Information Systems:VoIP Phone Configuration

Overview

This article discusses the user-facing side of the phone system including deskphones, cordless phones, and headsets.

Administration

Initial Setup

Deskphone Setup (Yealink)

• The first step when configuring a new phone desk phone is to unbox and label the phone to its extension.
• The second step is to determine what port it will be plugged into , meaning which port on which switch it plugs into.
• Tag The port switch port
• Plug the phone into the local port
• Log into 3cx
• Under the phones tab find the new phone by extension
• Hit assign extension
• Use Lan at the office
• Use Interface 192.168.44.2
• Log into the phone interface and set the phone with a static IP? (maybe)

Cordless (DECT) Base and Phone Setup

web link to general setup https://www.3cx.com/sip-phones/manually-provision-yealink-dect/

• unbox the base and handset
• plug the base into switch
• navigate to the 3cx management page
• under the advanced tab select FXS/DECT
• add the base using the mac address to the list of bases already present.
• use the interface 192.168.44.2
• copy the provisioning link provided here in the general tab
• define the extensions in the extensions tab
• navigate to the ip address of the wireless base
• navigate to settings and auto configuration , use the provisioning link copied before in the space for server URL
• confirm, auto provision now.
• to add a phone to a base, press and hold the wifi button on the base until the top light starts to flash, then on the handset select register and they will find each other.
• username is admin, and the password for the base is found on the FS/Dect page for the base.

DECT Repeater Setup

• Setting up a repeater requires a dect base, handset that is paired to that base and the repeater itself.
• from a paired handset navigate to settings and put it into repeater mode, choosing the type of repeater.
• the base will automatically reset when the paired handset is put into repeater mode, wait for the base to come online
• connect the repeater to power
• hold down the pairing button on the base until the phone light starts to flash
• press the pairing button on the repeater.
• the dect light should go from red to orange when it finds the base.

There is one repeater in the recieving mezzannine, and one in large down

Firmware updates

The Yealink deskphones and DECT bases require firmware updates. The firmware for the deskphones can and should only be updated through 3CX. This is because there is specific, 3CX-certified firmware which is different (and often lags behind) what Yealink generally releases. The firmware is auto-downloaded into the 3CX system as a part of its auto-updater. Once newer firmware is auto-downloaded into the repository, the system displays a warning for applicable phones that are now out of date. The firmware can be pushed from the 3CX console. This will reboot the phone and reset any user customizations that are not managed through 3CX. For example, the ringtone is manageable through 3CX, but the Display Clock within Screensaver, is not.

Supported deployment configurations

This section discusses the different configurations that are in use currently. Originally there were only 2 standard configurations (office and warehouse employees), but the situation evolved rapidly due to COVID/WFH. In particular, the softphones, web client and mobile app have become part of standard usage, in some cases replacing the use of deskphones entirely e.g. Customer Service.

General (in-office)

Setup 1 (office): Yealink deskphone, EPOS wireless headset via USB (connected to deskphone)

Setup 2 (warehouse): Yealink cordless DECT phone

Setup 3 (certain staff): 3CX Web Client, EPOS wireless headset via USB (connected to computer)

Optional components: 3CX Web Client, 3CX App (mobile)

Setup 1 was the original setup for all office users, and involves a Yealink deskphone (T54W) and, for staff using a headset, an EPOS SD-Pro Or D10 DECT headset connected to the phone via USB.

Some staff who have been exposed to either the web client or mobile app (due to WFH or other means) continue to use these in-office for the additional features. For example, some warehouse supervisors use the mobile app instead of the cordless phone.

WFH (except Customer Service)

Setup: 3CX Web Client and 3CX App (mobile)

Additional components: 3CX Browser Extension for Chrome or Edge (Chromium-based)

When working from home, the web client is the recommended deployment for office staff that are not in Customer Service. Theoretically, the web client is more performant through the WAN compared to the softphone as it uses WebRTC rather than SIP/RTP (I think...). Being browser-accessible, the web client is also simpler to deploy and maintain than the Windows client.

Customer Service

Setup 1: 3CX for Windows softphone, EPOS Connect, 3CX Plugin for EPOS

Setup 2 (WFH): 3CX for Windows softphone (through RDP), Poly/Plantronics C3220 USB headset (USB pass-through), Plantronics Hub Software (supports 3CX integration)

Additional components: Kuando BusyLight

The 3CX for Windows softphone (a.k.a. desktop client) has become the preferred deployment for Customer Service agents, along with the headset connected directly to the computer. This is true whether in-office or WFH. Call control and other features are enabled through the EPOS Connect softaware and the 3CX Plugin for EPOS. While the headset could theoretically work in plug-and-play mode, both of these need to be installed for a smooth experience.

This software communicates to the server via the main LAN, which is different from the deskphones that communicate on the VoIP VLAN.

For historical reference, the original deployment for CS agents involved a deskphone (including a sidecar attachment for the receptionist), and a wireless headset connected to the deskphone via USB. The deskphone introduced another vendor into the equation - Yealink, which in turn presented limitations due to only a subset of features on the deskphone being interoperable with 3CX. For example, the deskphone neither displays call queue information nor Away status for other users.

TBC -norwizzle (talk)