SmartNode™ 2400
Modular VoIP Gateway Router

Product not recommended for new installations.
For next-generation alternatives, please see Patton's
SmartNode 4960.


End of Life Notice



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Call Patton at +1 301 975 1000 or email sales@patton.com.

Features & Benefits
  • VoIP Gateway Router with dual Ethernet
  • 4 Expansion slots for ISDN, T1, E1, and FXS interface cards for voice processing features
  • V.35 / X.21 Serial interface
  • LAN-to-LAN connectivity
  • Voice VPNs
  • Real-time quality of service (TOS, Diffserv, and IEEE 802.1p/Q)
  • On-board DSP support multiple voice codecs
  • G.711 A-Law/µ-Law; G.723.1; G.729A; Transparent
  • Euro ISDN EDSS-1/ETSI BRI/NET3
  • H.323v4; SIPv2;MGCP/IUA
  • Simultaneously compresses up to 120 ISDN voice calls over the same IP link
  • Static firewall with NAPT and Access Control Lists
  • Industry standard CLI, SNMP, TFTP configuration and software upgradeable
  • EMC & CE compliant
  • 1-year warranty
  • Optional Upgrade: 2-5 year Warranty
  • Optional Upgrade: 1-5 year Enhanced Warranty (includes free Advance Replacements)


Overview

The SmartNode 2400 VoIP Media Gateway is a converged voice-and-data network system that provides a high-density, seamless link between the circuit-switched telephone network and Voice-over-IP. Ideal for multi-service carrier and corporate PSTN access, the SmartNode 2400 takes 120 calls from voice to packet. With dual 10/100 Ethernet ports and four voice-interface slots, the SmartNode 2400 connects to any switch, PBX, or data network.

The SmartNode delivers VoIP that has the clarity of toll-quality voice. Multiple user-defined G.711 and G.726 voice codecs are included, as well as G.723 and G.729ab for low bandwidth voice. T.38 fax, fax bypass, and modem bypass capabilities ensure that the SmartNode 2400 will seamlessly connect to all voice and data services. QoS ensures optimal voice performance through traffic classification and prioritization.

Patton's exclusive Telephony-over-IP™ (ToIP™) programmable circuit switching delivers service transparency and flexible PSTN integration. With ToIP any BRI, T1/E1 PRI, or FXS port can connect to any telephone or media gateway port.

Configuration Example: Shared-Switch Access
To take advantage of emerging technologies and the changing regulatory environments, network service providers are providing new services which can be integrated within the enterprise to reduce costs and improve service. Deployed as a trunk gateway, the SmartNode is the seamless link between the PSTN and VoIP access. Subscribers now access new carrier services without incurring charges from the incumbent carrier.

In enterprise networks, the SmartNode integrates telephony and IP data communications for best use of bandwidth, improved office-to-office communication, and reduced network costs.

Instead of installing a separate PBX in a remote office, the SmartNode is able to provide transparent extension of PBX phones. The extension can be managed centrally and benefit from services such as calling groups, least cost routing, and call forwarding.
SmartNode


Specifications

Data Connectivity IP Quality of Services

2 10/100Base-T Ethernet, RJ-45

WFQ/Fixed Rate/Priority Queuing/flow-split scheduler
Combination of QoS schemes with configurable burst
DiffServe/ToS set or queue per header bits
Pocket Policing discards excess traffic
802.1p VLAN tagging
Traffic classification

Voice Signalling Operating Environment

Euro ISDN EDSS-1 / ETSI BRI/NET3
• ETS 300 012-1 (ITU-T I.430)
• ETS 300 402-1 (ITU-T Q.921)
• ETS 300 403-1/2 (ITU-T Q.931)
• ETS 300 102-1 (ITU-T Q.931)

Q-SIG (PSS-1)
• ECMA-143
• ETSI and ISO/ECMA channel numbering

SIPv2 and MGCP/IUA (for ISDN interfaces)
H.323v4
• RAS, H.225, H.245
• Fast-connect, early H.245
• Gatekeeper autodiscovery
• Alias registration
• Overlap sending
• Empty capability set (call transfer, hold)
• H.323v1 call transfer, hold

ECS support

Operating temperature: 0–40°C
Operating humidity: 5–80% (non condensing)

Voice Routing—Session Router™ System

Local switching
Interface huntgroups
ISDN broadcast message routing
Routing Criteria
Interface
Calling/called party number
Time of day, day of week, date
ISDN bearer capability

