Necessity of Voice VLAN?

[Matty-CT]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of deploying a 3CX system for a client. Let's say that I'm an experienced networking guy (I remember when DOS 6.22 was a big upgrade) but I'm just a few steps above novice with VOIP systems. Here's my question. For a typical small business network with, say, 20 PCs and 15 phone users, 2-4 inbound SIP trunks, is a separate vlan necessary or particularly beneficial? I don't mind deploying it and creating all the DHCP items, just curious on how important it is for sound quality on a small network. I did an 8x8 system for a client last year and 8x8 didn't think it was worth it for a 5-10 user network for their equipment.

Right now I have the 3CX system running on a Win2019 VM on a Hyper-V host. The infrastructure is up-to-date aka Gigabit managed switch, etc.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Matt

 

[craigreilly]

I have enabled Voice-Vlan on my switches - but not physcially created separate vlans. We have about 60 extensions and 100 users (pre-Covid) without issues.

 

[accentlogic]

Unless you have a need to VLAN you may as well leave them alone. Life will be much easier for that small number.

That said, we often do it anyway. For example - another IT company handles the IT side and we handle the phones, so we'll have them VLAN off the phones we we have separation and proper access rights.

 

[BrenttG]

Only VLAN when VLAN is called for, if it is not needed, dun do it.

 

[OS-Milton]

VLAN is more about organization now, than broadcast domains for myself...
Older 3Com equipment and Old Plotters used to be like Network Noise generators!

- That said - Others have nailed it ..
KISS - Keep it Simple <> Stupid

 

[simply7]

Depends on what the network traffic is like. Does this place do a lot of large file transfers that will create link saturation? The purpose of the VLAN is to give the voice traffic priority over all traffic because it is sensitive to real time packet delivery. With that said, for a Voice VLAN to work properly it needs to be labeled as voice for LLDP, and DSCP or QoS configured in the switch. If all you do is create a VLAN and set it on the phones you have only created a new network segment.