Cisco IP Communicator

Document ID: 50994

Contents

Introduction
Prerequisites
      Requirements
      Components Used
      Conventions
Prepare and Configure Cisco CallManager 4.x
      Verify Cisco CallManager Version
      Apply sr2 Patch to Cisco CallManager 4.x
      Configure Cisco CallManager 4.x
      Install Cisco IP Communicator version 1.1.x or 2.x
      Additional Features Supported in Cisco IP Communicator 2.x
      Use Optimize for Low Bandwidth with Cisco Conference Connection
      Configuring All Eight Lines with IP Communicator
      Ports Used by Cisco IP Communicator
Troubleshoot
      One Way Audio
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Related Information

Introduction

This document outlines the basic steps required to install and configure Cisco IP Communicator with Cisco CallManager 4.x through manual setup. For autoregistration setup or wide-scale deployments, refer to Preparing to Deploy Cisco IP Communicator and Deploying and Updating Cisco IP Communicator.

Note: Cisco IP Communicator is supported in Cisco CallManager 3.3(4). However, this document focuses on Cisco CallManager 4.x.

Prerequisites

Requirements

Cisco recommends that you have knowledge of Cisco CallManager 4.x.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on these software versions:

• Cisco IP Communicator version 1.1 and 2.x

• Cisco CallManager 4.0(1)sr2

Note: Refer to Release Notes for Cisco IP Communicator 2.1 for more information on how to find Cisco IP Communicator support for Miscosoft Windows Vista.

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, make sure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Conventions

Refer to Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for more information on document conventions.

Prepare and Configure Cisco CallManager 4.x

Verify Cisco CallManager Version

In order to set up Cisco IP Communicator in Cisco CallManager 4.x, you must make sure that your CallManager version is no earlier than 4.0(1)sr2.

Go to the main menu window, choose Help > About Cisco CallManager, and then click Details to check your Cisco CallManager version.

If your Cisco CallManager version is not at least 4.0(1)sr2, make sure you download the patch from the Cisco CallManager Version 4.0 Software Download Center ( registered customers only) and apply it to Cisco CallManager. The Apply sr2 Patch to CallManager 4.x section describes this process.

Apply sr2 Patch to Cisco CallManager 4.x

Caution: Application of the sr2 patch to Cisco CallManager should be performed during non-business hours, because this process results in interruption of all CallManager services and a server reboot.

In order to add Cisco IP Communicator as a phone from the device list, you must have Cisco CallManager 4.0(1)sr2. You can apply the sr2 patch directly to 4.0(1) or 4.0(1)sr1 to take you to 4.0(1)sr2.

1. After you download the sr2 patch, copy the file to a temporary directory on your Cisco CallManager server. If you do not have direct access to Cisco CallManager, use the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) in order to connect to the Cisco CallManager from a client PC that runs VNC Viewer.

2. From the directory to which you copied sr2, double-click the executable file. This window appears:

   

3. Click Next and follow the instructions on the window to complete the steps to update Cisco CallManager to 4.0(1)sr2. After the server is rebooted, verify that the Cisco CallManager version is 4.0(1)sr2. See the Verify Cisco CallManager Version section.

Configure Cisco CallManager 4.x

Note: Run CiscoIPCommunicatorAdminToolSetup.exe and install on the TFTP server or Cisco CallManager Publisher. This tool installs the DirectoryWizard tool for configuring the Quick Search and Dialing Rules features. You can download the CiscoIPCommunicatorAdminToolSetup.exe ( registered customers only) .

Note: In this setup, the default Calling Search Space and partitions are used. Only required fields are filled out, which leaves everything else at default except the Owner User ID. In a typical IP phone network, several partitions and Calling Search Spaces are defined.

Complete these steps in order to configure Cisco IP Communicator:

1. Go to the main menu window, choose Device > Phone > Add a New Phone, and then select Cisco IP Communicator from the Phone type pull-down menu.

   

2. Click Next in order to get to the Phone Configuration window. Fill out the required details, such as the MAC address of the phone. This address should typically be a fixed network interface card (NIC) where Cisco IP Communicator is installed.

   

3. Click Insert. This message appears:

   

4. Click OK in order to get to the Directory Number Configuration window. Fill out the required fields.

   

5. Click Add. This message appears:

   

6. Click OK.

You have now completed the configuration for Cisco CallManager.

Install Cisco IP Communicator version 1.1.x or 2.x

Note: In order to install Cisco IP Communicator in a Laptop/PC that runs Microsoft Windows Vista, it is necessary to connect the headset to the sound card first in order to activate it and then proceed to install the Cisco IP Communicator.

