[asterisk-users] Cisco 7960 or 7960G

[Robert Lister]

On Sun, Sep 02, 2007 at 03:47:45PM +0100, Chris Bagnall wrote:

> There's both a 7960 and a 7960G (and a 7961 to confuse matters further).
> 
> The 7960 is the earlier version. The easiest way to identify it from a 
> picture is to look at the messages/services/etc. buttons. On the 7960 the 
> words "messages" and "services" are written on them. On the G, there's an 
> envelope and a globe on the buttons themselves, and the words "messages" 
> and "services" are provided on a surround sticker (one assumes to make 
> internationalization easier).

...although I don't think Cisco ever produced any other languages for 
the 7960G anyway, but 7960 and 7960G are pretty much identical.

7961 is a completely different phone with totally different software, 
although it has a better screen and much better audio quality than the 7960. 
7960 was end-of-life a while ago by Cisco. Not sure about the 7960G though.

If you run them in SIP Only mode, they are quite limited when it comes to 
actual functionality when compared to what other phones are offering. 7961, 
although a better bit of hardware, does not offer much noticable improvement 
for SIP. The functionality is about exactly the same, but with more 
possibilities for integration via XML than the 7960.

7961 does support standard 802.3af PoE and not Cisco's legacy proprietary 
PoE system which they introduced before 802.3af. You need a Cisco switch or 
a switch that supports legacy PoE (Foundry FES for example) to make the 
7960s power on, but 7961 works with standard 802.3af PoE kit.

Contact me off-list if you want my list of specific limitations of the 
7960/SIP, as there are many.

Rob


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Robert Lister     - London Internet Exchange - http://www.linx.net/
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