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How To: Configure Over-the-Phone (Multicast) Paging

Cam
  • Updated

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  1. Notes
  2. Yealink
  3. Polycom
  4. Grandstream
  5. Mixing Yealink and Poly Multicast

Notes

Multicast paging allows users to send a broadcasted page to any phone or phones on the same local area network.  Each device brand is different and requires device overrides to be configured for multicast to function.

In some cases network switch configuration is required to allow multicast on the LAN.

Some brands, like Polycom, use a proprietary multicast protocol and may only work with Polycom-specific devices.

Multicast is the preferred method for over-the-phone paging. Sending pages directly from the hosted (cloud) phone platform would be extremely taxing to the internet bandwidth; each device would open a talk path/channel with the phone system. Keeping the paging on the local network is faster and much less of a burden to the network infrastructure.

 

Yealink 

Single-zone:

This configuration will put a "Page All" key on the 3rd soft-key. 

multicast.listen_address.1.ip_address="224.5.6.20:10008"
multicast.listen_address.1.label="Page All"
programablekey.3.type="24"
programablekey.3.value="224.5.6.20:10008"
programablekey.3.label="Page All"

Multi-zone

This configuration gives the user a drop-down style menu on soft-key 3 for paging multiple zones. 

multicast.paging_address.1.ip_address="224.5.6.21:11008"
multicast.paging_address.2.ip_address="224.5.6.22:12008"
multicast.paging_address.3.ip_address="224.5.6.23:13008"
multicast.paging_address.4.ip_address="224.5.6.24:14008"
multicast.listen_address.4.ip_address="224.5.6.24:14008"
multicast.listen_address.1.label="Service"
multicast.paging_address.1.label="Service"
multicast.listen_address.2.label="Sales"
multicast.paging_address.2.label="Sales"
multicast.listen_address.3.label="Parts"
multicast.paging_address.3.label="Parts"
multicast.listen_address.4.label="Page All"
multicast.paging_address.4.label="Page All"
programablekey.3.type="66"
programablekey.3.label="Paging"

With the multi-zone configuration you must add a listen address parameter to each phone that would like to receive the paging from a specific zone. E.g. the following command would give the phone access to listen to Service pages. 

multicast.listen_address.1.ip_address="224.5.6.21:11008"

 

Cam's Yealink Multicast Configuration Generator

The link below is a tool to generate multicast configs for Yealink devices:

https://endpoints2-ord.callrevutel.com/frm/YLMulticastGenerator.html

 

Speed Dial Paging Example

If you just need a configuration to call directly to an Algo or similar device:

programablekey.3.line="1"
programablekey.3.type="13"
programablekey.3.value="1115"
programablekey.3.label="Page"

In this example, softkey 3 will be a speed dial for extension 1115.

 

Polycom

First you must configure the IP/port used for paging: 

ptt.address="224.0.1.116" 
ptt.port="5001"

The following parameters create two page zones; group 1 is "Page All", group 2 is "Sales." Applying these override parameters to the devices will give the ability to send pages to these two groups.

ptt.pageMode.enable="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.label="Page All"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.label="Sales"
feature.nonVolatileRingerVolume.enabled="1"
np.normal.ringing.toneVolume.chassis="1000"
np.normal.alert.messageWaiting.tonePattern="silent"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.available="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowReceive="0"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowTransmit="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.available="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowReceive="0"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowTransmit="1"

In order for devices to receive pages, they must "subscribe" to the page group(s) and be allowed to receive pages. E.g. the following commands would give the phone access to receive only Sales pages.  

ptt.pageMode.group.2.subscribed="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowReceive="1"

While the following command would give the phone access to receive on both zones: 

ptt.pageMode.group.1.subscribed="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowReceive="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.subscribed="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowReceive="1"

To put a page key on the phone: 

feature.enhancedFeatureKeys.enabled="1"
softkey.1.action="$FPage$"
softkey.1.enable="1"
softkey.1.label="Paging"
softkey.1.use.active="1"
softkey.1.precede="1"

Example of a full Polycom Configuration

ptt.pageMode.enable="1"
ptt.address="224.0.1.116" 
ptt.port="5001"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.label="Service"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.label="Sales"
ptt.pageMode.group.3.label="Page All"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowReceive="0"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowReceive="0"
ptt.pageMode.group.3.allowReceive="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowTransmit="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowTransmit="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.3.allowTransmit="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.subscribed="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.2.subscribed="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.3.subscribed="1"
feature.nonVolatileRingerVolume.enabled="1"
np.normal.ringing.toneVolume.chassis="1000"
np.normal.alert.messageWaiting.tonePattern="silent"
feature.enhancedFeatureKeys.enabled="1"
softkey.1.action="$FPage$"
softkey.1.enable="1"
softkey.1.label="Page"
softkey.1.use.active="1"
softkey.1.precede="1"

<-- Only Service phones --> 
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowReceive="1"

<-- Only Sales phones --> 
ptt.pageMode.group.2.allowReceive="1"

Grandstream

Grandstream hardware will vary based on device type which "P Codes" may be needed to configure multicast. You can download the latest P code configuration templates at Grandstream's support portal.