Number manipulation functions
Replace numbers
• Add/remove digits
• Multiple remote gateways
• PLAR

CPU Motorola MPC860 at 50 MHz
Memory 16MB SDRAM/4MB Flash
Power: 100–240 VAC (50/60 Hz)
Power dissipation 30W (fully loaded)

IP Routing Compliance

IPv4 router
RIPv1, v2 (RFC 1058 and 2453)
Programmable static routes
ICMP redirect (RFC 792)
Packet fragmentation
Static Firewall
• NAT/PAT/NAPT (RFC 1631)
• Access control lists

EMC compliance: EN55022 and EN55024
Safety compliance: EN 50950
CE compliance
FCC Part 15 Class A

Management

Industry standard CLI with local console (CRJ-45, RS-232) and remote Telnet access
TFTP configuration down-and upload
TFTP firmware download
SNMP v1 agent (MIB II and private MIB)
Built-in diagnostic tools (trace, debug)




Related Information
Articles (PDF) -- Requires Adobe Acrobat to view
Patton Brings Unified Communications to Boy Scouts of America Campground October 31, 2007
SmartNode™ Delivers VoIP-over-VPN Network with Secure, Encrypted Voice for 1200-Site Retail Chain August 08, 2007
SmartNode™ VoIP Delivers First-Line Business-Class Internet Telephony Services with green.ch February 06, 2006
SmartNode™ VoIP Powers inode Business Service for ISDN Subscribers December 21, 2005
Patton SmartNode Delivers IP Telephony for Middle-East Royalty August 20, 2003
Patton's SmartNode Gateway Saves Time, Money, and a Priceless Employee! March 06, 2003

Certifications (PDF) -- Requires Adobe Acrobat to view
EC Declaration of Conformity - CE for SN1200, SN1400, SN2300, SN2400 (English) February 28, 2005
EG Konformitatserklarung - CE fur SN1200, SN1400, SN2300, SN2400 (Deutsch) February 28, 2005

Data Sheets (PDF) -- Requires Adobe Acrobat to view
Enhanced Warranty March 01, 2006
VoIP Glossary March 04, 2005
VoIP Solutions Guide September 21, 2004
SmartNode 2400 Datasheet March 17, 2003
1-Year Standard Warranty March 01, 2002
5-Year Enhanced Warranty March 01, 2002

Manuals (PDF) -- Requires Adobe Acrobat to view
SmartWare R4.2 Software Configuration Guide August 17, 2007
SmartWare R4.1 Software Configuration Guide April 05, 2007
SmartWare R3.21 Software Configuration Guide April 05, 2007
SmartNode 1000 & 2000 Series Guide, Getting Started October 24, 2006
SmartWare R3.20 Software Configuration Guide August 01, 2006
SmartWare R2.20 Software Configuration Guide December 01, 2003

News Releases
Patton's New VoIP IAD Wins Unified Communications 2007 Product of the Year March 17, 2008
Patton Wins INTERNET TELEPHONY® Product of the Year for the Third Consecutive Year January 07, 2008
Patton-Inalp Joins Triple Play Alliance, Promotes Multi-Vendor Interoperability October 01, 2007
Patton Receives INTERNET TELEPHONY Excellence Award September 12, 2007
With Over 1,000 Networking Products to Offer, Patton Publishes Dual Catalogs May 22, 2007
Patton Launches High-Performance PRI VoIP Gateway August 14, 2006
SmartNode™ VoIP CPEs Now Certified for Interoperability by Cirpack® July 31, 2006
Patton Unveils Industrial First-mile-Ethernet and Outdoor-VoIP Equipment at GlobalComm 2006 June 06, 2006
Massive VoIP Rollout Features Patton Equipment April 17, 2006
Patton Hardens Communication Products April 05, 2006
Patton and BroadSoft Deliver Interoperability to Carriers March 06, 2006
Patton Adds Voice-Encryption to SmartNode™ VoIP Routers February 22, 2006
Patton Receives Technology Champion Award February 01, 2006
Avantel Mexico Selects SmartNode VoIP Gateway Routers October 28, 2004

Tech Notes
Understanding Echo Problems - (PDF) September 19, 2007
SmartNode™ Quality of Service for VoIP on the Internet Access Link - (PDF) December 13, 2004
VoIP: What Are FXS & FXO? - (PDF) April 02, 2003

