SipXcom NOT as the DHCP Server

[Jim Gill]

Hello All,

I'm running a SipXcom 24.01 server on a VM box onsite (I know - old school).  Originally setup back in 2009 it was best practice to have Sipx server  (Sipxecs back then) be the DHCP server to streamline phone provisioning.  My Sipxcom box also is my internal DNS server that I manage through a Custom A Record.  

I'm wondering what other do for DHCP these days.  Is this still best practice to have SipxCom deal with DHCP?  Anytime there is any sort of issue with the Sipxcom box - my entire lan goes down.  Would it be better for my PfSense firewall  to hand out DHCP?   Thoughts?   Thank you in advance!

Jim

[OnRelay Support]

Hello Jim,

Yes, sounds like a better approach to have your LAN router or firewall deal with DHCP, just beware your sipX box should be assigned a static IP there.

We have never used the sipX DHCP service here, and use the sipXcom DNS service for internal lookups only.

[Todd Hodgen]

I've used internal dhcp for years on small installations.  It's always been very reliable.  You may want to look into what is failing on the server.

Sent with my two left twiddling thumbs

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From: sipxco...@googlegroups.com <sipxco...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of OnRelay Support <sup...@onrelay.net>
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2025 12:46:27 AM
To: sipxcom-users <sipxco...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [sipxcom-users] Re: SipXcom NOT as the DHCP Server

 

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[Jim Gill]

Thanks guys - Appreciate the advice.  How about DNS?  Should I keep this on the Sipxcom server or have my pfsense handle that as well?

[OnRelay Support]

Our standard setup is to enable the sipX DNS and disable sipX DHCP. We however only use the sipX DNS for local lookups. This is robust for some of the more complex remote NAT traversals we are dealing with as a cloud hosted service.

It may be a matter of taste, but yes, would generally recommend letting routing equipment deal with IP routing and comms equipment deal with voice calls as far as possible.

[Jim Gill]

OK - Switched my DHCP over to my PfSense box and phones and all clients picked up a new ip no problem.  However my Polycom 335 & 650 are not being provisioned.  Internal DNS is still on the SipXcom machine.  The only thing that is different is DHCP.  If I manually change the provisioning server on the phone - it provisions as expected (and works) but I cannot send profiles from the GUI.  What am I missing?  Thank you!

[Nathaniel Watkins]

Option 66?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sipxcom-users/c0434a13-ffdf-4111-a091-3012f7a82e6fn%40googlegroups.com.

[Todd Hodgen]

Try factory defaulting the phones to see if they pickup your provisioning server.  As Nathan said, ensure option 66 is set in dhcp.

Sent with my two left twiddling thumbs

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From: sipxco...@googlegroups.com <sipxco...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Nathaniel Watkins <nathanie...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2025 2:01:10 PM
To: Jim Gill <j...@fernwoodcove.com>
Cc: sipxcom-users <sipxco...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [sipxcom-users] Re: SipXcom NOT as the DHCP Server

 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sipxcom-users/CAJEQSSZDdZ_GS5ryQb4R%3DSTBN9CWY2PQd-OYKeO0FDMsmYBH4w%40mail.gmail.com.

[Support]

Hello Jim,

These are the auto-provisioning instructions we send to our customers for remote self-provisioning, which are robust:

• Open Administration Settings - Network Configuration - Provisioning Server and change the following values:
  • Under DHCP Menu, set Boot Server: Static, then press Back.
  • Set Server Type: FTP
  • Set Server Address: <Our server public hostname, xxx.onrelay.net>
  • Set Server User: <as configured - or use default PlcmSpIp>
  • Set Server Password: <as configured or or use default PlcmSpIp>

Note for that to work you must configure Passive Address under FTP Server settings as your server’s IP.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sipxcom-users/BL1P222MB0587BBBBF06C5EBD449081A8FDC32%40BL1P222MB0587.NAMP222.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.

[Jim Gill - Fernwood Cove]

Thanks guys!  Nate had the correct answer with Option 66.  I had not setup the TFTP Server setting to point at my sipxcom box.  Once I did that, everything worked as expected.  Thank you again!

Jim

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Jim Gill

Owner/Director | Fernwood Cove

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