SX20 merge call from WebEx and SX10

[Shams Rishad]

I'm going SX10 at one site and SX20 at another site. Standalone deployment, H.323, mode: direct, port allocation: static. These two sites have data connectivity from SP (not through internet, instead SP's switched network).

Both devices are assigned private IPs and at the SX20 site, we have configured static NAT on the private IP assigned to the SX20. SX10 can call SX20 using the private IP. But there is no NAT on the SX10 site.

Here's my question:

If SX20 joins a WebEx cloud meeting through the static NAT, is there any way that SX10 calls SX20 using private IP and then join the conference? Can I merge the two calls in SX20?

Thanks

Rishad

[Patrick Sparkman]

It won't work, because by merging the calls (which requires Multisite option key on the SX20), the merged conference will then be hosted on the SX20 and not in the WebEx meeting. Each endpoint must dial into the WebEx meeting, or have WebEx dial out to the endpoint.

[Shams Rishad]

Thanks a lot Patrick,

So, in my setup, if I have the multisite options key, then is this possible
to host meeting on SX20 where my SX10 and WebEx attendees can join? And how
do I verify if I have multisite option key to begin with?

Also, is this possible for other Telepresence users to call to my SX10 and
SX20? Where my two units have either public IPs assigned, or private IP
NATted statically. Or the other TP units trying to call to my TPs must have
H.323 as well? Also I believe they need to ensure TCP/UDP ports open from
their end too, right?

Thanks in advance.

[Patrick Sparkman]

It's possible, but not supported by Cisco by any means. Each endpoint should be dialing into WebEx Meeting Center themselves, and not through another endpoint. Not to mention that the user experience each participant will have will not be ideal, as each participant will appear in a small window within an already small window.
As long as you have the required ports open in the firewall, other endpoints can connect to you, but I can't stress enough that each endpoint should connect to WebEx directly and not thought another endpoint.

[Shams Rishad]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks a lot for your continuous useful posts.

I have performed Static NAT on SX20 and I can access the codec's webpage through internet. I've also started a WebEx meeting, and got the video address <meeting number>@asrotex.webex.com. But when I dial this video address from the SX20 to join the meeting, it says could not place call to h323:<meeting number>@asrotex.webex.com.

In this environment, there is no firewall. So is it because the ISP or IIG's might be blocking some ports? or what could be the possible reasons?

Thanks

Rishad

[Patrick Sparkman]

Have they been able to dial externally in the past?
If you're using static IPs, make sure that you also configure DNS, the endpoints need to be able to resolve the domain being called. You can check the endpoint logs to see if it's resolve the domain.

[Shams Rishad]

Hi Patrick,

Private IP is assigned in the TP and static NAT is configured on the router and I can access the webpage of the codec from outside when I hit the public address. I have put my inside global IP address in the NAT address field of H.323 tab and have set the mode as auto. Also have put the DNS as 8.8.8.8 and 4.2.2.2. in this environment we don't have own DNS server, so I've used the mentioned. I'm confused on what should I put as Domain name. Would that be webex.com? asrotex.com?

Still cannot join the WebEx meeting dialing the video address.

[Patrick Sparkman]

You should use the public IP for H323 NAT address.

H323 NAT Address
Auto: The system will determine if the H323 NAT Address or the real IP address should be used in signaling. This makes it possible to place calls to endpoints on the LAN as well as endpoints on the WAN. If the H323 NAT Address is wrong or not set, the real IP address will be used.

On: The system will signal the configured H323 NAT Address instead of its real IP address in Q.931 and H.245. If the H323 NAT Address is wrong or not set, H.323 calls cannot be set up.

Be sure you've opened up the following ports, and have set H323 PortAllocation to Static.

• 1720
• 5555-6555
• 2326-2487

DNS domain name can usually be left blank, it's only used unless you don't specify the FQDN and only try to dial a host name.

The DNS Domain Name is the default domain name suffix which is added to unqualified names. Example: If the DNS Domain Name is "company.com" and the name to lookup is "MyVideoSystem", this will result in the DNS lookup "MyVideoSystem.company.com".

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SX20 Admin Guides

[Shams Rishad]

Dear Patrick,

I guess I've set everything alright, only thing that needs to be checked is the ports.

I've checked by telnetting, ports seem to be blocked. The environment on which I'm deploying the system does not have a firewall, only a Mikrotik router and I've made sure that the router is blocking, no ACL or anything like that. I've also contacted the ISP, they are saying that all ports are open from their end and says that it is the endpoints that have all the ports shutdown.

From the little knowledge I have, this is funny, because an endpoint/host does not have any functionality to open or block ports. Hosts listens and uses the port, provided that the ports are open from the upstream (line). They don't seem to understand. Perhaps IIG's are blocking the ports?

Is there any definite way to make sure that I'm okay configuration-wise and the only thing preventing the communication to take place is the port blocking thing? And also is there any way to surely determine exactly where the ports are being blocked?

Thanks

Rishad