Configure Cisco 500S attendant console to monitor extensions from remote phones

FreePBX Endpoints
1

FreePBX 15.0.17.17 / Current Asterisk Version: 16.15.1

I have a couple of Cisco 500S Attendant consoles attached to a Cisco 525G phone. I am able to monitor local extensions by adding a line in the Attendant Console GUI like, for example to monitor ext. 1001, this:

fnc=sd+blf+cp;[email protected];nme=1001

where the IP address of the local phone with ext. 1001 is 192.168.1.100.

Suppose I have a remote phone with ext. 1002 sitting on IP 11.22.23.21. Does anyone know if it’s possible to monitor ext. 1002, and if so, how?

2

Actually the answer is suprisingly simple. It appears that using the variable $PROXY, you can monitor any extension with the Cisco SPA 500S. For example, to monitor local extension 1001:

fnc=sd+blf+cp;sub=1001@$PROXY;nme=1001

To monitor ext. 1002 on a remote phone at IP address 11.22.23.21:

fnc=sd+blf+cp;sub=1002@$PROXY;nme=1002

3

The IP you type there must be the IP of the asterisk server that the remote phone is registered to, supposedly the same server that your local phone is also registered too, not the endpoint itself.

4

@arielgrin Thanks for your reply, but your explanation isn’t clear to me.

I would explain it in detail like this: the public IP of the FreePBX server is 11.22.15.72 and the server itself is at 192.168.1.175. The local extension 1001 is on a phone on this network at 192.168.1.53 and registers with the FreePBX server.

The extension 1002 is on a remote phone with a public IP of 11.22.23.21, has a private IP of 172.16.0.99 and registers with the FreePBX server at 11.22.15.72.

To monitor extensions 1001 and 1002 the following entries in the GUI of the Cisco SPA 500S (attached to a Cisco SPA 525G phone) are:

fnc=sd+blf+cp;sub=1001@$PROXY;nme=1001
fnc=sd+blf+cp;sub=1002@$PROXY;nme=1002

5

That is correct, the IP that must be used is the IP of the FreePBX server. Whether is the public or private IP, it depends on what IP is the remote phone using to register. If the remote phone is registering to the public IP, then use it. On the contrary, if the remote phone is using a VPN to connect to the private IP of FreePBX, then use the private IP. In the end, the $PROXY variable will take care of that, provided you entered the correct IP on the proxy field of the remote phone.

6

@arielgrin Thanks, that’s good to know. I haven’t been able to get remote phones working yet with VPN, except for two Sangoma S500 phones. That’s my next goal, and I may reach out to you for assistance.

7

I have one more question on the Cisco SPA 500S Attendant Console which someone may be able to help with.

If I have the following entries in the Attendant Console GUI:

fnc=sd+blf+cp;sub=1001@$PROXY;nme=1001
fnc=sd+blf+cp;sub=1002@$PROXY;nme=1002

there will be two green buttons (lights) on the console. If I press the top button, it rings ext. 1001, and if I press the second, ext. 1002.

What would the entry look like if I wanted to dial an outside number, like 604-555-1212?

8

That outside number can not be monitored nor picked up, just speed dialed. So yo must configure it as a speed dial only.
If I recall correctly, the syntax should be fnc=sd;ext=6045551212@$PROXY

Enter the number according to your outbound dialing pattern.

9

@arielgrin Yes, that syntax is exactly what I wanted. Much appreciated.

10

This topic was automatically closed 31 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.