Cisco 7914 works with SIP - Now Trying to Add it to Endpoint Manager

FreePBX Tips and Tricks
1

I’ve been able to get a 7961 + 7914 working with SIP by experimenting with the SIPmac.cnf.xml file and latest 7914 firmware.

Basic functionality is working with PIAF 2.0.6.2.2 + Asterisk 1.8.8.0 and it looks like it’s as simple as adding more lines to the phone and a firmware load file entry.

My goal is to create an addition to the EPM that properly configures the Cisco 79x1G + 7914 add-on module.

I’ve created a new directory under _ep_phone_modules/endpoint/cisco called 79x1Gw7914, cloned the 79x1G files and edited to support the 79x1/7914 combo as I found works. I edited cisco/brand_data.xml to add a new with unique 7 and new directory 79x1Gw7914.

I then created a new “Cisco” .tgz package with ark pulling the complete cisco directory tree. Using the Manual Endpoint Modules Upload/Export feature, I entered my new file in the Brand Package field and hit “Upload”. I enabled the new 7961G+7914 in teh End Point Configuration Manager. Now I can see my new within the Cisco brand.

My problem is when I choose the new in the drop-down, press the Select button, all the FreePBX frames go away and all I see are a white background with the Endpoint Manager and links frame displayed in the browser default font.

My php error log is set to freepbx.log. Nothing shows up when doing a tail -f and selecting the new

Switching over to the Endpoint Device List, I can select the new family for a device, and it shows the expected 20 lines available, but trying to save it produces a blank screen and {PHP-NOTICE} (/var/www/html/admin/modules/endpointman/includes/devices_manager.inc.262) - Undefined offset: 1. This is repeated for line 265 and 269 and the 3 repeated multiple times.

Checking the mySQL DB, I can see that the new family 97941+7914 and 7961+7914) is in the endpoint_model_list table with the correct line counts.

Clearly, something’s not quite right with the new config files and some mySQL interaction that’s causing the dynamic pages to not render correctly. I can click on the EPM links that still display and get back to the usual web page look/feel and access the other phone templates just fine. The “Learn How to Create your own brand package here: http://www.provisioner.net/adding_new_phones” is a “landing page” with no instructions, so I’ve been taking calculated guesses on this.

I’m at a loss on how to further debug it as the level of PHP in the EPM is well beyond my knowledge level.

Trying something simpler so I can continue my testing of the 7961+7914, I modified the DB for the existing 79x1G templates to have 20 lines for a 7961G and this now shows on the EPM. I can continue testing with the modified 79x1G but at some point I’d like to get a more portable solution for others to use.

Any ideas on how to get this better plugged in?

2

Email me. Look at http://www.provisioner.net/ for my email

3

With some experimentation and a new VM to test on, this appears to be working. I have a “beta” test version of a Brand file if there is interest in running it thru it’s paces. It includes a new parameter/variable that allows input of the 7914’s FW version.

Note this is for the 79x1G series Cisco phones that use xml config files, not the 79x0 phones that use the older “Parameter: value” style.

For compatibility, I have EPM 2.9.2.9 with my FreePBX / PBX in a Flash 2.0.6.2.2 distro.

4

Let me ask my senior tech if he wants to play. We have a 7914.

Do you have them subscribing to BLF’s or just speed dials and line appearances?

I can test with a 7961 and a 7914.

5

Scott,

dpaks51 never emailed me. He wrote the ‘modification’ on an older version of endpoint manager that still uses XML files. EG it won’t work on any version of 2.10. Use at your own risk. I have offered help twice now and been ignored.

6

dpaks51? You need to work in the current framework.

Are you interested?

7

Yes - I’m interested.

I’ve emailed Andrew a copy of my work early on the 14th on our first exchange. I have not been ignoring him but got the entry to work before we established email comms.

This is presently line subscriptions, not BLF yet. I have not had a lot of time to dig into the patch that supports BLF and try to pull it into the 1.8.8 I’m using. When I started learning Asterisk et al, 2.10 was still beta and I wanted a stable platform to minimize the “is it me, or beta bugs?” questions.

I guess I’ll go give 2.10 a whirl on a VM and see how different it is. Is there any documentation or other info on how this new format operates that I could try with the 7914 stuff ? BLF might be easier to get solidified since Gareth was publishing 10.x patches for his work, and that was my basis for the 1.8.8 BLF stuff I was looking into.

Amongst this I am actually trying to build a system for my church who have been patient with my learning curve. Hopefully the dive into 2.10 will be relatively smooth and enable easier BLF collaboration. With working BLF on the “must have” list for the church system, this may be the fastest way to that end.