White Papers (PDF) -- Requires Adobe Acrobat to view
VoIP in Industrial Networks - Implementing QoS for reliable voice over industrial Ethernet November 10, 2006
White Paper - SmartWare Release Strategy June 07, 2006
VoIP - Addressing QoS Beyond the Provider Network January 19, 2006
Building VoIP Integrated Services Intranets December 26, 2002
Providing Integrated Service Access - Part 1: VoIP Services December 26, 2002
Providing Integrated Service Access - Part 2: VoIP Management December 26, 2002

Software Upgrades
SmartNode 2400 ( Modular VoIP Media Gateway )
 
Frequently Asked Questions
 SmartLink VoIP 
 Gateways 
 How to extend dial tone (dial tone extension) from one location to another location without a SIP server. 
 The dial tone generated by a PSTN connection or a PBX can be extended over the Internet or an Intranet by using a pair of Smartnode 452x units or a Smartnode 452x and a Smartlink 402x unit. This FAQ describes how to perform dial tone extension using a Smartnode 452x and a Smartlink 402x. Smartnode to Smartnode configuration information is available under "Line Extensions" of the SN452x applications notes page. Once the setup is complete, the end user will be able to lift the handset on the analog phone, hear the dial tone from the PSTN or PBX and then dial a number just as if they were directly connected to the PSTN or PBX. Flash-hook is supported so features like call waiting and call hold will work. Tax pulse tone (not typically used in the USA) is not supported. The guide below assumes that WAN and LAN connectivity has already been established.

Hardware –

  • Smartlink 4021 or Smartlink 4022
  • Smartnode 4522, 4524, 4526 or 4528 with FXO ports (order code “JO” indicates FXO ports)
  • PSTN analog connection OR PBX with analog phone port
  • Analog phone

Physical Connectivity
Analog phone ----SL402x----- Internet/Intranet -----SN452x-------PSTN or PBX

In the SL4020

  1. Under Telephony, SIP –
    • Set “SIP Registration Server Address:” to the IP address or domain name of the SmartNode 4520
    • Uncheck “Send Registration Request with Expire Time:”
    • Save the changes
  2. Under Telephony, Phone 1
    • Set the phone number to the phone extension (example 111).
    • Optional - You can set caller id if you wish.
    • Under “Dial Out Type” , select Hotline from the drop down menu
    • Under “Hot Line Number”, enter the phone number that has been routed to the FXO port on the SN452x.
    • Save the changes
  3. Go to System,Reload and restart the SL4020

In the SmartNode 452x....Please use the Smartnode CO configuration information under "Line Extensions" of the SN452x applications notes. You will need to add call routing and mapping table to strip the called number that is passed from the Smartlink.

routing-table called-e164 TAB-IN
route ... dest-interface IF_FXO0 STRIP
mapping-table called-e164 to called-e164 STRIP
map ...% to \1
map default to ''

 
 How many VPN tunnels can be configured on the SL4020 
 The configurable limit is 8 now. Based on our preliminary study of code and hardware we believe this limit could be extended significantly. It will eventually be limited by memory and network resources.  
 Telephones 
 I would like to be able to push one button and immediately get a dial tone from the PSTN so that I can make calls. I DO NOT have SIP server.  
 Sounds like you want to do something like press "9" for an outside line and then dial number......
This can be accomplished by using a combination of features on the Smartlink phones or gateways along with a Smartnode serving as the gateway to the PSTN. The resulting design results in two calls being made - one SIP call from the Smartlink device to the SmartNode gateway and a second PSTN call from the Smartnode gateway to the destination address on the PSTN.
How it works- The SL4050/SL4020 makes a SIP call to the Smartnode when the speed dial button is pushed. The Smartnode accepts the SIP call and presents dial tone from the FXO line. The user enters the number to be dialed which is transmitted as DMTF tones to the Smartnode that passes the tones to the PSTN. The PSTN completes the call to the number dialed.
Since there isn't SIP server, direct IP address or DNS calling can be used to send the SIP call directly to a Smartnode gateway with an PSTN connection.
To make calling easier on on the end user associate a speed dial button, like the telephone keypad number "9", with the IP address or DNS name of Smartnode.
Optionally the SL4050/10 phone has 10 line buttons that can be set as speed dial buttons. All the end user would do is push a line button and the next thing they would hear is a PSTN dial tone pass through by the Smartnode.
Please see the "FXO Interface Configuration" in the Smartnode configuration guide for information on setting up the Smartnode to pass dialtone from the PSTN to a SIP call.
From the SL4050 web configuration interface -
  1. Select Line Key Settings
  2. Pick a free line key and select "one touch dial"
  3. Enter the DNS name or IP address of the Smartnode gateway that has the PSTN FXO connection
  4. Click on "submit" to save the changes
 
