C H A P T E R
2
Preparing to Install the Cisco Unified IP Phone on
Your Network
Cisco Unified IP Phones enable you to communicate using voice over a data network. To provide this
capability, the phones depend upon and interact with several other key Cisco IP Telephony and network
components, including Cisco Unified CM, Domain Name System (DNS) and DHCP servers, TFTP
servers, media resources, and Cisco prestandard PoE.
This chapter focuses on the interactions between the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7931G and Cisco Unified
CM, DNS and DHCP servers, TFTP servers, and switches. It also describes options for powering phones.
For related information about voice and IP communications, refer to this URL (you must be a registered
Cisco.com user):
This chapter includes these topics:
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Understanding Interactions with Other Cisco Unified IP
Communications Products
To function in the IP telephony network, the Cisco Unified IP Phone must be connected to a networking
device, such as a Cisco Catalyst switch. You must also register the Cisco Unified IP Phone with a
Cisco Unified CM system before sending and receiving calls.
This section includes these topics:
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Providing Power to the Phone
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Data traffic to and from the PC connected to the switch through the access port of the IP phone
(native VLAN)
Isolating the phones on a separate, auxiliary VLAN improves the quality of the voice traffic and allows
a large number of phones to be added to an existing network where there are not enough IP addresses
for each phone.
For more information, refer to the documentation included with a Cisco switch. You can also access
related documentation at this URL:
Related Topics
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Network Configuration Menu, page 3-6
Providing Power to the Phone
The Cisco Unified IP Phones 7931G can be powered with external power or with Power over Ethernet
(PoE). External power is provided through a separate power supply. PoE is provided by a switch through
the Ethernet cable attached to a phone.
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Power Outage
Your accessibility to emergency service through the phone is dependent on the phone being powered. If
there is an interruption in the power supply, Service and Emergency Calling Service dialing will not
function until power is restored. In the case of a power failure or disruption, you may need to reset or
reconfigure equipment before using the Service or Emergency Calling Service dialing.
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Providing Power to the Phone
Power Guidelines
Table 2-1 provides guidelines that apply to external power and to PoE power for the Cisco Unified IP
Phones 7931G.
Table 2-1
Guidelines for Powering the Cisco Unified IP Phones 7931G
Power Type
Guidelines
External power—
The CP-PWR-CUBE-3 external power supply may be used with the
Provided through a Cisco Cisco Unified IP Phones 7931G.
external power supply.
Externalpower—Provided The Cisco Unified IP Phone Power Injector may be used with any
through the Cisco Unified Cisco Unified IP Phone. Functioning as a midspan device, the injector
IP Phone Power Injector. delivers inline power to the attached phone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone
Power Injector is connected between a switch port and the IP Phone, and
supports a maximum cable length of 100m between the unpowered switch
and the phone.
PoE power—Provided by
a switch through the
Ethernet cable attached to
the phone.
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The Cisco Unified IP Phones 7931G supports IEEE 802.3af Power
over Ethernet.
To ensure uninterruptible operation of the phone, make sure that the
switch has a backup power supply.
Make sure that the CatOS or IOS version running on your switch
supports your intended phone deployment. Refer to the
documentation for your switch for operating system version
information.
Obtaining Additional Information about Power
For related information about power, refer to these documents:
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Cisco Catalyst Switches—Cisco switches that work with the Cisco Unified IP Phones:
Cisco IOS Software—Cisco IOS releases that support bidirectional power negotiation:
Other requirements and restrictions regarding power:
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Integrated Service Routers:
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Understanding Phone Configuration Files
Understanding Phone Configuration Files
Configuration files for a phone are stored on the TFTP server and define parameters for connecting to
Cisco Unified CM. In general, any time you make a change in Cisco Unified CM that requires the phone
to be reset, a change is made automatically to the phone configuration file.
Configuration files also contain information about which image load the phone should be running. If this
image load differs from the one currently that is loaded on a phone currently, the phone contacts the
TFTP server to request the required load files. (These files are digitally signed to ensure the authenticity
of the file source.)
In addition, if the device security mode in the configuration file is set to Authenticated and the CTL file
on the phone has a valid certificate for Cisco Unified CM, the phone establishes a TLS connection to
Cisco Unified CM. Otherwise, the phone establishes a TCP connection. For SIP phones, a TLS
connection requires that the transport protocol in the phone configuration file be set to TLS, which
corresponds to the transport type in the SIP Security Profile in Cisco Unified CM Administration.