Complete these steps:

1. Double-click the CiscoIPCommunicatorSetup.exe icon to run the Install Wizard. This window appears:

   

2. Click Next and follow the instructions.

3. Once the installation is complete, this window appears:

   

4. Check the Launch the program check box and click Finish. The Audio Tuning Wizard window appears:

   

5. Click Next. The Select Audio Devices window appears:

   

6. Choose the appropriate devices from the pull-down lists and click Next. Now you must adjust the listening volume.

   

7. Complete the instructions in order to adjust the listening volume, and then click Next. The Adjust the Microphone Volume window appears:

   

8. Complete the instructions in order to adjust the Microphone Volume, and then click Next. The last window appears:

   

9. Click Finish. If your TFTP setup is incorrect, you get this error:

   

10. Click OK. This window appears automatically:

    

11. Click Use these TFTP servers and type in the IP address of the Cisco CallManager if you use a TFTP server on the Cisco CallManager. You must also choose the correct Network Adaptor and Device Name, or this error appears:

    

12. The next window asks for your username and password.

    

13. Enter your username and password and click OK. After a few seconds, the Cisco IP Communicator Launch window appears:

    

In order to avoid choppy voice issues, you need to make sure that you have enabled 802.1p QOS on the PC Network Adapter. Right-click on the connection that you use and choose Properties. For the PC Network Adapter, click Configure and choose the Advanced tab. Choose 802.1p QOS and then choose Enable The default value for the 802.1p QOS is Disable.

Note: The Cisco CallManager sends keepalive acknowledge messages to the registered devices once every 30 seconds. If Cisco IP Communicator is behind a firewall, or if there is some Access Control List(ACL) configured in the network, the keepalive traffic between the Cisco CallManager and IP Communicator is blocked. In this case, make sure that the firewall/ACL is configured to pass TFTP and RTP traffic using the appropriate port range.

Additional Features Supported in Cisco IP Communicator 2.x

• Drag-and-drop dialing

• Copy-and-paste dialing

• Alphanumeric translation

• Keyboard shortcuts for starting and ending calls

• Non-intrusive call notification

• Support for Cisco CallManager Express

• Cisco CallManager 4.0/4.1 call features (privacy line key, extended services on line keys, multiple calls per line appearance, and so forth)

Use Optimize for Low Bandwidth with Cisco Conference Connection

Remote users who use IP Communicator with low bandwidth connections can experience better audio quality with a low-bandwidth codec.

• Choose Preferences > Audio from the Cisco IP Communicator right-click menu, and check Optimize for low bandwidth in order to specify low-bandwidth codec (G.729).

  Note: When you use Optimize for low bandwidth, it is difficult to connect to some applications that use a different codec other than G.729. For example, Cisco Conference Connection can only use G.711 codec, thus Cisco IP Communicator is unable to dial a MeetMe Conference number.

You should see a similar IP phone bootup sequence, followed shortly by the phone lines that you configured. Your phone is now ready to dial or receive calls.

Configuring All Eight Lines with IP Communicator

The default Cisco IP Communicator template uses buttons one and two for lines and assigns buttons three through eight as speed dial. Modify your phone button template for IP Communicator in order to configure all eight lines. Complete these steps in order to modify a template:

1. Choose Device > Device Settings > Phone Button Template from the Cisco CallManager Administration web application.

2. Click Find.

3. Click on the copy sign next to Default IP Communicator Template.

4. Fill in a new Button Template Name, for example, IP Communicator eight lines..

5. Change buttons three through eight to Line.

   Change the template to IP Communicator eight lines in the Phone Button Template field in the Cisco CallManager Administration Phone Configuration page in order to assign a template to a device.

Ports Used by Cisco IP Communicator

IP Communicator is the same as normal IP phone, so it uses these ports:

• TFTP (UDP 69)—In order to obtain phone configuration and software

• SCCP (TCP 2000)—For skinny (SCCP) signaling

• HTTP (TCP 80)—In order to access IP Phone services

• RTP (UDP 16384-32768)—For audio

Troubleshoot

One Way Audio

If you experience one way audio while you make calls through Cisco IP Communicator, you need to check the connectivity between the IP Communicator and the gateway. If you cannot ping the gateway from the machine on which IP communicator is installed, it can be due to some configuration issue, for example, Routing, Access-list and so forth, or due to some firewall configuration. If there is a firewall between IP Communicator and the gateway, make sure that the ports mentioned in the previous section are opened in the firewall. Refer to ASA 7.x/PIX 6.x and Above: Open/Block the Ports Configuration Example for more information on the PIX firewall configuration in order to open the ports.

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Related Information

• Cisco IP Communicator Q&A
• Cisco IP Communicator Administration Guide (1.1)
• Cisco IP Communicator Release 2.0
• Phone Button Template Configuration
• Voice Technology Support
• Voice and Unified Communications Product Support
• Recommended Reading: Troubleshooting Cisco IP Telephony
• Technical Support & Documentation - Cisco Systems