Installing 3CX on Windows

Step 1: Check System Requirements

The following Windows platforms are supported:

  • Windows 10 (Pro, Enterprise)
  • Windows 11 (Pro, Enterprise)
  • Windows Server 2016 (Standard, Datacenter)
  • Windows Server 2019 (Standard, Datacenter)
  • Windows Server 2022  (Standard, Datacenter)

Your machine or VM needs at least two CPU cores and two GB of RAM. Review the suggested hardware specifications to allocate additional CPU and RAM resources based on:

  • Number of simultaneous calls the system handles.
  • Number of active users - 100 Web Client active sessions is more demanding than 100 occasional calls via IP phones.
  • Call recording use - stresses the system for audio mixing and file storage.

Supported VM Platforms

3CX is tested and supported to run as a Virtual Machine on these hypervisor platforms:

  • VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 6.5u1 and above.
  • Microsoft HyperV (6.2) and above capable of running Win 10 or Server 2016 and above - see our Hyper-V Page for required settings.
  • KVM 2.8 and above
  • Citrix XenServer 7.0 and above

Avoid using 3CX on converted VMs (P2V) due to possible timing issues, causing the guest OS to not sync with the hypervisor’s timer.

Network, Firewall & Other Requirements

  • LAN installs are supported on properly configured RFC 1918 private networks, i.e. 172.16.0.0 /10.0.0.0/192.168.0.0 IP range.
  • The PBX needs to be configured with a dedicated public IP.
  • You need to configure Split DNS so that the 3CX FQDN resolve on both the internal and the external network.
  • Installing 3CX on a machine behind a NAT device requires port forwarding. See the Firewall & Router Configuration Guide.
  • Do not configure the 3CX host machine with a virtual network, VPN interface or the TeamViewer VPN option.
  • Use the latest version of Firefox, Google Chrome or Edge to access the 3CX Management Console.

Step 2: Prepare Your Host Machine for Installation

Prepare Your Host Machine for Installation: Advanced Settings

Before installing 3CX:

  1. Assign a static internal IP address to the host machine’s network adapter.
  2. Install all available Windows updates & Service packs.
  3. Any installed Antivirus Software should NOT scan:
  • C:\Program Files\3CX Phone System\*
  • C:\ProgramData\3CX\*
  1. If the host machine has multiple network adapters:
  • Disable any unused network interface(s), Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adapter(s).
  • Just ONE default gateway, i.e. no multiple adapters with default gateways!
  • Prioritize the primary network interface (the one with the default gateway configured) to the first position from: “Control Panel” > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings. Press the Alt key to reveal the File menu and click on Advanced” > “Advanced Settings”. The “Adapter and Bindings” tab > “Connections” section shows the available network interfaces. Ensure that the network card with the default gateway is at the top position.
  1. Disable all power saving options for your System and Network adapters. Set the system to High Performance from within Control Panel > Hardware > Power Options.
  2. Verify that  the 3CX host machine is not configured as a server for DNS, DHCP, MS SharePoint, Exchange, SQL or any other network-based service(s).

Step 3: Install 3CX for Windows

  1. Download 3CX for Windows.
  2. Double-click on the setup file, read the system requirements and click Next.
  3. Read our configuration recommendations and click Next.
  4. Review and accept the license agreement.
  5. Select the installation folder path and then click Next. The 3CX Phone System needs a minimum of 10GB free hard disk space. You need to reserve additional space to store voicemail files, recordings and voice prompts.
  6. Proceed to Install 3CX and the necessary Windows services. 

Step 4 - Upload the configuration file

Configuring your 3CX Install: Upload Your File

After the 3CX Windows install finishes and the machine is rebooted, you need to upload the configuration file to complete the installation.

  1. If you have not already done so, go to https://www.3cx.com/install/
  2. Login with your customer account and configure an On Premise / DIY PBX. At the end of the process, you will be given a link to the configuration file. You can copy the link or download the file. For more information see Installing 3CX
  3. Now open a web browser on http://<ip of machine>:5015
  4. Alternatively, use the command line by choosing option 1.
  5. Once your installation is ready, you will be prompted to set your password. Login to the PBX using the email you used to register. 

Step 5 - Configure Split DNS

You will need to configure the 3CX FQDN to work both internally on your local network and externally outside of your network (unless you do not want to give access to your phone system from outside the network). Read how to configure split DNS here.

Step 6 - Configure your Firewall

In order to configure a SIP trunk or connect remote phones, you will need to configure your firewall to allow voice traffic in and out of your network. See our Firewall configuration guide.

See Also

Last Updated

This document was last updated on 7 January 2024

https://www.3cx.com/docs/manual/phone-system-installation-windows/ 

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