Cisco IP SoftPhone User Guide (1.3)
How to Troubleshoot

Table Of Contents

How to Troubleshoot

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone, Why Don't I See Any Lines to Control?

Verify the Cisco IP SoftPhone Configuration

Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration

Restart the Telephony Service

Verify Network Connectivity

I Can See a Line But When I Try To Open it, Cisco IP SoftPhone Displays a 'Could not open address' Error.

Restart VPN Client

Why Does the Audio Sound Jittery and Broken?

Why Do I Get One-way Audio?

Determine Your Type of Sound Card: Full-duplex vs. Half-duplex

Why Do I Get a "Could Not Initialize Audio Error" When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone?

How to Find and Change the IP Address for the Cisco CallManager

Determine Which Cisco CallManager the Cisco IP SoftPhone Uses

Change the Cisco CalIManager IP Address Configured for the Cisco IP SoftPhone

How to Adjust the Audio Settings

How to Diagnose Problems with Collaboration


How to Troubleshoot


These sections help you troubleshoot common problems you may experience you use Cisco IP SoftPhone:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to Find and Change the IP Address for the Cisco CallManager

How to Adjust the Audio Settings

How to Diagnose Problems with Collaboration

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) help you resolve common problems you may experience with Cisco IP SoftPhone.

When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone, Why Don't I See Any Lines to Control?

I Can See a Line But When I Try To Open it, Cisco IP SoftPhone Displays a 'Could not open address' Error.

Why Does the Audio Sound Jittery and Broken?

Why Do I Get One-way Audio?

Why Do I Get a "Could Not Initialize Audio Error" When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone?

When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone, Why Don't I See Any Lines to Control?

There are several possible causes for this:

Possible Cause    You have not selected a line.

Recommended Action    Refer to the "How to Select Lines to Control" section.


Possible Cause    Your system administrator has not assigned you a line on the Cisco CallManager.

Recommended Action    Ask your system administrator to assign and associate a line for you on the Cisco CallManager.


Possible Cause    You may not have properly configured Cisco IP SoftPhone to see lines.

Recommended Action    Check the Cisco IP SoftPhone configuration. See the "Verify the Cisco IP SoftPhone Configuration" section.


Possible Cause    You may not have properly configured the Cisco local TSP (installed with Cisco IP SoftPhone).

Recommended Action    Verify the Cisco Local TSP configuration. See the "Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration" section.


Possible Cause    You may not have restarted the Telephony Service on your computer.

Recommended Action    Restart the Telephony service. See the "Restart the Telephony Service" section.


Possible Cause    You do not have proper network access.

Recommended Action    Verify Network Connectivity. See the "Verify Network Connectivity" section.


Verify the Cisco IP SoftPhone Configuration

Use this procedure to verify that local TSP (Telephony Service Provider) is enabled on the Cisco IP SoftPhone.

Procedure


Step 1

Click the Settings toolbar icon.

Step 2 Click the Advanced tab.

Step 3 Verify that the User Name, the Password, the Primary CTI Manager and (optionally) the backup CTI Manager are correct.

Step 4 If there are errors, make any required corrections to these fields and restart the Telephony service.

See the "Restart the Telephony Service" section.

Step 5 Launch Cisco IP SoftPhone.

If you still do not see any lines, see the "Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration" section.


Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration

Use the following procedures to verify that the Cisco TSP is properly configured to communicate with the Cisco CallManager:

Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration for Cisco CallManager 3.1 and later

Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration for Cisco CallManager 3.0


Note Ask your system administrator which Cisco CallManager version you use for Cisco IP SoftPhone.


Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration for Cisco CallManager 3.1 and later

Procedure


Step 1 From the Windows Control Panel, select Telephony (Windows 95/98/ME/NT) or Phone and Modem Options (Windows 2000/XP).

Step 2 Click the Telephony Drivers tab (Windows 95/98/ME/NT) or Advanced tab (Windows 2000/XP).

Step 3 Select Cisco TSP001.tsp in the selection box and click Configure...

If you do not see the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider telephony driver in the drop-down list box or if you see a list for ciscotsp.tsp, uninstall Cisco IP SoftPhone and run the install program again. If you still do not see any lines, see your system administrator.

Step 4 Configure (or verify) the following settings in the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window:

a. Click the User tab and re-enter the username and password assigned to this user on the Cisco CallManager.

b. Click the CTI Manager tab and verify that the CallManager IP Address radio button is enabled and that the correct IP address is displayed for the Cisco CallManager.

If the wrong IP address is displayed, enter the correct address.

c. Click the Advanced tab and enter 15 in the "Synchronous Message Timeout" field.