 SmartNode VoIP/ToIP 
 Call Routing 
 How can I remove or restrict Caller-ID (CLIP)? 
 There are two possibilities:
1. Set the ISDN Presentation Indicator (PI) to restricted:
172.16.40.125(ctx-cs)[switch]#mapping-table pi to pi MT-PI-TEST
172.16.40.125(map-tab)[MT-PI-T~]#map default to restricted

2. Delete the Calling-Party Nummer using a E.164 mapping table:
172.16.40.125(map-tab)[MT-PI-T~]#ble calling-e164 to calling-e164 MT-CNPN-TEST
172.16.40.125(map-tab)[MT-CNPN~]#map default to "" 
 Using Timeout and Termination Characters in Call-Routing Tabels 
 Call-Routing tables offer two possibilities to terminate overlap dialed numbers.
1. A dialling timeout
2. A special termination caracter like # or *
The timout and the caracter can be configured as follows:

172.16.40.125>enable
172.16.40.125#configure
172.16.40.125(cfg)#context cs
172.16.40.125(ctx-cs)[switch]#digit-collection timeout 5
172.16.40.125(ctx-cs)[switch]#digit-collection terminating-char #

For example:
172.16.40.125(ctx-cs)[switch]#routing-table called-e164 RT-CDPN-EX
172.16.40.125(rt-tab)[RT-CDPN~]#route 123T dest-interface Line0

According to this rule the dialed keys '12345#' will be immediatly matched and the number '12345' will be used without waiting for the timeout.

Special Cases:
The Termination Character can also be part of the rule, in which case it will NOT have the effect of cancelling the timeout period.

Examples:
Rule: #21#T
Dialled Keys: #21#1234
Effect: Timeout is aktive, used number: #21#1234

Rule: #21#T
Dialled Keys: #21#1234#
Effect: No Timeout, used number: #21#1234

Note: The first two dialled '#' do not cancell the timeout, they are part of the rule.

For a general digit-collection with timeout or termination caracter without any restrictions use the following rule:
Rule: T

In this case...
Dialled Keys: 1234
Effect: Timeout active, used number: 1234

or...
Dialled Keys: 1234#
Effect: No Timeout, used number: 1234

Do NOT use a rule as follows:
Rule: .*T

In this case...
Dialled Keys: 1234#
Effect: Timeout is STILL active because '#' matches the regular expression '.T', the used number will be: 1234#

 
 Codecs 
 Do the SmartNodes support G.729B?  
 G.729 is defined in a standard with two Annexes.
G.729 is the original 8kb/s CS-ACELP Codec
Annex A defines a reduced complexity Codec>br> Annex B defines the silence suppression scheme for G.729

All versions are supported by the SmartNode family. The configuration allows selection of g729 and optional silence supression. The configuration maps as follows with the capability exchange in VoIP signalling.

If g729 is selected in the VoIP profile:
G.729 and G.729a are signaled

If g729 and silence supression are selected in the VoIP profile:
G.729, G.729a, G.729b and G.729ab are signaled

 
 Even if G.711 codecs are not specified in gateway (H.323, ISoIP), the SmartNode sends H.323 setups with G.711 (plus the additional explicitly specified codecs) to the remote H.323 party. Why? 
 The H.323 standard requires that H.323 endpoints (gateways, terminals etc.) be capable to process G.711. That is why the SmartNode always sends G.711 in the terminal capability set. If a specific codec is to be enforced a codec has to be specified in the interface (H.323) with the keywork exclusive.
 
 How much bandwidth does a VoIP call use? 
 The required bandwdidth depends on various factors such as:
- Codec
- Codec samle length
- Protocol stack (IP, PPP, Frame-Relay, etc.)
- Tranmission Network (DSL, ATM, etc.)
- Echo Cancellation

As a general rule of thumb the bandwdith for one call in one direction is between 10 and 110 kb/s.

An excellent overview of how these parameters can be tuned and effect the VoIP bandwdith can be found in the following TechNote.
http://www.patton.com/technotes/smartnode_qos.pdf
 
 What are the available Voice Codecs? 
 
