3CX - Network Configuration

[CallumITW]

Hi there!

I'm looking to setup a 3CX environment which would be hosted internally. We are looking to upgrade the switches to Layer 3 models.

I have seen ubituiti with 48 ports, POE and 4 SFP modules with 10gb capability.

What do you all suggest?

TIA

Thank you!

 

[Saqqara]

You do not need layer3 switches - any decent POE switches will do, just make it is managed and can handle vlans (you may required vlans to separate your networks)

You will get various answers to this question, as everyone has their own preferred manufacture

If you go down the Unifi route, you need a Unifi Controller to manage the switches - i.e. Unifi Cloud Key 2

We use Unifi, being an IT support company it easy for us to manage our clients remotely using our internal unifi controller.

 

[Saqqara]

How many physical handsets are you going to have, this will dictate the number of poe ports required.

What is your current network setup - firewall / router , switches, etc

 

[CallumITW]

Hi @Saqqara

Physical handsets - We will have around 60 of these.

We are looking to cater for around 100 handsets to leave enough room for growth.
We currently have a fully managed network with a mixture of layer 2 and layer 3 switches, I beleive the current VOIP system is totally seperate from the main LAN which we all work on.
Seperate broadband line coming in for the VOIP system.

I have been looking at the Ubiquiti Switches, Cloud key controller etc. If they are sufficient then I shouldn't see an issue with been able to use those.

I was just wanting to know what other peoples views were on what they would use and best working practices!

 

[mixig]

We are using ubnt edge switches most of the time.
We tried many vendors, tplink, mikrotik, they all have some issues. And for L3 always mikrotik router.

 

[Clément Rousseau]

why switch layer 3 ? you don't need this, you just need manageable poe switchs, best if you can manage them in gui, management vlan if you know how to do it and if the network is large enough is a good thing but not mandatory.

personal recommandation : stay away from low cost switchs like tp link, huawei and noname switches is important. But its as much important to don't waste energy/money buying something that has features you will never use (like layers 3 switchs, or top level cisco/hp switchs (imo cisco and hp are good for sure but overrated)). There is many brands/models on the market who can fill your needs, in our company we use netgear or cisco.

 

[Saqqara]

Unifi stuff just works. Once you learn the controller, it's very easy to manage as deeply as you want. And it's inexpensive.

Have to agree Unifi equipment just works, with a controller software that makes things easy to configure. i.e. changing vlans on ports, in unifi you just tell the port what vlan it needs to be.

We had all sorts of issues with various access points, we do not have these issues with Unifi AP