[asterisk-users] ODP: Re: Changing labels on Phones

Mon Nov 16 12:13:56 CST 2009

You're right - this doesn't sound like VLAN problem (but maybe a VLAN issue is slowing the firmware download down, I can't tell.  Can you?).  This is a problem of trying to reproduce "extension mobility" like features in CallManager and the like.
You're right - rebooting does take a while.  In 2001 it was slow.  It is still slow today.
Yes - you can fake the user out (maybe) by updating images on the phone.  Yes you can push content to the phone, or push content that triggers a pull.  In 2002, I demonstrated something similar to Ciptec's product at Cisco's IP Telephony Apps Showcase in 2002.  (I think I'm still on a DVD interview of that somewhere.  Yikes!!)  As others have stated, you can use fun features like idle_url, the services button, or push mechanisms to change the content on the screen at any given time.

If that was what the original post was about, we'd be done.  It wasn't.

Here's the original thread:

" We have several types of phones, Cisco 79xx, Aastra 9133i etc. We have a "hotdesk" type system where anyone can log on to an extension - however what I would love to do is relabel the phone with the current "owner" when this logon happens. I know that I can change the sip.conf and phones tftp file, however this is a big problem with the Cisco's as they take *forever* (ok, maybe 2 / 3 minutes) to reboot (VLAN problem)

1) Has anyone actually solved this VLAN issue with the cisco ?
2) Is there any way of changing a label without rebooting the phone ?

TIA
Julian"

So for the archives, the prescribed method from Cisco to change the phone's configuration (e.g. the label)<emphasis> without </emphasis> causing the phone to reboot [and take 3 minutes of productivity away from an employee] is to issue an "erase protflash" from the phone's telnet console.  This will allow the OP to change the label for the phone [line] for the end user without the painful reboot.  When a Cisco phone is running the SIP firmware, it erases the current SIP configuration and requests the configuration files from the TFTP server.  It does it rather quickly (at roughly 11 seconds).  You must have the telnet_level set to 2 and a phone_password already set in the configuration loaded on the phone.  If not, update the configuration files to on the TFTP server (either SipDefault.cnf or the SIP<MAC>.cnf file) to set these settings and reboot the phone.  As long as the telnet_level is set to 2 and a phone_password is set and loaded into the phone's active configuration, you should be able set to update the configuration remotely without the need to reboot the phone.

Now - can we get more information about the VLAN issue you're having?

-Elliot

-----Original Message-----
From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com [mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Jacek Blaschke
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 12:20 PM
To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
Subject: [asterisk-users] ODP: Re: Changing labels on Phones

It is not the VLAN problem. Simply reboot of the 79xx takes up to 3 minutes and we found no way to speed it up (phones works with Call Manager and VLAN's are not implemented).
There are some other methods to display content on the phone screen without editing local configs. Check http://www.ciptec.co.uk/ - commercial site but shows the way.

Jacek

----- Wiadomość oryginalna -----
Od:: Elliot Otchet <elliot.otchet at callingcircles.com>
Data:: Poniedziałek, 16 Listopad 2009 17:35
Temat: Re: [asterisk-users] Changing labels on Phones

> If you just want to change the SIP configuration on the phone
> remotely there are a few prerequisites:
>
> 1) Upgrade your phone's firmware to a recent release.
> In the phone's config file on the tftp server:
> 2) Set telnet_level set to 2.  Make sure it stays at 2 when you
> create your new config file for the phone, otherwise you won't be
> able to redo this via telnet.
> 3) You need a phone_password set.
> If the phone was not loaded with the telnet_level at 2, you will
> need to reboot the phone manually first for this method to work.
>
> With those two items out of the way, you (or your script/program)
> can telnet to the phone and issue an "erase protflash" which will
> cause the phone to erase the current SIP configuration and re-read
> the SIP config files only - without the painful reboot.  Takes
> about 11 seconds on my old 7960 to do.
>
> There are some security risk associated with the above, but if you
> understand them and live with them or can mitigate them in other
> ways, you're set.
>
> -Elliot
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com [mailto:asterisk-
> users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Jonathan Thurman
> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 10:20 AM
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> Subject: Re: [asterisk-users] Changing labels on Phones
>
> > [mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Julian
> >
> > We have several types of phones, Cisco 79xx, Aastra 9133i etc.
> We have a
> > "hotdesk" type system where anyone can log on to an extension -
> however what
> > I would love to do is relabel the phone with the current "owner"
> when this
> > logon happens. I know that I can change the sip.conf and phones
> tftp file,
> > however this is a big problem with the Cisco's as they take
> *forever* (ok,
> > maybe 2 / 3 minutes) to reboot (VLAN problem)
> > 1) Has anyone actually solved this VLAN issue with the cisco ?
> > 2) Is there any way of changing a label without rebooting the
> phone ?
> > TIA
>
> I have not personally tried this, but I remember someone had
> posted a
> way to script the change of the background image on Cisco 79x1 phones.
> You could create a dynamic image in PHP that had the user info on it,
> then kick off the script to change the background image.  Might be a
> little tricky, but no reboot required!
>
> -Jonathan
>
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