Codec
Net Bandwidth per call (kbps)
Used Bandwidth per call (kbps)
Min. Compression Delay (ms)
Usage
G.711 a-law
64
96
10
Uncompressed, best voice quality, European audio-digitizing
G.711 u-law
64
96
10
Uncompressed, best voice quality, American audio-digitizing
G.723.1
6.3
17
30
Good voice quality at lowest bandwidth, like analog phone, acceptable delay

G.729
G.729a
G.729b

8
40
10
Best relationship between voice quality and used bandwidth, low delay. G.729b is the silence suppression scheme for G.729a and is supported by the SmartNode family. For the sake of simplicity SmartWare and SmartNode always use the term G.729a, implicitly meaning G.729a and G.729b.
transparent
64
96
10
Transparent ISDN data, no echo cancellation
 
 What must be observed with codec selection with H.323 FastConnect procedure in case of overlap dialing? 
 When using H.323 FastConnect (which is usually the case) together with overlap dialing the voice codec is sometimes not known to the B-side SmartNode in the route lookup. The configuration fragment below exemplifies how to configure a SmartNode such that it also accepts such incoming calls:
context cs
no number-prefix national
no number-prefix international
use tone-set-profile default
...
interface h323 h323_1
routing dest-interface bri1
remoteip 172.19.128.21
codec g711alaw64k
interface h323 h323_2
routing dest-interface bri1
remoteip 172.19.128.21
...
gateway h323
codec g711alaw64k 10 20
faststart
no ras gatekeeper-discovery auto
bind interface eth0 router
use voip-profile default
no shutdown

The bold section shows an H.323 interface without codec. This interface is used by the B-side SmartNode in case overlap dialling is used on the A-side and FastConnect is enabled.

 
 How does voice codec selection for H.323 work with SmartWare? 
 The selection of a specific codec is somewhat tricky with the H.323 protocol. In SmartWare a specific codec can be entered at 2 different locations:
a. in the h323 gateway configuration
b. in the h323 interface configurationThe following example exemplifies a typical configuration:
...
interface h323 myif
routing dest-interface isdn
codec g711alaw64k
use tone-set-profile default
...
gateway h323
alias h323-id inalp1400
alias e164 01233000
codec g723_6k3 30 30
codec g729
faststart
ras
gatekeeper-discovery manual 172.19.32.42 1719 RRS
bind interface eth0 router
no shutdown
use voip-profile default

The codec configuration in the gateway specifies the 2 codecs G.723 6.3kbps and G.729 as the set of allowed codecs. This set of codecs is sent to the remote H.323 gateway (or gatekeeper) during the capability exchange phase. The codec specified in the interface 'myif' is the preferred codec to be used. SmartWare places this codec is on top of the list of allowed codecs which is sent during the capability exchange phase. Note that the preferred codec specification only works when FastConnect procedure is used. Otherwise it is without effect.

 
 Debug and Logging 
 How do I debug QoS? 
 Debugging QoS is different from any other debug commands. It is a two step process. You must be in configuration mode.
1) Go into your service policy and specify "debug queue statistics detail 7"
2) Then do a show command: "show service-policy interface eth0". You can repeat this command as often as you want to view the current statistics. 
 How do I use the ACL debugs to debug a VPN Connection? 
 Debugging VPNs and ACLs is a bit different than using the other debug commands. It is a two step process to enable ACL debugging. You must first be in configuration mode.
1) Go into "context ip" and then into the ethernet interface and type the following debug commands:
"debug acl in"
"debug acl out"

2) Then you can enable and disable debugging of the ACLs by the using the command "debug acl" or "no debug acl".
Note: VPNs tunnels only work between the two networks configured as a VPN (usually two private networks on eth1 like 192.168.1.0 and 192.168.2.0). You cannot ping or test the VPN from the console port or the SmartNode administrator command. You must test between PCs on the two private networks. For instance, a PC at 192.168.1.10 should be able to ping a PC at 192.168.2.10 through the VPN tunnel. You cannot PING a PC on one of the VPN tunnels from the console or admisistrator account.

Additionally, "debug ipsec" provides the IPSEC debug monitor which is normal a one-step debug command.

See the command "terminal monitor-filter" to allow you to filter out the ACLs you want to see. For example, to see only the packets to an IP address 123, you can simply use the command: terminal monitor-filter .*123.* 
 General 
 How can I check if the routing tables are loaded successfully? 
 In the context cs the command 'no shutdown' causes the routing tables to be re-loaded and errors to be printed to the telnet/console (if command 'debug session-router' entered before). 
 What TCP & UDP Service Ports do I need to open to my SmartNode? 
 
