The Cisco IP Phones 8811, 8841, 8845, 8851, 8861, and 8865 provide voice communication over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The Cisco IP Phone functions much like a digital business phone, allowing you to place and receive phone calls and to access features such as mute, hold, transfer, speed dial, call forward, and more. In addition, because the phone connects to your data network, it offers enhanced IP telephony features, including access to network information and services, and customizable features and services.

The Cisco IP Phone 8811 has a grayscale LCD screen.

The Cisco IP Phones 8841, 8845, 8851, 8861, and 8865 has a 24-bit color LCD screen.

The Cisco IP Phones have the following features:

• Programmable feature buttons that support up to 10 lines or that can be programmed for other features

• Gigabit ethernet connectivity

• Bluetooth support for wireless headsets (Cisco IP Phone 8845, 8851, 8861 and 8865)

• Support for an external microphone and speakers (Cisco IP Phone 8861 only)

• Network connectivity by Wi-Fi (Cisco IP Phone 8861 and 8865)

• USB ports:

  • one USB port for Cisco IP Phone 8851

  • two USB ports for Cisco IP Phone 8861 and 8865

• Support for up to 3 key expansion modules:

  • Cisco IP Phone 8851 supports 2 key expansion modules

  • Cisco IP Phone 8861 supports 3 key expansion modules

Cisco IP Phones provide traditional telephony functionality, such as call forward, transfer, redial, speed dial, conference and voicemail system access. Cisco IP Phones also provide a variety of other features.

As with other network devices, you must configure Cisco IP Phones to prepare them to access Third-Party Call Control system and the rest of the IP network. By using DHCP, you have fewer settings to configure on a phone. If your network requires it, however, you can manually configure information such as: IP address, netmask, gateway and primary/secondary DNS servers.

Cisco IP Phones can interact with other services and devices on your IP network to provide enhanced functionality. For example, you can integrate Third-Party Call Control system with the corporate Lightweight Directory Access Protocol 3 (LDAP3) standard directory to enable users to search for coworker contact information directly from their IP phones.

To function in the IP telephony network, the Cisco IP Phone must connect to a network device, such as a Cisco Catalyst switch. You must also register the Cisco IP Phone with a Third-Party Call Control system before sending and receiving calls.

Finally, because the Cisco IP Phone is a network device, you can obtain detailed status information from it directly. This information can assist you with troubleshooting any problems users might encounter when using their IP phones. You can also obtain statistics about a current call or firmware versions on the phone.

Caution

Using a cell, mobile, or GSM phone, or two-way radio in close proximity to a Cisco IP Phone might cause interference. For more information, see the manufacturer’s documentation of the interfering device.

The following section describe the attributes of the Cisco IP Phones 8841 and 8845.

The following section describe the attributes of the Cisco IP Phones 8861 and 8865.

The Cisco IP Phone 8800 Series has two distinct hardware types:

• Cisco IP Phones 8811, 8841, 8851, and 8861—do not have a camera.

• Cisco IP Phones 8845 and 8865—have a built-in camera.

The following table highlights some of the differences in terminology found in the Cisco IP Phone 8800 Series Multiplatform Phones User Guide and Cisco IP Phone 8800 Series Multiplatform Phones Administration Guide.