Provisioning VVX 401's for Remote

[David Lee]

Hi all,

New install for a client moving from VoIP.ms. I assumed the VVX401's would work in a remote scenario, and I see with 15.5 build 5, that may be true, but I'm struggling.

I assumed (again), that 'SBC' simply meant the phones could tunnel back to the 3CX at my data centre, but I believe SBC requires a local device that proxies the connection (and I've banged my head against a wall for a few hours today trying to get it to work).

So I just set up a custom domain with SRV and A records, and enabled the 'Allow calls from/to external SIP URIs" with my custom domain, but the 'Direct SIP (STUN - Remote)' options does not appear in the provisioning options when I add the phone.

Argh.

Can someone kindly give me some guidance? Are Polycom VVX phones useless outside of a LAN unless you have an SBC at the remote site?


Thanks much!

David

 

[cobaltit]

So it kinda looks like you read somethings and skipped others. Maybe this will help:

Current VVX status with SP4/Update 4
https://www.3cx.com/sip-phones/polycom-vvx/

SBC info:
https://www.3cx.com/docs/3cx-tunnel-session-border-controller/

And yes, SP5/Update 5 adds SBC support to VVX

 

[David Lee]

Thanks for chiming in! I have read those articles (several times). I also have more VoIP experience than the average bear, but not with 3cx.

The question remains this: can the VVX phones operate remotely with update 5, without a local SBC?

Thanks again.

 

[Saqqara]

the only way you can connect is via STUN , this is not supported -
https://www.3cx.com/sip-phones/polycom-vvx/

The only way, create a site to site vpn between the 3CX server network and the remote phone.

Of course you have SBC option in the upcoming SP5.

How many phones are you talking about being remote

 

[David Lee]

Only 3 phones.

So with SBC in SP5, should this work with nothing but the phones at the remote site, or do we need the 3cx SBC installed to proxy from the remote site?

It may be too that we need to manually update the phones to v6.5 first before they will work (and they can't update remotely because they can't connect).

 

[Saqqara]

SBC is extra software that needs installing within the remote site , can use a Raspberry PI -
https://www.3cx.com/docs/3cx-tunnel-session-border-controller/

For three phones, you may be better off purchasing phones that are fully supported and has stun support (where you connect the three phones directly without extra hardware)

Look at the supported phones here -
https://www.3cx.com/sip-phones/

 

[David Lee]

Thanks - it was STUN vs SBC that was tripping me up. Phone works fine through a VPN on the local LAN, but won't have a VPN at the client site, so swapping out the phones might be what I'll do and hang on to the VVX401's until 3CX adds STUN for the Polycoms (which should be a no-brainer - lots of clients here in Ottawa with Polycom phones on hosted systems from Primus, Rogers and others who would rather have a better service but doesn't want to buy new phones).

 

[David Lee]

And a Yealink T21P/E2 works like a charm.

Thanks all.