Function/Application Protocol Source Port Destination Port Transport Port
H.323 - H.225 call setup (default) any 1720 tcp
SIP and H.323 Audio data streams (RTP and RTCP) 4864-5119 4864-5119 except 5060 udp
H.323 - Gatekeeper RAS (default) any 1719 tcp
H.323 - RAS Gatekeeper discovery (optional) any 1718 tcp, udp
ISoIP (Patton-Inalp ISDN over IP) ports (optional) any 1106 and 1107 tcp, udp
SNMP–Network Mgmt (optional) any 161 tcp, udp
NTP–Network Time Protocol (optional) any 123 tcp, udp
SIP–Internet to Phone (optional) any 5060 tcp, udp
SIP–Phone to Internet (optional) 5060 any tcp, udp
TFTP–Used for software upgrades and saving or loading configuration files (optional-for admin) any 69 udp
Telnet for administration (optional-for admin) any 23 tcp
ping (optional-for troubleshooting) any 8 icmp
tracert (optional-for troubleshooting) any 11 icmp
 
 Can I setup multiple VoIP Gateways on a SmartNode? 
 It is possible to configure multiple SIP gateways on a SmartNode and register them with individual settings to different SIP Servers (multiple domain support). With H.323 only ONE gateway can be configured. The SmartNode can register with a single Gatekeeper. 
 DynDNS is expiring my dynamic DNS enteries. How do I refresh to prevent this? 
 DynDNS.org removes dynamic entries if it is not refreshed or changed after 35 days. Some ISP's i.e., Comcast only changes the IP address about every 3 months. According to dyndns.org the "Static DNS" service should be used in such cases. The "static" service still allows an update, it just takes a bit longer to propagate. So even if you really have a dynamic address but it changes in intervals larger than 30 days, use the static service. 
 Sometimes a command entered into the CLI does not appear in the 'show running-config'. 
 If the command entered happens to be a default value (e.g. sntp-client poll-interval 60) the command is not displayed in the running-config but nevertheless active. This means that only commands and values other than defaults are displayed in the running-config.

 
 Overflow handling, if input to SmartNode is higher than maximum output. Can the overflowing calls be sent via the fall-back ISDN-line? 
 The WAN access speed is expected to be large enough to handle all voice connections on the SmartNode. Moreover the voice portion of the used access bandwidth is expected to be small with respect to total bandwidth. For example a DSL access with 700kbps or more may be used for 4 voice channels (SOHO, SME) applications. A subscriber with an ISDN PRI interface is expected to have at least 2Mbps access speed. In such a configuration there can be no voice overflow in the SmartNode. The fallback connection is used if a call cannot be established at set-up, because the network is down or congested or because the opposite gateway is not available.

 
 How does a SmartNode work in combination with IP-Phones? 
 SmartNodes and IP-Phones can operate in the same H.323 Zone. IP-Phones may be connected to the customer LAN or directly to the access Network. If the SmartNode is used as an ISDN over IP access device, it works independently of H.323 IP phones connected to the same network.

 
 How can the SmartNode be remotely managed when the IP network is down? 
 SmartNodes offer a local console interface which can be connected to a separate device, for example analog modem. In this way the SmartNode can be managed through a dial-up connection if the IP Network is down or the SmarNode is mis-configured.

 
 Keypad facility does not work with H.323. 
 In ISDN supplementary service can be invoked by means of thekeypad protocol. A service can be invoked with the digitsequence *21#. The phone sends these digits as information element 'Keypad Facility' and not as informationelement 'called party number'. As the H.323 protocol does not dispose of a way to transport 'keypad facility'information it gets lost.On the contrary H.323+ (H.323 Annex M3) is a tunneling protocol for the transparent transport of ISDN over H.323and thus inherently supports 'keypad facility'.Note that on some phones it is required to explicitly switch to keypad facility mode in order to send a specificdigit sequence as info element 'keypad facility'.