You will have to decide which key you want to configure the paging key to be on, and find that P code in the Grandstream documentation. Here is an example for sending: 

 

GRP261X

Page All Single Zone

P1569="224.5.6.20:10008" ## Multicast Listen Address Zone 1 ##
P1570="Page All" ## Multicast Listen Label Zone 1 ##
P8540="224.5.6.20:10008" ## Multicast Paging Address Zone 1##
P8541="Page All" ## Multicast Paging Label Zone 1 ##


For the key configuration in Grandstream you need to put this onto a Line Appearance (VPK) for it to function correctly. To do so you'll need to look up the correct P-Code corresponding to the VPK that you would like the paging key to be. 

You will need the VPK key mode which is always 13 and also the VPK description (label), and value (M-cast IP).

For example, VPK 10 (Line Appearance 10) would look like this: 

P23812="13"
P23814="Page All"
P23815="224.5.6.20:10008"

There is a way to put this configuration onto a softkey instead of a line appearance, but it opens a paging list like multi-zone paging where you have to select the zone before sending the page, that config looks like this: 

P2991="33"
P2993="Page All"
P2994="224.0.1.1:6000"

Additionally, the following overrides provide multicast priority:

P1566="1" ## Paging Barge - 1 = Priority ##
P1567="1" ## Paging Priority - 1 = Active ##

Full Grandstream Single-Zone Paging Config Example on a GRP26XX:

P1569="224.5.6.20:10008"
P1570="Page All"
P8540="224.5.6.20:10008"
P8541="Page All"
P23812="13"
P23814="Page All"
P23815="224.5.6.20:10008"
P1566="1"
P1567="1"

 

GRP26XX Multi-Zone Paging

Coming soon . . .

 

 

Side Note: 

Grandstream Soft Key to speed dial to a paging extension (e.g. Algo)

P2989="Paging" ## Soft key Label ##
P2990="399" ## Soft Key Value ##
P2987="10" ## Speed Dial Configuration ##
P2988="0" ## Account 1 ##

 

GXP21XX

P325="23" ## Multi-purpose Key (MPK) 3 Key Mode - 23 = Multicast Paging ##
P307="1" ## MPK 3 Account - 1 = Account 1 ##
P308="Page All" ## MPK 3 Label ##
P309="224.5.6.20:10008" ## MPK 3 Multicast IP and Port (Value) ##

 

In each of the brand's configurations/overrides there are caveats and other configs to consider. Please refer to the administration guide or other documentation on a brand-by-brand basis. 

 

Mixing Yealink and Poly Multicast

By default Poly uses a channel for multicast paging; that default is 1.

By default Yealink uses channel 0.

Unfortunately, Poly cannot change to channel 0, so you'll have to set Yealink to channel 1.

 

Page All Example

Yealink

multicast.listen_address.1.ip_address="224.0.1.116:5010"
multicast.listen_address.1.label="Page"
programablekey.3.type="24"
programablekey.3.value="224.0.1.116:5010"
programablekey.3.label="Page"
programablekey.3.extension="1"
multicast.listen_address.1.channel="1"
voice.vad="0"

Poly

feature.enhancedFeatureKeys.enabled="1"
softkey.1.action="$FPage$"
softkey.1.enable="1"
softkey.1.label="Page"
softkey.1.use.active="1"
softkey.1.precede="1"
ptt.pageMode.enable="1"
ptt.address="224.0.1.116" 
ptt.port="5010"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.label="Page All"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowReceive="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.allowTransmit="1"
ptt.pageMode.group.1.subscribed="1"

 

Note: When using Yealink paging list (multi-zone) configuration (66) you'll have to use a different parameter to set the channel (ensure to change X to the number of the IP): 

multicast.paging_address.X.channel="1"

Also notice that voice.vad is set to 0. This is to turn off voice activity detection on the YL device. If this is left turned on the Poly will have a hard time hearing the page.

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