newbie question or may be not

[dhaval001]

Hi there

This is my first post and first adventure in VoIP arena.

Although I have used VoIP softphones a lot and configured them, I am having difficulties getting 3CX work.

Now this issue may have been discussed here before but I can't find anything that relates to my situation.

We have a test server which is behind firewall which is Draytek router.

The test server local IP is 192.168.2.233.

I have installed 3CX on it and is working fine if my softphone is local to the server i.e. in 192.168.2.0 range. works like a dream...

However, if I put it in practical scenario where I want to work from home and use 3CX as my phone system, the problems start.

On our Draytek router, I have opened up following ports, mapping back to 192.168.2.233 as the router is NAT.

All UDP ports 5060, 3478, 900 to 9007, 7000 to 7500.

At my home, I am again behind a router which is also NAT router.

I configure softphones (tried 3 different ones) to register to the live IP of our office router behind which is my 3CX server.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong as I even put the test server in DMZ and opened all ports to it.

The only thing I am not sure about is the stun server settings.

I am not sure if this scenario is even supported as all the phones shown in documentation looks to be working locally to the 3CX server and there is no mention of server ->NAT router->Internet->NAT router->softphone scenario supported.

If someone can help, that will be great.

I love this software and would like to put it to real use.

Dhaval

 

[TwigsUSAN]

Try going into the extension for the softphone, within 3CX, and enable it as an external extension. I haven't played with it yet, but it is definitely on my list of things to do since I am on the road so much.

 

[dhaval001]

Hey thanks for replying.

I have already tried that.

I am quite surprised people don't find this to be common scenario or the most used scenario.

I hope either two of us or with help of others, the issue is resolved.

Dhaval

 

[Anonymous]

Well it is sort of not a common scenario, for you maybe but in general people use the PBX to do call routing in the office.

It is done before and it can be done.

Your stun server is exactly that for the NAT translation. So you might need that.

question:
Do you softphones register on the IP PBX?

What happens, I assume you use the POTS and not a dedicated network, is that your IP is lost in translation. You can fix this by using VPN tunnels etc so it becomes sort of an IPtoIP connection.

Your config looks ok, you try to latch onto the router and from there to the 3cx server that is how it should be. But SIP is prone to get lost with that hence they invented the STUN server.

If you can configure a VPN you might solve that problem.

First try to get the phones registered to your 3cx box, and we work from there.

 

[SY]

Hi Dhaval,

Your home extension must be configured as "External" in 3CX Phone System configuration and it is better to bind it to media server as well. (see advanced settings at the bottom of Extension configuration page)

Also, you must configure your home phone to discover and to use external IP.

Stepan

 

[dhaval001]

Hi James and Henk

Great support from you guys, appriciate it a lot.

Ok here are the reply points.

1. It is set as external extension and is bound to media server as requested.

2. The system is working perfactly fine if it is set to work locally i.e. everything on same network.

3. Through VPN also it works fine as technically you are on the same network, however the reason for not liking the VPN is the extra over head.

4. What Stun Server should I be using on both the server and softphone config?

5. There are no POTS or PSTN etc involved here. Pure Pure IP to IP communications.

6. My server status page shows something interesting. It shows that the stun server I am using on the softphone trying to contact it. Then I have "extension 100 registered" and then after two or three seconds, "extension 100 dropped". Although on the softphone, it never says it registered, even for a second. Also the diagnostic log on the softphone doesn't say that either.

7. I want someone to run me through settings on the server and the Xlite client from eyebeam. I want to make sure I am not missing out anything.

8. Finally, if somone is ready to take the challange, I am ready to give remote access to our test server. For opening up ports, let me knwo I will do it. You can test any client you may like. I just want it work from outside.

Dhaval

 

[Anonymous]

5. There are no POTS or PSTN etc involved here. Pure Pure IP to IP communications.

There gotta be a POTS or PSTN leg, unless you have a direct cable or dedicated network from your office to your house you will use the public network. (how far is your office and house anyway from each other)

6. My server status page shows something interesting. It shows that the stun server I am using on the softphone trying to contact it. Then I have "extension 100 registered" and then after two or three seconds, "extension 100 dropped". Although on the softphone, it never says it registered, even for a second. Also the diagnostic log on the softphone doesn't say that either.

Interesting, i think that is the nat playing tricks on you.

7. I want someone to run me through settings on the server and the Xlite client from eyebeam. I want to make sure I am not missing out anything.

Happy to help with the server settings, I do not use softphones but perhaps james will know.

8. Finally, if somone is ready to take the challange, I am ready to give remote access to our test server. For opening up ports, let me knwo I will do it. You can test any client you may like. I just want it work from outside

.
I'd almost say yes, but I do not have the time really. Happy to assist where I can but you can use your IP PBX by using VPN, you mentioned the overhead. Why is that a problem?

I noticed you are on MSN i might contact you later today. I am in AU where are you located?

 

[Anonymous]

Just thought about something, do you have your internal extensions ports open on your firewall? Because your extension is set to external you need to allow these ports to go through your firewall aswell.

 

[dhaval001]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your help.

But I have resorted to using VPN to make my laptop local to the 3CX server.

Someone asked what overhead on VPN. Well, any data that goes through VPN, has to be encapsulated so at either ends there is encapsulation and decapsulation. This adds to the latency and it is latency that we try to reduce when we choose UDP over TCP for carrying the VoIP traffic.

But if someone has done this successfully before, let me know what ports and other configuration needs to be done.

VoIP providers like VoIP buster, VoIP stunt, even skype (although they don't admin openly) do the same thing, i.e. the user of these service providers are nothing but extensions, registering from outside of their networks and going through their firewalls.

Dhaval

 

[Anonymous]

Someone asked what overhead on VPN. Well, any data that goes through VPN, has to be encapsulated so at either ends there is encapsulation and decapsulation. This adds to the latency and it is latency that we try to reduce when we choose UDP over TCP for carrying the VoIP traffic.

That would be me I understand the what and the how (thanks for writting it up though).

I was just wondering, why the VPN over head would be a probelm? Unless you have issues with the latency like you mentioned VPN should be no issue.

VoIP providers like VoIP buster, VoIP stunt, even skype (although they don't admin openly) do the same thing, i.e. the user of these service providers are nothing but extensions, registering from outside of their networks and going through their firewalls.

Sure only one minor problem they control the end points so that makes the NAT a bit easier .

 

[silentfun]

i have done the nat - internet - nat and i have had also some problems with indicating status of the extesions but it have worked - the only prob i have had was one way audio but i solved this. and if you like we can test help each other whis testing on distance. i

 

[dhaval001]

Well that is great news....

I am in UK and we can go through the settings.

Agree a convinient time on weekend if possible....my msn is [email protected]

I would be quite excited if this works properly.

Dhaval

 

[silentfun]

i have send you a mail you can now clean up your message to prevent mailharvester.

 

[sittsh]

try turning off your pc's firewall on the server and the softphone pc see if that works.

all my sip phones are remote and my server is behind a nat

and all works fine.

take a look at the messages you see when the sip tries to register that might help.

i use bothe soft and hard phones.