Configuring the Cisco SPA509g and SPA525g telephones for use with Elastix / Asterisk
Cisco has some great looking phones that work really well in the
SPA509g and SPA525g models. We recently had a client who liked the
system, but wanted Cisco telephones. While we had configured the
older 7940 and 7960 telephones, we didn't have a chance to work with
the newer series yet. The SPA509g and 525G provide all of the
required features - Message waiting light, park location indicators,
call transfer, and easy voicemail access. The audio quality is great
and people really seem to like the bright indicator lamps.
After a good deal of research and work, we've arrived at a method that
works for us. All files referenced are included in the zip file that
is attached.
Network Configuration:
The best option is to be able to configure option 66 to point to your
Elastix server. Option 66 tells devices that are getting their IP
Addresses via DHCP where to look for TFTP files. In the event that
you do not have Option 66 available to you, you must make a
configuration change to the telephones to get them to work properly.
Elastix Configuration Tasks:
Setup Park locations with the default numbering
Build generic sip extensions with the extension numbers that you plan to use.
Work in the TFTPBOOT Directory
If the phones can find the TFTP directory, they are going to be
looking for two different files. The first is a phone type
configuration file. In our case the file is the spa509G.cfg or
spa525G.cfg file. These files give the phones basic information to
find their configuration files. In my sample spa509G.cfg file:
<flat-profile>
<Resync_On_Reset>Yes</Resync_
<Resync_Periodic>0</Resync_Periodic>
<Profile_Rule>tftp://192.168.200.169/xml/spa$MA.xml</Profile_Rule>
</flat-profile>
This file tells the phones to resync on reset but not periodically.
The profile rule has my server IP address (so change it to your own)
and tells the phone to look in the /tftpboot/xml/ directory for a file
that is named "spa<phone mac address in lower case>.xml". In that
file we have all of the settings to configure each phone.
The other files in the TFTP directory include the binary files to
upgrade the phones to the 7.4.4 firmware - which is REQUIRED to get it
to work properly. I tried to get the phones to work without the
upgrade, but the park function failed to work properly.
In the /tftpboot/xml directory you will find a couple of files that
are the base config files for a 509 or 525 telephone. Open the file,
copy the contents, close the file, make a new text file named "spa<mac
address of telephone>.xml". Remember that the MAC must be in
lowercase. In the file you have to do several find and replace. If
you are using winSCP make sure you go to the top of the file and find
down so that you don't miss any.
find: 212 (525 uses 213) Replace with: <your sip extension number>
find: sipsecret Replace with: <your secret>
find: 192.168.200.169 Replace with: <your service IP Address>
Save the file and reboot the phone. Upon the first boot, it will do
the upgrade then reboot if you are not at the right firmware revision.
If the phone just sits there, reboot it again just to be sure. Once
you do that it should come up with the extension number next to three
line buttons and should register.
Note: If you do not have option 66, you have to log into the phone
and go to administrator and advanced options. Go to provisioning and
change the "provision enable" and "resynch on reset" to yes. Then in
the profile rule enter:
tftp://192.168.200.169/xml/spa$MA.xml <Replace the IP with your
server IP address!>
In the upgrade section enable upgrade and enter the following for the rule:
tftp://192.168.200.169/spa5x5-7-4-4.bin <Replace the IP with your
server IP address!>
Restart the phone.
Once the phones properly configure and reset, you will need a password
to administer them. Use the password of "cisco" to administer the
phones for the 509g. I believe the 525 is blank.
The phones are great and worth the challenge!