Note
Note
If the device security mode in the configuration file is set to Authenticated or Encrypted, but the phone
has not received a CTL or ITL file, the phone tries four times obtain the file so it can register securely.
Cisco Extension Mobility Cross Cluster is an exception, in that the phone permits a TLS connection to
Cisco Unified CM for secure signaling even without the CTL file.
If you configure security-related settings in Cisco Unified CM Administration, the phone configuration
file will contain sensitive information. To ensure the privacy of a configuration file, you must configure
it for encryption. For detailed information, see the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Security
A phone accesses a default configuration file named XmlDefault.cnf.xml only when the phone has not
received a valid Trust List file containing a certificate assigned to the Cisco Unified CM and TFTP.
If auto registration is not enabled and you did not add the phone to the Cisco Unified CM database, the
phone does not attempt to register with Cisco Unified CM. The phone continually displays the
“Configuring IP” message until you either enable auto-registration or add the phone to the Cisco Unified
CM database.
If the phone has registered before, the phone accesses the configuration file named
SEPmac_address.cnf.xml, where mac_address is the MAC address of the phone.
For SIP phones, the TFTP server generates these SIP configuration files:
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SIP IP Phone:
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For unsigned and unencrypted files—SEP<mac>.cnf.xml
For signed files—SEP<mac>.cnf.xml.sgn
For signed and encrypted files—SEP<mac>.cnf.xml.enc.sgn
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Dial Plan—<dialplan>.xml
Softkey Template—<softkey_template>.xml
The filenames are derived from the MAC Address and Description fields in the Phone Configuration
window of Cisco Unified CM. The MAC address uniquely identifies the phone. For more information,
see the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Administration Guide.
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Understanding the Phone Startup Process
For more information about how the phone interacts with the TFTP server, see the Cisco Unified
Understanding the Phone Startup Process
When connecting to the VoIP network, the Cisco Unified IP Phone goes through a standard startup
process, as described in Table 2-2. Depending on your network configuration, not all of these process
steps may occur on your Cisco Unified IP Phone.
Table 2-2
Cisco Unified IP Phone Startup Process
No. Process
Description
Related Topics
1.
Obtaining Power from the If a phone is not using external power, the switch
Switch.
attached to the phone.
See Resolving Startup Problems,
page 9-1.
2.
Loading the Stored
Phone Image.
The Cisco Unified IP Phone has non-volatile flash
memory in which it stores firmware images and
user-defined preferences. At startup, the phone runs a
bootstrap loader that loads a phone image stored in flash
memory. Using this image, the phone initializes its
software and hardware.
See Resolving Startup Problems,
page 9-1.
3.
Configuring VLAN.
If the Cisco Unified IP Phone is connected to a Cisco
switch, the switch next informs the phone of the voice
VLAN defined on the switch port. The phone needs to
know its VLAN membership before it can proceed with
the DHCP request for an IP address.
See Network Configuration
Menu, page 3-6.
See Resolving Startup Problems,
page 9-1.
4.
5.
Obtaining an IP Address. If the Cisco Unified IP Phone is using DHCP to obtain an See Network Configuration
IP address, the phone queries the DHCP server to obtain Menu, page 3-6.
one. If you are not using DHCP in your network, you
must assign static IP addresses to each phone locally.
page 9-1.
See Resolving Startup Problems,
Accessing a TFTP Server. In addition to assigning an IP address, the DHCP server See Network Configuration
directs the Cisco Unified IP Phone to a TFTP Server. If Menu, page 3-6.
the phone has a statically defined IP address, you must
See Resolving Startup Problems,
configure the TFTP server locally on the phone; the
page 9-1.
phone then contacts the TFTP server directly.
Note
You can also assign an alternative TFTP server to
use instead of the one assigned by DHCP.
6.
Requesting the CTL file. The TFTP server stores the CTL file. This file also
contains the certificates necessary for establishing a
secure connection between the phone and Cisco
Unified CM.
See the Cisco Unified
Communications Manager
Security Guide, Configuring the
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Adding Phones to Cisco Unified CM
Table 2-2
Cisco Unified IP Phone Startup Process (continued)
No. Process
Description
Related Topics
7.
Requesting the ITL file.
The phone requests the ITL file after it requests the CTL See the Cisco Unified
file. The ITL file contains the certificates of the entities Communications Manager
that the phone can trust. The certificates are used for
authenticating a secure connection with the servers or
authenticating a digital signature signed by the servers.
The ITL file is available to the phone only on Cisco
Unified CM 8.0 and later.