Step 5 Click OK.

Step 6 Restart the telephony service.

See the "Restart the Telephony Service" section.

Step 7 Launch Cisco IP SoftPhone.

If you still do not see any lines, see the "Verify Network Connectivity" section.


Verify the Cisco TSP Configuration for Cisco CallManager 3.0

Procedure


Step 1 From the Windows Control Panel, open Telephony (Windows 95/98/ME/NT) or Phone and Modem Options (Windows 2000/XP).

Step 2 Click the Telephony Drivers tab (Windows 95/98/ME/NT) or Advanced tab (Windows 2000/XP).

Step 3 Select Cisco IP PBX Service Provider in the selection box and click Configure...

If you do not see the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider telephony driver in the drop-down list box or if you see a list for ciscotsp.tsp, uninstall Cisco IP SoftPhone and run the install program again. If you still do not see any lines, see system administrator.

Step 4 Configure (or verify) the following settings in the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window:

a. In the Security section, re-enter the username and password assigned to this user on the Cisco CallManager.

b. In the CallManager Location section, verify that "CallManager IP Address" is enabled and that the correct IP address is displayed for the Cisco CallManager.

If the wrong IP address is displayed, enter the correct address.

c. In the "Message Timeout" section, enter 15000.

Step 5 Click OK.

Step 6 Restart the telephony service.

See the "Restart the Telephony Service" section.

Step 7 Launch Cisco IP SoftPhone.

If you still do not see any lines, see the "Verify Network Connectivity" section.


Restart the Telephony Service

For Windows 95/98/ME:

Close all applications and wait for approximately 15 seconds. If this does not fix the problem for which you need to restart the telephony service, restart the computer.

For Windows NT/2000/XP:


Step 1 From the Windows Control Panel, open Services (Windows NT) or Administrative Tools and then Services (Windows 2000/XP).

Step 2 Scroll down and select Telephony Service.

Step 3 If the status is Started, click Stop and then Start.

You may be unable to stop the service, especially if other processes such as the Remote Access Connection Manager are running. If you are unable to stop the service, reboot the computer.

Step 4 If you still do not see any lines, see the "Verify Network Connectivity" section.


Verify Network Connectivity

Use this procedure to verify that the client PC has network connectivity to the Cisco CallManager.

Procedure


Step 1 Open a DOS window or command prompt.

Step 2 Type ping a.b.c.d where "a.b.c.d" is the IP address of your Cisco CallManager.

If you are able to communicate with the Cisco CallManager, you receive a "reply" message with the Cisco CallManager IP address. If you are not able to communicate with the Cisco CallManager, you do not receive a "request timed out" message. This indicates there is a network problem.

Step 3 If you do not know how to fix the problem, reboot the computer.


I Can See a Line But When I Try To Open it, Cisco IP SoftPhone Displays a 'Could not open address' Error.

Possible Cause    This error typically occurs if another application has already opened the line (locally or on another computer), or the line is out of service. Each line can be opened only once. If the line has been opened before and the line is now out of service, the line will automatically go back in use. You do not have to do anything. If you tried to open a line that is out of service, you may need to restart the Telephony service and launch Cisco IP SoftPhone again.

Recommended Action    Restart the Telephony service. See the "Restart the Telephony Service" section.


Possible Cause    This error may occur because your VPN connectivity is not up.

Recommended Action    To avoid this problem, be sure to launch VPN client before you launch Cisco IP SoftPhone. To resolve this problem, restart VPN client and launch Cisco IP SoftPhone again. See the "Restart VPN Client" section.


Restart VPN Client

Use this procedure if you have problems using Cisco IP SoftPhone with VPN access:

Procedure


Step 1 Start your machine.

Step 2 Launch your VPN Client and confirm that it is working.

Step 3 Launch your Cisco IP SoftPhone.

Step 4 Verify that you can select a line to open and that you have 2-way audio:

a. Click the Settings toolbar icon.

b. Click the Advanced tab in the settings dialog window.

c. Click Select Lines... on the Advanced tab and select the line you want to control in the line selection dialog window.

Your line will open with 2-way audio.

If the line still does not open, the problem is not with VPN access. See the"When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone, Why Don't I See Any Lines to Control?" section.


Why Does the Audio Sound Jittery and Broken?

Possible Cause    Your sound cards or audio drivers may be incorrectly installed.

Recommended Action    Verify that your sound cards and audio drives are correctly installed. Check the documentation that came with your computer or sound cards or audio drivers.


Possible Cause    The jitter buffer is set too small.

