Third party soft phone

[ACSD]

Hello,
I would like to use the Linphone app on my android phone instead of the official 3cx app but I am having trouble setting it up. I am not sure where are the SIP login information on my extension settings. I tried using the credentials in " Phone Provisioning -> 3cx app". I have allowed WAN connections in the extension options but still no results, can someone give me a hint?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ACSD]

So I managed to connect, I can now make calls but I cannot hear or be heard, I have looked arround in the settings to find a clue but I can't find anything that can fix my issue, I have also tried with Zoiper and I have the same issue, so I believe it's an issue with the server and not the softphone

 

[cobaltit]

So you're saying you have audio issues with the 3CX app?

 

[leejor]

Run the 3CX Firewall Checker. There are probably some audio ports that you do not have open/forwarded.

https://www.3cx.com/docs/ports/

 

[ACSD]

So you're saying you have audio issues with the 3CX app?

Not with the official app, the audio works, but with third party apps it does not work

 

[ACSD]

Run the 3CX Firewall Checker. There are probably some audio ports that you do not have open/forwarded.

https://www.3cx.com/docs/ports/

The firewall check has never worked on my server, it says that none of the ports are open, it is probably because I am using a VPN to port forward to my 3CX server since my ISP does not let me open ports with my current internet configuration

 

[JohnS_3CX]

Use the official app if you want your extension to work as intended.

3rd party apps will have to be treated as remote extensions, without the protection that the 3CX Tunnel offers.

The 3CX Tunnel also takes care of NAT traversal issues (which often break the audio) and from your description above you seem to be in just this kind of environment

Finally, 3rd party apps will likely not have PUSH support and may end up keeping the phone awake in the background to listen for calls, draining your battery in the process.

 

[ACSD]

Use the official app if you want your extension to work as intended.

3rd party apps will have to be treated as remote extensions, without the protection that the 3CX Tunnel offers.

The 3CX Tunnel also takes care of NAT traversal issues (which often break the audio) and from your description above you seem to be in just this kind of environment

Finally, 3rd party apps will likely not have PUSH support and may end up keeping the phone awake in the background to listen for calls, draining your battery in the process.

The reason I want to use a 3rd party app is not to rely on push notifications and instead use keep a constant connection, with the 3cx app when I get a call I swipe to answer and the screen is not doing anything for about 4 seconds only after that I can speak, I am assuming this delay is due to the app trying to connect to the call.

 

[JohnS_3CX]

Your assumption might have more to do with the type of NAT you are using.

To describe a normal Cloud PBX, if I ring my mobile extension from say a deskphone, my Android will ring within 1 second, and as soon as I swipe to answer the audio starts immediately with zero noticeable delay. This can vary of course form phone to phone and from one internet connection to the other, but 4 seconds is quite a lot! I think your setup (ISP+NAT) may be the related to this large delay.

 

[ACSD]

Your assumption might have more to do with the type of NAT you are using.

To describe a normal Cloud PBX, if I ring my mobile extension from say a deskphone, my Android will ring within 1 second, and as soon as I swipe to answer the audio starts immediately with zero noticeable delay. This can vary of course form phone to phone and from one internet connection to the other, but 4 seconds is quite a lot! I think your setup (ISP+NAT) may be the related to this large delay.

I see, thanks for the explanation.

 

[JohnS_3CX]

Your VPN solution may work, but if it's a long, convoluted path to the PBX, then the delay might not be avoidable (regardless of whether you use 3CX apps or 3rd party)

In case your ISP is very restrictive and they do not offer alternatives (ie. bridged modem, DMZ mode, or port forwarding), then you may find it more beneficial to run your PBX hosted in the cloud, freeing it up from any ISP restrictions.

PS: Here is an overview of the network configs 3CX supports in case you need additional info
https://www.3cx.com/blog/docs/network-configurations-supported-3cx-phone-system/

 

[JK747]

Hello, I am also struggling to connect Linphone 4.1.3 Android to the current cloud 3CX platform. I am using the app on a standard home NAT network. The activity log says: Reason: Credentials don't match, check that authorization-ID and password match the ones in extension settings. I have checked credentials, removed the wan block, tried UDP /TCP , no luck. I am wondering is this really a credentials issue or something else?

 

[cobaltit]

Yep, it's really a credential issue.

 

[JK747]

Yep, it's really a credential issue.

 

[JK747]

@cobaltit you are right problem solved. It was an absolute Linphone beginners issue, now I understand that 3CX before registering a new softphone, not only checks the credentials, (auth userid and password), but also the extension# against the username ( username should not be confused with userid . So if your extension is "40" , your username must be "40". Also you need to fill in the MAC address of the device on which your softphone is running. The you need to unblock WAN access in 3CX and in terms of protocols UDP should work for most. If there are audio etc. issues you may want to check the list of codecs configured for the extension , compared to the codecs activated with Linphone. Finally for some there might be the need to run an SBC within the local network or configure the STUN server field on Linphone to resolve any NAT issues. (stun.linphone.org if needed). Please note you should *not* use the configuration assistant of Linphone since the config. assistant is unaware of the 3CX requirement to match extension to username. In summary , I am still really impressed with the ease of activating the free "saas" version of 3Cx, it is quick & easy to do.

 

[cobaltit]

Glad you figured it out! I've never used Linphone but I do know that when 3CX logs say it's a credential issue, it's a credential issue!