand, if you want to finalize the provisioning process, select Enable; If the extension's Allow to provision devices permission level is set to Modify and a device is already provisioned for this account, then you are able to modify the selection.
Notes
Use the text box to add supplementary information about the device.
Provisioning link
For Aastra devices, the provisioning link could be:
If the Use MAC based provisioning check box is selected and the Update protocol is set to HTTP:
http://192.168.4.170/pro/p/00085D000000
If the Use MAC based provisioning check box is not selected and the Update protocol is set to HTTP:
http://192.168.4.170/pro/p/0019/0020/001
For some manufacturers, such as Polycom, the provisioning links may look different:
If a duplicate MAC address is found in the database, the provisioning link will not be generated and an error message will be displayed.
Device settings
Administrator username: Fill in a username for logging in to the device's browser based configuration interface. Not all the devices support configuration via a web browser. For additional information, check the documentation of the equipment you want to provision.
Password generation: Choose the method for providing the password:
None: No password will be required to connect to the device's browser-based configuration interface.
Auto generated: VoipNow will randomly generate a password for you.
Manual: If you like, you can manually set and confirm the Administrator password.
Phone update interval: Optionally, you can fill in the text box with the number of minutes the device waits before checking for updates on the provisioning server. Between: 1 and 99,999 minutes/seconds, depending on the device's settings. Default: 10 minutes.
Update protocol: The list is automatically populated with the protocols used by the selected device to access the configuration file on the provisioning server (e.g. TFTP, HTTP).
Provisioning template: The most important step when adding a device is to select the appropriate Provisioning template. The drop-down list displays only those templates with configuration files defined for the selected equipment, plus the Server default template that includes the standard configuration files of all the devices supported by VoipNow. These configuration files contain the settings (default or custom) required by the device to become fully functional in the VoipNow system. It is advisable to double-check the template you are going to use and search for any possible error that could cause the device to malfunction. As a system administrator, you can only choose from your own templates. The provisioning templates defined by other users are not available.
Regenerate provisioning files: Select this checkbox if you want the provisioning files available for the current extension to be regenerated with the new settings.
SIP preferences
The users that log in to the VoipNow interface using a service provider, organization or user account have complete access to the Provisioning and SIP Preference's field sets only if the Phone extension SIP management permission is enabled.
If this permission is disabled, then these users have access only to the following features:
Use the same password with interface
Phone password
Confirm phone password
Equipment description
The Phone extension SIP management permission can be enabled if the account is created from the Roles and Phone Numbers for <account_type> <account_name> page.
Option
Details
DTMF
Choose the DTMF mode. Default: rfc2833. If you choose the auto option, Asterisk automatically detects whether the channel supports rfc2833 or not. If not, Asterisk uses the inband mode.
A PBX Is Connected to this extension
This option allows the system to direct an incoming call made to a public phone number to a particular extension on the PBX server connected to the extension for which the current setting is enabled; When the call is sent to the PBX server, the public phone number that was called is saved and thus the call can be directed to the chosen extension on the PBX server. This setting is not available unless your license supports SIP trunking (the Maximum number of SIP trunking channels must be bigger than 0); If the license supports it, this option can only be enabled if the extension's Maximum public concurrent calls value has not been previously set to Unlimited; if the value is set to Unlimited, the line is still available, but you will not be allowed to select the checkbox and you'll see warning message displayed next to it: To make it available, setup the "Maximum public concurrent calls" to a limited number (now it is unlimited).
Ping the extension to check its status
When enabled, the server sends ping SIP messages to the extension regularly; Usually, this option is used for extensions behind NAT.
Allow re-invites from this extension
By enabling this option, your extension will be allowed to send re-INVITES.
Extension publishes its own state
Enable if you do not want the server to send presence notifications to the phones watching this extension for presence. If enabled, the server will no longer send any notification events unless this extension explicitly publishes its presence by sending PUBLISH messages to the SIP server.
Force enable of MWI
Enable if you want to receive Message Waiting Indicator notifications and your phone does not send explicit subscriptions for MWI. Most phones do not need this option.
Allowed codecs
Select the codecs supported by the phone device. The list of possible codecs displayed in the Allowed codecs section can be modified from the Unified Communications → Zero Priority → General page.
Phone does not register, is located on IP <> Port <> and <has to/does not have to> authenticate
All incoming calls from this IP/Port require/do not require authentication. The drop-down list is disabled until an IP address is filled in. If the same IP is being used by another extension that does not have to authenticate, an error message will be displayed, telling you that this configuration cannot be saved;
SIP Signaling Transport
Allow extension SIP connection only from IP <IP_address> (maximum class C (/24)
Limit the extension usage to an IP or a network. Only the IP addresses specified here will be allowed to receive and make calls from this extension. Registration on the phone is still needed in order to receive calls. You can add several IP addresses by using the +/- buttons.
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