 
 Is DTMF supported in SmartWare? 
 Yes. Generally, DTMF can always be transported either out-of-band or in-band. in-band provides the most accurate timing reproduction of DTMF, but it is not suitable when a compressing codec is used, e.g. G.729 or G.723. In these cases, out-of-band has to be used for reliable DTMF transport. Smartware supports all mechanisms available today: In H.323: SmartWare uses a mechanism called H.245 alphanumeric for the transparent (i.e. loss-less) transport of dialed DTMF digits across an H.323 network. DTMF digits are extracted from the (digital) ISDN signal, transported to the remote H.323 party which inserts the DTMF digit into the signal again. SmartWare allows to configure an H.323 interface to 'relay' DTMF signals as described above or to leave the signal unchanged. The latter may cause problems when compression codecs are in use which may distort the DTMF signal such that a receiving IVR application is no longer able to decode the signal properly.

In SIP: You can choose between RFC2833 transport of DTMF, within the real-time data (default and most commonly used), or you can choose to have DTMF sent as SIP INFO messages - this way a SIP proxy that does not route RTP traffic will be able to see it. 
 The routes on my MS Windows machines suddenly change when a SmartNode is booted on the same subnet. Why? 
 The SmartNode is a router as per RFC1812/RFC1256 and thus sends "ICMP Router Discovery" messages to the subnet to which it is attached. Some MS Windows versions react to such messages and automatically adjust their routing tables. In order to avoid such unwanted routing table changes on MS Windows machines the "ICMP Router Discovery" can be switched off as follows (per interface):
context ip
interface eth0
no icmp router-discovery
 
 How does the gatekeeper registration work in detail? 
 Up to 3 different gatekeeper IP addresses can be configured on a SmartNode.If the SmartNode is unregistered from the gatekeeper by means of an URQ message, after sending a UCF message the SmartNode tries (instantaneously) up to 3 times (every 20s) with an RRQ message to register with the next configured gatekeeper (round robin). Once successfully registered the SmartNode re-registers every 90s again with a RRQ message. If 3 RRQ registration requests in a row fail the SmartNode switches to the next configured gatekeeper. If a RRQ is not answered with a RCF or RRJ the SmartNode resends 2 further RRQ messages in 20s intervals.

 
 Signaling works fine but there is no voice at all. What is the problem? 
 When using NAPT on a SmartNode there is one global IP interface (with the public IP address) and one local IP interface (with the private IP address). The H.323 gateway must be bound to one of the interfaces since it needs to know on which interface it must send broadcast RAS messages for gatekeeper discovery. When the gateway is bound to the local interface (the one with the private IP address) then signaling with a gateway or gatekeeper in the public network works fine, but RTP packets (voice packets) will use the private IP address and thus voice will not be routed to the destination. Thus make sure that the gateway is bound to the correct interface (generally the global interface when using NAPT).

 
 I need to know the Ethernet MAC address but do not have physical access to the SmartNode. Is there a way to retrieve the MAC address remotely? 
 Yes, the command 'show port ethernet' shows the current Ethernet configuration along with the MAC addresses.

 
 What are the necessary configuration settings for TDM data over IP (Dial-up ISDN tunneled over an IP network)? 
 
gateway h323 h323
q931-tunneling isoip-2 (mandatory to preserve BC over the H.323 IP network)
codec transparent 50 50
interface h323
...
codec transparent exclusive
dejitter-mode static
dejitter-max-delay 400
no echo-canceller
no silence-compression
 
 Hardware Interfaces 
 Why does Ethernet not work when connected a Laptop with PC-Card Ethernet interface to a SmartNode using a crossover cable? 
 Some PC-Card Ethernet interfaces do not provide enough voltage to be recognised as a proper Ethernet signal by the SmartNode network interface. We recommend to connect the Laptop to the SmartNode using straight cables via Ethernet hubs or switches.

 
 The analog facsimile attached to a terminal adapter (which in turn is connected to a S0 interface of the SmartNode) does not send the called party number. Why? 
 Analog faxes wait for a dial tone prior to send the called party number. Despite this the terminal adapter sends a setup message when hooking off the phone receiver (without called party number information element). If the routing tables of the SmartNode are configured such that any called party number is accepted no dial tone will be sent to the fax which means that the fax never sends the called party number dialled. Make sure that the routing tables are programmed such that a dial tone (continuous tone signal) is generated.

 
 When connecting a BRI SMartNode to a PBX trunk line I have bit-slips and problems with fax connections. How to solve this synchronization problem? 
 In installations where a PBX is connected to the PSTN and to a SmartNode ISDN VoIP Gateway at the same time, synchronization problems can occure. The problem exists beacuse the PBX expects a synchronous clock on all trunk lines. The SmartNode ISDN VoIP Gateway however can only deliver a synchronous clock if it is connected to a reference network/clock. If this is not the case the SmartNode clock and the PSTN clock will not be synchronous leading to bit slips between different trunk lines of the PBX. These slips do not cause problems with voice calls, however fax and modem calls are impaired.