Security Guide, Security by
8.
9.
Requesting the
Configuration file.
The TFTP server has configuration files, which define
parameters for connecting to Cisco Unified CM and
other information for the phone.
See Resolving Startup Problems,
page 9-1.
Contacting Cisco Unified The configuration file defines how the Cisco
See Resolving Startup Problems,
Communications
Manager.
Unified IP Phone communicates with Cisco Unified CM page 9-1.
and provides a phone with its load ID. After obtaining the
file from the TFTP server, the phone attempts to make a
connection to the highest priority Cisco Unified CM on
the list. If the security profile of the phone is configured
for secure signaling (encrypted or authenticated) and the
Cisco Unified CM is set to secure mode, the phone makes
a TLS connection. Otherwise, it makes a nonsecure
TCP connection.
If the phone was manually added to the database, Cisco
Unified CM identifies the phone. If the phone was not
added manually to the database and auto-registration is
enabled in Cisco Unified CM, the phone attempts to
auto-register itself in the Cisco Unified CM database.
Note
Auto-registration is disabled when security is
enabled on Cisco Unified CM. In this case, the
phone must be manually added to the Cisco
Unified CM database.
Adding Phones to Cisco Unified CM
Before installing the Cisco Unified IP Phone, you must choose a method for adding phones to the
Cisco Unified CM database. These sections describe the methods:
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Table 2-3 provides an overview of these methods for adding phones to the Cisco Unified CM database.
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Adding Phones to Cisco Unified CM
Table 2-3
Methods for Adding Phones to the Cisco Unified CM Database
Requires
MAC
Address? Notes
Method
Auto-registration
No
Results in automatic assignment of directory numbers.
Not available when security or encryption is enabled.
Auto-registration
with TAPS
No
Requires auto-registration and the Bulk Administration Tool (BAT);
updates the Cisco Unified CM database with the MAC address and
DNs for the device when user calls TAPS from the phone.
Using Cisco Unified Yes
CM Administration
Requires phones to be added individually.
Using BAT
Yes
Can add groups of same model of phone.
Can schedule when phones are added to the Cisco Unified
CM database.
Adding Phones with Auto-Registration
By enabling auto-registration before you begin installing phones, you can:
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Add phones without first gathering MAC addresses from the phones.
Automatically add a Cisco Unified IP Phone to the Cisco Unified CM database when you physically
connect the phone to your IP telephony network. During auto-registration, Cisco Unified CM
assigns the next available sequential directory number to the phone.
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Quickly enter phones into the Cisco Unified CM database and modify any settings, such as the
directory numbers, from Cisco Unified CM.
Move auto-registered phones to new locations and assign them to different device pools without
affecting their directory numbers.
Note
Cisco recommends that you use auto-registration to add fewer than 100 phones to your network. To add
Auto-registration is disabled by default. In some cases, you may not want to use auto-registration; for
example, if you want to assign a specific directory number to the phone or if you plan to use secure
connection with Cisco Unified CM, as described in the Cisco Unified Communications Manager
Security Guide. For information about enabling auto-registration, see the Cisco Unified Communications
Note
When you configure the cluster for mixed mode through the Cisco CTL client, auto-registration is
automatically disabled. When you configure the cluster for nonsecure mode through the Cisco CTL
client, auto-registration is not enabled automatically.
Related Topics
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Adding Phones to Cisco Unified CM
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Adding Phones with Auto-Registration and TAPS
You can add phones with auto-registration and TAPS, the Tool for Auto-Registered Phones Support,
without first gathering MAC addresses from phones.
TAPS works with the Bulk Administration Tool (BAT) to update a batch of phones that were already
added to the Cisco Unified CM database with dummy MAC addresses. Use TAPS to update MAC
addresses and download pre-defined configurations for phones.
Note
Cisco recommends that you use auto-registration and TAPS to add fewer than 100 phones to your
network. To add more than 100 phones to your network, use the Bulk Administration Tool (BAT).
To implement TAPS, you or the end-user dial a TAPS directory number and follow voice prompts. When
the process is complete, the phone will have downloaded its directory number and other settings, and the
phone will be updated in Cisco Unified CM Administration with the correct MAC address.
Auto-registration must be enabled in Cisco Unified CM Administration (System > Cisco Unified CM)
for TAPS to function.
Note
When you configure the cluster for mixed mode through the Cisco CTL client, auto-registration is
disabled automatically. When you configure the cluster for non-secure mode through the Cisco CTL
client, auto-registration is enabled automatically.
