I recently bought an 8841 for my home use just because I liked the handset (ebay 40 bucks). I have freepbx, a vvx500, and a cisco spa303. The 303 is trash (because of the lack of backlit screen, can’t even see the damn thing, outdated, etc.). I thought I would just configure it like all the rest but apparently, that was stupid of me. I have googled up and down, seen tons of threads talking about it and how cisco doesn’t play nice, and this phone line is different than the others, you’re supposed to use CUCM but it can still be done, maybe, etc. etc.
Compared to configuring most other phones, the 8841 seems like you need an advanced degree to get working on freepbx. I have seen talks of using a tftp server to upgrade/change the firmware, talks of BLF issues, different versions of the phone, people saying you have to use CUCM, people saying you DON’T have to use CUCM, people saying it’s so easy you just add some files and it’s good, and on and on. Then I click the provided links and they are dead because the topic was from 2019. So with that long rambling preamble out of the way, let me ask my questions:
Can I use this phone with my freepbx setup (latest version) for my basic/home use?
What do I have (with regards to the different versions, etc)? The info is: PID VID: CP-8841-K9-01. TAN 68-5281-01 E0. MSIP-CMM-TNY-CP-8841. What do I need to know about this “version”, “type”, whatever. Explain it to me like I’m a golden retriever.
If I can use this with my asterisk/freepbx setup, what is the EXACT process to make this happen? As previously noted, I’ve read about 10 different topics on this already, and they all gloss over important details, contain dead links, etc. For example, people will say vague things like “you need to add a SEPmacaddress.xml.cnf” file. Ok. And how do I do that?
I just need a complete, explicit guide of how to do it OR a “no you can’t do it” answer. A link to an existing guide is fine, as long as it contains ALL the information, including the proper files, etc. I did try to do this already by Frankensteining together 10 different threads, but after setting up my TFTP server and putting the files in there, I see the phone talking to the tftp server but I just get a error loop of “error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified” so I’m not sure if I am missing files or I have the wrong files or if I need to change some text in the files and what text to change, etc.
Compared to the other phones, you just go to the web gui, input a couple things and boom you’re done, this one seems a nightmare. Thanks.
TFTP server just spits out the “error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified.” error on loop. So I know something is wrong with my files but not sure what, exactly. I mean, the phone is not getting the files it needs and I need to know how to rectify that, be it redownload some firmware that contains the files, change the text that points it to another file name, etc.
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 52058 [02/07 03:40:02.977]
Read request for file <SEPCxxxxxxxx.cnf.xml>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:02.977]
Using local port 50957 [02/07 03:40:02.977]
<SEPCxxxxxxxxxx.cnf.xml>: sent 24 blks, 11881 bytes in 0 s. 0 blk resent [02/07 03:40:02.983]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 49519 [02/07 03:40:04.426]
Read request for file <j9-tzdata.jar>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:04.426]
File <j9-tzdata.jar> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:04.426]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 50658 [02/07 03:40:06.445]
Read request for file <j9-tzdata.jar>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:06.445]
File <j9-tzdata.jar> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:06.446]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 50113 [02/07 03:40:07.676]
Read request for file </sl-be-sip.jar>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:07.677]
File <\sl-be-sip.jar> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:07.677]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 53153 [02/07 03:40:09.055]
Read request for file <United_States/g3-tones.xml>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:09.056]
File <United_States\g3-tones.xml> : error 3 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the path specified. [02/07 03:40:09.056]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 51761 [02/07 03:40:10.565]
Read request for file <dialplan.xml>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:10.566]
File <dialplan.xml> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:10.566]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 52466 [02/07 03:40:12.225]
Read request for file <AppDialRules.xml>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:12.226]
File <AppDialRules.xml> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:12.226]
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 52963 [02/07 03:40:13.557]
Read request for file <softKey9971.xml>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:13.557]
File <softKey9971.xml> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:13.557]
I have not personally used the 88XX enterprise phones on Freepbx. But I have used the 79XX and the 89XX on FreePBX. You should also be able to get the 88XX working on Freepbx with the same method. You will need a TFTP server on your network. You can enable the TFTP server on your PBX, or you can use a TFTP program on your computer and point the phone to the IP of that computer. You need to make a SEPMAC file in the TFTP directory for the phone to pickup and get it’s line info from, as well as the LOADS file with the firmware of the phone in the TFTP. You will be more happy with a Cisco 88XX 3PCC, there are plenty of used and new ones on eBay. These phones are designed to work on networks like FreePBX. Also I should add on that Cisco has crippled the functionality of their phones that are not 3PCC on non CUCM systems. You cannot conference and you are limited to very basic SIP functionality.
How ever you do have a good taste in phones, and I am baffled that it seems that Cisco are the only ones that seem to know how to make a decent handset, aside from Polycom.
No offense but that seems like the same copy paste answer that’s been repeated ad nauseum.
You will need a TFTP server on your network. You can enable the TFTP server on your PBX, or you can use a TFTP program on your computer and point the phone to the IP of that computer.
Yes, I have a TFTP program, the comment above is the error output from that. I have set that up and it doesn’t work and I don’t know why, that’s why I’m asking.
