Help with Configuring VoIP

[david.esposito01]

Hello all,

I am a student in a networking class. We have our lab set up with OSPF and everything is interconnected (see image of topology). Since i am ahead in ENSA, my teacher tasked me with figuring out VoIP and getting it working in our lab.

We have Cisco 8861 IP phones. I have configured some things so far, but i’m not entirely sure if they are accurate/correct (see config). I am currently trying to specify the ephone type, but the 8861 is not appearing on the options. I think you are supposed to use the ephone-type global config command to create a config for it, but i am confused on how to do that.

Also, do i need a tftp server with configuration files for the ip phones? I know the dhcp option 150 is supposed to be for that, but i’m not sure if i need it or not.

As you maybe be able to tell, i’m quite lost. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you need any more information to assist with this, please let me know. Thanks for your help

info: the routers are 4431s, the switches are catalyst 3650(?), and the IP phones are CP-8861s

        it is an airgapped network, so there is no connection to anything outside

        the topology is designed around continents, countries, and cities. the countries are designated with their country code

        the goal is to be able to call every "country" by dialing their country code

[Roger Kallberg]

That model of phone is a SIP device, so ephone in CME is not applicable as that is for SCCP phones. There are great documentation on cisco.com for how to setup CME.

[david.esposito01]

Oh, i had no idea. Am i able to set up telephony with a SIP phone? Do i need Cisco Unified Communications Manager?

[djl]

Yes, you can use a SIP phones.  No, you don't need CUCM, but it would be my preference.  I'm not expecting your teacher wants you to deploy a CUCM environment, but rather Call Manager Express (CME).

This should send you in the right direction: Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express 

Once you identify the version, take a look at the Administrator Guides.

You should be able to find the version using the command: "show telephony-service | i Express|Version"

DJ

[Roger Kallberg]

CME can handle both SIP and SCCP devices, however it is different configuration in the system for each type.

[david.esposito01]

Do you know where i can find configuration guides/help for SIP phones with CME?

[Roger Kallberg]

Have you looked at the link shared by @djl?

[david.esposito01]

yes, but i thought that was for cucm, not cme. I may be mistaken, but from the title of it it seemed to be cucm. I will look again

[djl]

Welcome to Cisco naming, but don't worry, soon the only word that they will ever use will be 'Webex'.

The key differentiator in the link I sent was 'Express'.  We've all missed details before, but in this field details are extremely important and my advice is to keep that in mind throughout school and your career.  For example, the specific version of software you're running will most likely have different features and capabilities so it's best to use documentation for the correct version.  Also, documentation is imperfect. 

Cisco has also historically called completely different products by the same name, so it can be tricky.  Hence the Webex joke.

DJ 

[david.esposito01]

ah. yea that makes sense. When i get back to the lab on monday i will check the version and refer to the documentation. Hopefully i will be able to figure it out from there lol

[david.esposito01]

So i was just able to check the version of the software on the routers. It is 10.5, which isn’t in the link you sent me. Apparently that has been retired. Do you know where i can find the proper documentation or how to upgrade the version?

[djl]

Have a look in the admin guide of a supported version that you'd want to run.  The next issue you will have is getting your hands on current versions.  Cisco used to be pretty good about leaving documentation published for deprecated versions, but not so much anymore.

You may also be able to use the current documents for older versions for core configuration, but YMMV. 

DJ

[Roger Kallberg]

About the upgrade part. CME is part of IOS, so you’d be looking at upgrading the router itself to a newer version of IOS if you want a newer version of CME.

[djl]

@Roger Kallberg I was letting him discover that in the documents.

DJ

[david.esposito01]

oh i already sorta figured that out lol