Refer to Cisco Unified Communications Manager Bulk Administration Guide for detailed instructions
Related Topics
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Adding Phones with Cisco Unified CM Administration
You can add phones individually to the Cisco Unified CM database using Cisco Unified CM
Administration. To do so, you first need to obtain the MAC address for each phone.
For information about determining a MAC address, see the “Determining the MAC Address of a Cisco
After you have collected MAC addresses, in Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Phone
and click Add New to begin.
For complete instructions and conceptual information about Cisco Unified Communications Manager,
refer to Cisco Unified Communications Manager Administration Guide and to Cisco Unified
Communications Manager System Guide.
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Using Cisco Unified IP Phones with Different Protocols
Related Topics
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Adding Phones with BAT
The Cisco Unified Communications Bulk Administration Tool (BAT), which is a menu option in
Cisco Unified CM Administration, enables you to perform batch operations, which includes registration,
on multiple phones.
Before you can add phones using BAT only (not in conjunction with TAPS), you must obtain the MAC
address for each phone.
For information about determining a MAC address, see the “Determining the MAC Address of a Cisco
To add a phone to the Cisco Unified CM, follow these steps:
Procedure
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
From Cisco Unified CM, choose Bulk Administration > Phones > Phone Template.
Click Add New.
Choose a Phone Type and click Next.
Enter the details of phone specific parameters such as Device Pool, Phone Button Template, and Device
Security Profile.
Step 5
Step 6
Click Save.
From Cisco Unified CM, choose Device > Phone > Add New to add a phone using an already created
BAT phone template.
For detailed instructions about using BAT and BAT phone templates, see the Cisco Unified
Related Topics
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Using Cisco Unified IP Phones with Different Protocols
The Cisco Unified IP Phone can operate with SCCP (Skinny Client Control Protocol) or SIP (Session
Initiation Protocol). You can convert a phone that is using one protocol for use with the other protocol.
This section includes these topics:
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Using Cisco Unified IP Phones with Different Protocols
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Converting a New Phone from SCCP to SIP
A new, unused phone is set for SCCP by default. To convert this phone to SIP, perform these steps:
Procedure
Step 1
Take one of these actions:
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To auto-register the phone, set the Auto Registration Phone Protocol enterprise parameter in Cisco
Unified CM Administration to SIP.
To provision the phone by using the Bulk Administration Tool (BAT), choose the appropriate phone
model and choose SIP from BAT.
To provision the phone manually, make the appropriate changes for SIP on the Phone Configuration
window in Cisco Unified CM Administration.
For detailed information about the Cisco Unified CM configuration, see theCisco
Unified Communications Manager Administration Guide.
Refer to Cisco Unified Communications Manager Bulk Administration Guide for detailed information
Step 2
Step 3
If you are not using DHCP in your network, configure the network parameters for the phone.
See Configuring Startup Network Settings, page 4-9.
Save the configuration updates, click Apply Config, click OK when the Apply Configuration
Information dialog displays, then have the user power cycle the phone.
Converting an In-Use Phone from One Protocol to the Other Protocol
For information about how to convert an in-use phone from one protocol to the other, see the Cisco
Deploying a Phone in an SCCP and SIP Environment
To deploy Cisco Unified IP Phones in an environment that includes SCCP and SIP and in which the
Cisco Unified CM Auto-Registration parameter is SCCP, perform these general steps:
1. Set the Cisco Unified CM Auto Registration Protocol enterprise parameter to SCCP.
From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose System > Enterprise Parameters.
2. Install the phones.
3. Change the Auto Registration Protocol enterprise parameter to SIP.
4. Auto-register the SIP phones.
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Determining the MAC Address of a Cisco Unified IP Phone
Determining the MAC Address of a Cisco Unified IP Phone
Several of the procedures that are described in this manual require you to determine the MAC address
of a Cisco Unified IP Phone. You can determine the MAC address for a phone in any of these ways:
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If the phone is registered with Cisco Unified CM, press the Application Menu button, then choose
Settings > Model Information and look at the MAC Address field.
By default, the Application Menu button is line button 24 (the top left line button).
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If the phone is not registered with Cisco Unified CM, press the Settings softkey, the choose Model
Information and look at the MAC Address field.
This softkey appears only when the phone is not registered.
Look at the MAC label on the back of the phone.
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Display the web page for the phone and click the Device Information hyperlink.
For information about accessing the web page, see the Accessing the Web Page for a Phone,
page 8-2.
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