You need to make a SEPMAC file in the TFTP directory for the phone to pickup and get it’s line info from, as well as the LOADS file with the firmware of the phone in the TFTP.
Right but how? Specifically. I did that already as best I could and it doesn’t work so something must be incorrect. What? I have the TFTP server, it communicates with my phone, the error output is posted above. I have the SEPMAC file and the LOADS file. I pointed the file to my asterisk server. Still get the above errors.
You say you have a ‘tftp program’ (somewhere) is that ‘program’ a client or a server? If a server is it ‘serving’ on the ports Cisco’s expect, (some like 150 some 160, some work with the traditional 69 all most valid XML files (not JAR files) except the old legacy SIPURA’s)
How did you get to try provisioning a Cisco phone apparently using Java ?
If you can layout EXACTLY what you did and how you did it , you might get a more useful response
As a newbie you will find that many won’t recommend you start with the super cheap but super PITA Cisco phones on ebay (that’s why they are super cheap)
The time youhave already wasted made it not worth it in fact.
You can buy SIP standard devices like older Yealinks for similar. You can buy new Fanvil X4u for like $70 and $90 for a new Yelaink T42S.
Then you will have a real, supported SIP based device that actually works.
I have tftp64 server. I see the cisco phone hitting and getting files transferred to it, in the tftp logs so I don’t think the tftp server is the problem. I could be mistaken.
How did you get to try provisioning a Cisco phone apparently using Java ?
I don’t understand the question. Are you asking about the cisco 303 that I did provision, or the 8841 that I am not able to get working? The 303 was just a web page, change a few settings to point to asterisk/freepbx and it works just fine. The 8841 just has a web page but you cannot change ANY settings on it. So I followed the other posts advice of setting up a tftp server, putting those files in the folder, etc.
I see the phone hitting the tftp server, I see the tftp server transferring files to the phone, but then I get the above errors. So it seems to me that something in the files is incorrect. Does that answer your question? I don’t know of anything to do with Java. I could be mistaken.
As a newbie you will find that many won’t recommend you start with the super cheap but super PITA Cisco phones on ebay (that’s why they are super cheap)
Yeah, that makes sense. It’s a nice handset and I’d like to use it, though. I don’t mind doing the extra leg work if it means I can use a nice phone, but if I can’t get the guidance needed, guess I’ll have to just stick to the other hand sets. I realize cisco is the PITA here, not freepbx/etc. If they would just…let you adjust the settings on the webpage like with the other cisco phones… it would be fine. That’s too much to ask of them, apparently, because I guess they are just really pressed to sell you CUCM.
Connection received from 192.168.1.230 on port 50658 [02/07 03:40:06.445]
Read request for file <j9-tzdata.jar>. Mode octet [02/07 03:40:06.445]
File <j9-tzdata.jar> : error 2 in system call CreateFile The system cannot find the file specified. [02/07 03:40:06.446]
I can’t explain that. That must have just been in the file that I copied off the internet. Either the loads file or the cnf file. I don’t know what to put in and what to take out or whether I should “write it myself”. Perhaps I should just upload the files here?
Right, the other phones are but the 8841 is not. Hence why I’m here. I really don’t get your patronizing “advice”. You said the 8841 is a difficult phone to set up, “PITA”, etc. Yes, I don’t know what data needs to be in the loads or cnf file for the 8841 to work. Do you? If so, what is it? If you don’t know, that’s fine too. How will “cut[ting] my teeth on” “easier” phones help me learn how the 8841’s odd firmware/loads file works any more than the other phones I’ve already gotten? Should I just go buy every other phone and keep setting them up until I “graduate” to knowing what info I need to change with the 8841?
Don’t get me wrong, I have ‘been there and done that’ with Cisco [78]xxx phones, IMHO they just aren’t worth the effort, but please knock yourself out and let us know of your hopeful success.
The file you couldn’t find is the standard CUCM TimeZone file. With your Cisco Access account, download the latest firmware for the phone and it should be in that set.
If the phone can download the JAR file, it will, but there are a couple things about TFTP you need to know:
2a) TFTP assumes that everything in the tftpboot directory is writable, and if it isn’t, it will usually complain.
2b) Whatever program is accessing the tftp directory needs to be able to read and write everything, but the files almost always already need to be there (to be overwritten).
You do not need CUCM for this phone to work, but it will work like crap without it.
Chan-SCCP-B might help you (it establishes a CUCM-like environment) but I haven’t played with it to see how it works with the 88xx phones. If it supports them, the SCCP_Manager will help you manage the phone through the FreePBX interface.
Good luck. I spent almost a year with my first Cisco phone before I got it to work. I now use them all the time, but they are definitely not a piece of gear you can just throw on the network and hope it works.
These phones are an enormous burden to setup by hand - on purpose. Once you get them working on the system, it still a relative PITA to keep them going, but once they are working they work and sound awesome. There’s a reason the Cisco phone was the industry standard for years.
Having said all of that, I will remind you that these phones are NOT for beginners. You really need to have a lot of disparate experience to get them going.
