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It�s quite simple really � four FXS ports with either regular phones
or G3 fax machines attached to it, an Ethernet network connection, a bypass
PSTN line in place in case of a power failure or in case the IP network is
down, and a plugged-in power adapter, and the Mediatrix 1104 is ready to
make SIP VoIP calls � well, almost ready. There is still the matter of
obtaining the IP address. Although the device can be given an IP address
dynamically, there is difficulty figuring out what the address might
be.
Anyone Know The IP Address?
With many products, the easiest way one can configure the unit is by
accessing a Web-based GUI via a default IP address, and then changing that
to an IP address on the network. We mistakenly assumed that this would be
the case for the Mediatrix 1104, but we could not access the Web-based GUI
and had to then assume that this was because there was none associated with
the device. We looked through the administration manual via a CD but did not
see anything about a Web-based GUI, although we did notice that the manual
was well laid out with plenty of detail.
Conveniently, however, we already had obtained the IP Communication
Server software, had loaded it on to one of our computers, and had entered
that computer�s IP address in all the appropriate places of the manager
configurations. Our DHCP server assigned the Mediatrix 1104 an IP address.
We know because we could view the address (once the 1104 registered on the
IP Communication Server) via the built-in SNMP administrator interface,
under Unit Manager. After a reboot of our computer and the IP Communication
Server�s services (restarting both the 1104 device and the IP
Communication Server�s software), the Mediatrix 1104 was registered,
showing all four ports under User Manager. Incidentally, there were no
significant help files located on the IP Communication Server software
itself, which would have been of benefit, but the manual was available via a
PDF file.
Now, we knew the IP address, but we still pondered how administrators
without the IP Communications Server would configure the Mediatrix 1104.
Sure, the IP address could still be dynamically assigned and looked up
through the DHCP server via the 1104�s MAC address. But how would other
configurations be changed? Fortunately, the answer to that question is easy
� through the Management Information Base (MIB), which is essentially the
interface that the IP Communication Server also offers. We stuck with using
the IP Communication Server�s interface because we were going to use the
proxy for use with other SIP devices, and we felt that the proxy�s
interface was easier to use anyway.
CONFIGURING PORTS
Since we had already configured a Siemens IP phone (see review
in this issue of INTERNET TELEPHONY�), we could call to/from the
analog phone connected to port one on the Mediatrix 1104 from/to the Siemens
IP phone by dialing the appropriate IP address. We could also dial from the
port-one phone to the IP phone via the IP phone�s E164 address, which is
more like a regular telephone number, but could not yet do this from the IP
phone.
We still needed to designate phone numbers for all four FXS ports of the
Mediatrix 1104. To accomplish this, all we needed to do was highlight the
MAC address of the Mediatrix unit and select Edit Phone Number. From there,
we pressed the Refresh All button to list all four ports, and then entered
the New Unit Phone for each individual port. We could also set a password
for the port by checking the Authentication box if we so desired. After we
applied our changes, the numbers were set. Additional port settings, such as
changing the audio codec (G.711, G.723 or G.729) on each individual port,
can also be configured by editing the Ports option under the MAC address of
the unit.
ALIASES
Simply stated, aliases are telephone numbers or names associated with a
specific port or device for a user. There could be more than one alias
pointing to a specific user. Since the Mediatrix 1104 had four ports, there
is at least one alias per port, which was automatically set up when the
device was registered on the IP Communication Server. Unlike the 1104
device, the Siemens IP phone we were testing with the Mediatrix equipment
did not automatically register, but it did not take us long to realize that
all we needed to do was add an alias for each phone, using the IP phone�s
E164 address as an alias. This would make sense because an E164 address�
function is similar to that of an alias.
However, the IP Communication Server would not just accept the E164
address as its alias. It also wanted the area code that we had identified in
the Locale portion used for the Mediatrix 1104 device. After the number was
added and made the main alias, the IP phone was registered. We could now
call from the IP phone to any of the ports on the 1104 device (assuming none
of these ports were being used for faxing) and vice versa, except that
calling from the IP phone meant that we had to dial one plus the area code
to connect the call. Just dialing the regular number sufficed when calling
other ports on the 1104 device or when calling to the Siemens IP phone.
While this was not difficult to set up and make the calls, it would have
been nice for those devices other than the 1104 to automatically be given
the aliases and to call from the IP phone without dialing the area code if
calling on the same network. Nevertheless though, this whole process was
easily done and proved that the Mediatrix equipment was interoperable with
other vendor�s equipment.
CONCLUSION
After we performed all of our telephony tests for the Mediatrix
equipment, which included call waiting, call forwarding, supervised call
transfers (at least to other ports on the 1104), and faxing, and they all
worked to our satisfaction, we had to conclude that both the Mediatrix 1104
and the IP Communication Server are splendid products. Since the four FXS
ports made the device more like a SOHO SIP product than a simple IP phone,
the price of it is acceptable. Furthermore, the sound quality of the calls
were first-rate, and the functionality of the Mediatrix 1104, especially
with the use of the IP Communication Server, rivaled that of any SIP end
point on the market today.
[ Return
To The January 2002 Table Of Contents ]
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