Recommended Action    You may need to increase the size of the jitter buffer. Refer to "Change the Jitter Buffer Size" section.


Possible Cause    You may be using too many applications that are CPU-intensive or network-intensive.

Recommended Action    Close any unnecessary applications.


Why Do I Get One-way Audio?

One-way audio occurs when you fail to receive incoming audio.

Possible Cause    The audio stream is being misdirected.

Explanation    There are multiple Network Interface Cards (NICs) on the PC or the system uses Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Network Address Translation (NAT) to connect to the corporate network.

Recommended Action    Configure the Network Audio Settings. See the "Set Network Audio Settings" section.


Possible Cause    Your sound card is not a full-duplex card.

Recommended Action    Determine whether the you have a full-duplex or half-duplex sound card. See the "Determine Your Type of Sound Card: Full-duplex vs. Half-duplex" section.


Possible Cause    The audio settings for your PC need adjustment.

Recommended Action    Adjust the audio settings for your PC. See the "How to Adjust the Audio Settings" section.


Determine Your Type of Sound Card: Full-duplex vs. Half-duplex

Cisco IP SoftPhone requires a full-duplex sound card for proper operation. Full-duplex sound cards can capture audio and play audio at the same time which allows a conversation. The sound cards on most computers are full-duplex; however, in rare instances, you may find a computer with a half-duplex card. If you have one-way audio with Cisco IP SoftPhone, you may have a half-duplex sound card installed in your computer.

To determine which type of sound card you have, check the documentation that came with your computer or sound card. You can also perform this simple test to determine whether you have a full-duplex or half-duplex sound card.

Procedure


Step 1 Exit Cisco IP SoftPhone.

Step 2 Launch Microsoft NetMeeting.

Step 3 Make a Microsoft NetMeeting call to a friend running NetMeeting.

Make sure your friend is in the same building or campus and that the call does not go through a firewall.

Step 4 Once the call connects, begin to speak at the same time as your friend.

If you can hear your friend while you speak, and your friend can hear you, you have a full-duplex sound card.

If this test fails, you probably have a half-duplex sound card. You must install a full-duplex sound card for proper operation of Cisco IP SoftPhone.


Why Do I Get a "Could Not Initialize Audio Error" When I Start Cisco IP SoftPhone?

Possible Cause    You do not have a sound card in your machine.

Recommended Action    Install a full-duplex sound card in your machine.


Possible Cause    You do not have the proper audio drivers installed.

Recommended Action    Download the latest audio drivers for your sound card from the manufacturer's website. To verify that the audio drivers, microphone, and speaker work correctly, try to record and play audio with an application such as Microsoft Sound Recorder.


Possible Cause    Another application may be using the microphone.

Recommended Action    Close any applications that may be using the microphone. Use Microsoft Sound Recorder to see if you can hear your own recording. If the Sound Recorder fails, restart your PC.


How to Find and Change the IP Address for the Cisco CallManager

To determine which Cisco CallManager a Cisco IP Phone uses:


Step 1 Click the Settings button on the Cisco IP Phone and then select Network Configuration from the menu on the LCD.

Step 2 Scroll down until you see an entry for Cisco CallManager 1.

The IP Address for the Cisco CallManager displays as "Active." Use this address when you install Cisco IP SoftPhone.


Determine Which Cisco CallManager the Cisco IP SoftPhone Uses

Before You Begin

Ask your system administrator if you use Cisco CallManager 3.2, 3.1, or 3.0.

For an alternate method to determine your version of Cisco CallManager, click on the Settings button and then click on the Advanced tab. If the CTI Manager field displays, you have Cisco CallManager 3.2 or 3.1. If the CM Manager field displays, you have Cisco CallManager 3.0.

For Windows 95/98/ME/NT


Step 1 From the Windows Control Panel, select Telephony.

Step 2 Click the Telephony Drivers tab.

Step 3 Select the Cisco TSP Service Provider in one of the following ways:

If you use Cisco CallManager 3.2 or Cisco CallManager 3.1, select Cisco TSP001.tsp in the selection box.

If you use Cisco CallManager 3.0, select Cisco IP PBX Service Provider in the selection box.

Step 4 Click Configure...

The IP Address for the Cisco CallManager you use with Cisco IP SoftPhone displays in the CallManager Location of the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window.

If this is not the same IP address that your Cisco IP Phone uses, you must edit it to match the Cisco IP Phone IP address.


For Windows 2000/XP


Step 1 From the Windows Control Panel, select Phone and Modem Options

Step 2 Click the Advanced tab.

