SIP Phone Compatibility for Hipath 4K

[kevin906]

On a Hipath 4000 at V4 R4.3.11 is there any documentation about what models/manufacturers of SIP phones are compatible?
The manuals pretty much center around using Siemens SIP phones, no mention of other makers. The WIKI page has a few other examples of different manufacturers. Is this product at a point where any off-the-shelf SIP phone will work with the Hipath product or are there only a select few that have been chosen and tested? It would be nice if Siemens had a website like Cisco with open information. There street cred would improve overnight.

 

[donb01]

I am running V5 and I was forced to figure out how to use Cisco SIP phones, I also use Siemens SIP phones, and a SIP PC client called Jitsi, and an Android mobile SIP client called cSIPsimple.

I know there has been some discussion on here about what release and point version where SIP became practical to use, but I don't recall exactly what release it was.

 

[kevin906]

That's what I am afraid of. Even if you have a phone that "might" work there will be little or no documentation to assist in configuration of same. Of course the manufacturer will be able to supply nothing and the customer will expect a reverse engineering feat of magic to get it working.

 

[donb01]

Most of the stuff I have used is pretty simple. You have to have some of the ports on your STMI card configured for SIP, and then you just create an extension in the usual fashion and assign it to a SIP PEN. I suggest on the last tab of assistant that you put in a password for the SIP. I just use the extension number - it's not like it's high security or anything, but some phones and clients will not let you leave the password blank so it's easier to have something in there.

Then more or less on most things you just enter the gateway IP of your STMI card into the phone, provide its extension and password and it just works, but Cisco SIP phones are a PITA because there is one item in the phone that MUST be enabled or you will get the phone to dial and ring but you won't get any audio. I can't remember what it's called, but I do have a thread in this forum about the Cisco IP phone and I posted the procedure after i figured it out. Also if I remember correctly Cisco doesn't call the gateway a gateway like everyone else does, they call it something else.... That's posted in that thread as well if you need to look it up.

What I would do is start with Jitsi, which is free. Build yourself a SIP extension and then set it up in the Jitsi software and see if you can get it to connect. ONE WORD OF CAUTION WITH JITSI.... You will see a parameter in there that refers to "Local Network"; DO NOT change it!! I only have about 30 IP phones on my system right now, but let me tell you how many beats my heart skipped when I changed that parameter and it took down the STMI board! If you do that by accident just do a DEA-BSSU and an ACT-BSSU (type AUL) on the STMI card to bring it back up. Note that will take at least 15 minutes!!

 

[kevin906]

Some good hints, thanks for this

 

[Iamnothere]

Hello Kevin906. This post reflects my PERSONAL OPINION, plus some inter-mingled real data.

Siemens released SIP Subscriber capability with HiPath 4000 V3. The number of actual SIP Subscriber devices being used on the 4K worldwide is ridiculously small. The 4K's TDM phones and H.323-based "HFA" phones are feature rich, while inherently SIP Subscriber devices typically support barebones features only. Even the Time & Date must be configured locally. When referring to VOICE-ONLY scenarios, why would someone choose SIP over TDM and/or HFA? I am sure that there is a great reason for trying SIP, but when comparing SIP to TDM & HFA, there IS no comparison!!

On the 4K, the optiPoint 420 can be flashed to function as a SIP Subscriber, as can the OpenStage HFA devices. And as mentioned above, certain software-based SIP VOICE applications do work e.g. X-Lite. Testing other vendor's SIP phones/apps for use on the 4K is no doubt a losing proposition for SEN, as it takes time & human resources to accomplish the task - and all of this work and expense for a tiny sliver of an audience. Plus there is the "unknown" factor, which is a constant threat to undermine all of that effort. For example, if a specific vendor's SIP device is tested and approved for 4K use, but then the vendor changes one small parameter on the device, that change could negatively impact that SIP device's usability on the 4K. Then of course since SEN "approved" the SIP device, the customer has reason to complain to Siemens that the third-party SIP devices no longer work! But Siemens was never informed that the device was modified, and that re-testing must performed. This process is ENDLESS, and unfortunately NOT productive for SEN. Therefore my opinion is: Siemens provides the hardware and software to drive SIP Subscriber devices, but for VOICE only, the testing should be the responsibility of the potential buyer.

SIP-based VIDEO devices are thoroughly tested for use with the HiPath 4000 V5 Softgate, which utilizes the VIRTUAL STMI. SIP-based VIDEO devices are NOT SUPPORTED on a standard STMI. The supported video devices are documented in the OpenScape Video Solutions Guide. SIP-based video phones may also be used for Voice calling.

 

[donb01]

That's good information coming at a good time, as I am preparing to embark on an upgrade of my whole system and I had asked to make sure some level of SIP would be available at all sites for polycom conference phones, soft-clients and the like, but I may cut that number down a bit hearing this. Our IT dept wants to fantasize about getting their way so they have a bunch of Cisco SIP phones they demanded I make work, which I finally did, but talk about a PITA setting up forwarding for voicemail and the like - it's a completely different bird (on all SIP phones). If I already had the 410 or 420 or Openstage phone in my hand there's no way I would voluntarily choose to flash it to SIP - that would be like using a 50" LCD flat screen to display a Commodore 64.....

 

[kevin906]

Thanks for this valuable and informative insight. If only the customers and vendors would capitulate it would be awesome. I don't mind helping anyone figure out the problem but when it's deposited in totality at your doorstep it sours the eagerness to labor to resolution.