8

Certainly the patching and other tweaks that will be needed for BLF is a great exercise and something that would be great to have all documented. I can certainly help with the patching. I have several model Cisco phones including a brand new 7962.

I don’t know the circumstances that the church acquired these phones but you might consider selling them on eBay and getting Cisco SPA504g and 508G, they simply work.

9

Being relatively new to FreePBX, I want to apologize in advance if this post is in the wrong location, but I am having a difficult time trying to register a Cisco 7961G. I’ve followed all of the online advice I could find on the SEPMac.cnf.xml file, checked and double-checked all of the settings, and after about 5 minutes of “Registering” on the phone, I end up with the “X” logo across the little phone that tells me it didn’t register.

Not sure where to go from here. The only messages I get from the tftp server are:

“Could not find CTLSEPMac.tlv”
“Could not find a part of the path mk-sip.jar”
“Could not find a part of the path g3-tones.xml”

I’ve read that the tlv file error can be ignored, but when I look up the g3-tones.xml it corresponds to the error on the phone that says “locale not updated”

I’m running FreePBX 2.10 /Asterisk 1.8 - I have all of my other endpoints working beautifully, and I’m just trying to see if this phone will work with Asterisk - so far, no luck. I just want to know what it is that I’m missing because from the looks of this thread most of you have gotten a 7961 to work.

Thanks in advance for any help.

– Ed

10

@Ed: Yes - I have been successful with this phone, although not “out of the box” virgin install of PBX in a Flash/FreePBX. I’ve posted over on the PiaF site about it. I’m using the SIP41.8-4-2S (yes not the latest) firmware and TCP protocol (set in Extensions item Transport) and had to change the 7961 default template to include instead of the IP of the Asterisk box, the word (minus quotes) “USECALLMANAGER”. I understand this is the way to get the phone to use TCP. If you’re not familiar with the template change, you can manually edit the SEP.xml file and change any line entries manually just to see if it works for you.

I get the first 2 errors on my phones (.tlv & mk-sip.jar) without problem. I was able to locate the g3-tones.xml on the Cisco site (I have a couple Smartnet contracts, so I could look around) - it’s embedded in a larger file for each locale in the CME software).

Ross posted an excellent detailed tutorial on the PIAF site at http://pbxinaflash.com/community/index.php?threads/working-cisco-unified-ip-blf-with-asterisk-1-8-12-0.13404/#post-86380 for Cisco phones which includes patching asterisk to get the BLF working. We were both working towards the same goal - I got my 7961s going (one 7961+7914 sidecar - a first on the forum) and he has 797x operational. To get your 7961 connected, you’ll need the first part of step 5, and all of steps 6 and 7. Of course if you want BLF, you’ll need all the steps, but getting the 7961 to register is the best first step.

Good luck - HTH.

@Skyking - The Church system has been an ongoing challenge & learning experience for me - I just got the DAHDI lines working with a non-FreePBX module (see PiaF site) which was the last critical path issue to complete before consideration of production. Fax to email is the last non-critical item to go. Then I will be off to better understand the FreePBX 2.10 provisioning and focus work on my VM installs where I’ll have no hindrance on experimenting with the EPM for Cisco 79xx auto-provisioning. I’d really like to get the 79xx’s to a point where we can make them as easy as the SPAxxx phones to get provisioned. And add BLF for systems patched as per Ross’ tutorial and Gareth’s patch.

11

Trying to auto provision Cisco 7970, it is auto detected by EPM, I select an extension and commit. This prooduces a SIP$MAC file in the tftpboot folder using the 7940/60 flat file format, not the XML format used on the later phones.

Can you advise where the fault might be.

Regards

Abdul

12

Hi,

can you share your XML file, I’m trying to do the same thing with 7970 and 7914.

I did it with SCCP Vs FreePBX, I can share my SEPMAC.cnf.xml if anyone wants it.

13

Please supply!

14

Has this hacking yeilded SIP 7914 for use with 7960G? [big grin]!

If I were able to justify the added cost of used newer model I’d pick 7962G for the 722 and alleged better audio/speakerphone fidelity ((assuming that’s even true)). Will SIP 7914 play well with 7962G also?

15

I am retrofitting some old 7970s and would like to use the 7914 side cars.

16

Hi,

What changes did you make to the SEPMAC.cnf.xml to make this work with SIP?

TIA

17

I’ve managed to get a working xml file etc.
Drop me a line if you need help.

18

What did you add to your SEPMAC.cnf.xml to get it working?

19

You need to initialise the 7914 with this:



S00105000400


But you also need SIP firmware 8.5.4 and a very strict SEPMAC.cnf.xml

Hope that helps.

20

Thanks, that worked! What file do I have to edit to set the buttons?