Step 3 Select the Cisco TSP Service Provider in one of the following ways:

If you use Cisco CallManager 3.2 or 3.1, select Cisco TSP001.tsp in the selection box.

If you use Cisco CallManager 3.0, select Cisco IP PBX Service Provider in the selection box.

Step 4 Click Configure...

The IP Address for the Cisco CallManager you use with Cisco IP SoftPhone displays in the CTI Manager tab section of the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window.

If this is not the same IP address that your Cisco IP Phone uses, you must edit it to match the Cisco IP Phone IP address.


Change the Cisco CalIManager IP Address Configured for the Cisco IP SoftPhone

For Windows 95/98/ME/NT


Step 1 Type the IP Address of the Cisco CallManager to which you want to connect in the CallManager Location section of the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window.

Step 2 In the Security section of the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window, type the username and password assigned to you for that Cisco CallManager.

Step 3 Click OK.


Note To use Cisco IP SoftPhone with a Cisco IP Phone, the username and password configured for Cisco IP SoftPhone must be exactly the same as the username and password assigned to this user on the Cisco CallManager.



For Windows 2000/XP


Step 1 Click CTI Manager tab in the Cisco IP PBX Provider window and select the IP address radio button.

Step 2 Type the IP address of the Cisco CallManager to which you want to connect in the IP Address field.

Step 3 Click the User tab of the Cisco IP PBX Service Provider window and type the username and password assigned to you for that Cisco CallManager.

Step 4 Click OK.


Note To use Cisco IP SoftPhone with a Cisco IP Phone, the username and password configured for Cisco IP SoftPhone must be exactly the same as the username and password assigned to this user on the Cisco CallManager.



How to Adjust the Audio Settings

Frequently, the volume settings on client PC's are improperly set which prevents two-way audio in a telephone call. Use this procedure to check and adjust these settings.

Procedure


Step 1 Select Start > Programs > Accessories > Multimedia > Sound Recorder.

Step 2 Use the microphone to record your voice for 5-10 seconds.

Step 3 Play back the recorded voice.

If you hear your voice, your audio settings are properly set.

If you do not hear your recorded voice, close the Sound Recorder application and go to Step 4.

Step 4 Select Start > Programs > Accessories > Multimedia > Volume Control.

Step 5 Select Options > Properties.

Step 6 Under "Adjust volume for" select Playback.

Step 7 Under "Show the following volume controls" make sure every item in the list is checked.

Not all items are visible so be sure to scroll down to the end of the list.

Step 8 Click OK.

Step 9 Under "Adjust volume for" select Recording and repeat Steps 7 and 8.

Step 10 Select Options > Advanced Controls.


Note If your sound card does not support advanced controls, this feature is not available.


Step 11 In the Master Out volume control window, set all the volume controls to about 80 percent. Set all balance controls to the middle.

Step 12 Make sure that the Mute box is not checked for the Master Out control or the Wave control.

Step 13 Although it may seem strange, make sure the microphone's Mute box is checked in order not to route the microphone's input directly to the multimedia speakers or internal speaker for your computer.

You can mute the other controls as appropriate for your voice-computing applications.

Step 14 Select Options > Properties and verify that you use the proper audio device (sound card) to handle recording and playback.

Step 15 Repeat Steps 1 through 3.

If you still cannot get the Sound Recorder application to work, you do not have a Cisco IP SoftPhone problem. Ask your system administrator to help configure your audio settings.


How to Diagnose Problems with Collaboration

Symptom    I have defined the correct Associated PC for a person in my directory but I still cannot collaborate with him.

Possible Cause    The person has moved on the LAN/WAN (e.g., the person has a portable computer) and the directory services of the LAN have not yet updated to reflect the current IP address.

Recommended Action    Wait until Cisco IP SoftPhone detects the new IP address for the Associated PC and try to collaborate with that person again. Verify that the Net IP Audio Setting is set to Automatic and that the Cisco CallManager is properly configured.

Symptom    I have met all the conditions on the Collaboration Checklist but I still cannot collaborate.

Possible Cause    You have not tuned the audio settings or configured user settings for Microsoft NetMeeting. If you install a newer version of NetMeeting after you install Cisco IP SoftPhone, you need to configure user and audio settings for NetMeeting before you can collaborate. You need only do this one time. Perform the following steps to configure user and audio settings for NetMeeting.

Procedure


Step 1 Launch NetMeeting from the Start > Programs menu.

Step 2 Follow the directions to tune audio and configure user settings.

Step 3 Quit NetMeeting.

Step 4 Restart Cisco IP SoftPhone.