- The only universally applicable solution to this problem is to have one SmartNode BRI (or PRI) port connected to a reference clock . This solution will work with every PBX. The reference clock may come from an internal S-Bus on the PBX or from a PSTN connection

- In the case of one BRI port used for Voice, Fax and Modem over IP, many SmartNode models provide an extra BRI port for this refclock connection. E.g. the SN4552 and SN4630 series.

- If more then 4 active BRI ports are required, the solution can be provided with the SN2400 and 1-4 IC-4BRV interface cards.

- With some PBXs a reconfiguration of the trunk ports is possible that allows to deliver the ref clock to the SmartNode over the trunk line (PBX port Layer3 Usr (TE) but Layer 2 clock-master). This requires a reconfiguration of the PBX which is not possible on all PBX systems.

 
 What is FXS & FXO? 
 In analog telephony there are two common types of interfaces: FXS and FXO. FXS stands for "Foreign eXchange Subscriber" interface is used to connect subscriber equipment such as telephones, modems and Fax machines. FXO stands for "Foreign eXchange Office" is used to connect to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and can also be used to connect to a PABX or multiplexer FXS port. Another third interface, which we will not discuss here, is known as an E&M (Ear & Mouth) interface which is used to provide a leased line or tie-line interface connection between PABX systems.

An FXO device plugs always plugs into an FXS line. You cannot plug FXS into FXS, or FXO into FXO; it will not work.

FXS Information

FXS is what is most commonly known as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). It is what your local phone company delivers to your home on a twisted pair. In other words, FXS looks a line from the telephone company switch (PSTN); it hooks to a telephone.

FXS interfaces provide to the subscriber:

  • Battery current and ring voltage
  • Dial tone (knows when to give dial-tome (seizure) when it sees current flowing from an FXO port closure.
  • Optional: CallerID (both caller number and name)
  • Optional: Call Waiting / Call Waiting ID
  • Optional: Message waiting indicator

FXS interfaces receive:

  • Hook Flash (to be notified of features, e.g, to set-up a three-way conference call or toggle between two incoming calls)
  • DTMF (touch tones)


FXS "alterts" an incoming call by:

  • Presenting ringing voltage to the line (attached device) – just like a PBX it does not and cannot pass any dialed digits.

FXS goes off-hook by:
  • Loop closure - Identifying that the line has been seized by the attached telephone going off hook. It can then receiving dialed digits (via DTMF).

Typically FXS devices do not indicate when they want to clear a call down, they rely on the two parties noticing that the call has ended (through the other party saying goodbye or the line going quiet) and each end device clearing itself down.

FXO Information

Your telephone is an FXO device and it connects to the FXS of the telephone company. Your phone provides on-hook/off-hook indication (loop closure) to the phone company. This is why you get a dial-tone when you pick up the phone.

FXO interfaces provide:

  • onhook/off-hook indication (loop closure)
  • HookFlash (to request features of PBX or PSTN, e.g., three-way conference calling) A quick loop closure or wink which is about a quarter of a second.
  • DTMF (touch tones)

FXO interfaces receive:

  • Dial tone as an indication from the FXS port that it achknowldeges the loop-closure.
  • Optional: Ring indication (voltage to ring the phone)
  • Optional: CallerID (both caller number and caller name)
  • Optional: Call Waiting Indicator (tone indicating a second incoming call)
  • Optional: Call Waiting ID (Caller ID of second incoming call)
  • Optional: Message waiting indicator (blinking light to indicate voice mail)

FXO makes a call by:

  • Seizing the telephone line (going off hook)
  • Dialing DTMF digits to identify the destination to call
  • Hanging up at the end of the call

FXO receives a call by:
  • Identifying when ringing voltage is being supplied by the PBX / CO switch (ringing the telephone)
  • Answers the call by “going off hook”. Call is then connected.
Examples
  • A standard analog (plain old telephone) is FXO
  • PBX/Switch lines from a PBX (that drive current) that you plug analog phones into are FXS
  • The PBX analog ports lines that plug into the CO are FXO
  • The SmartNode 2300 IC-4FXS card is FXS

 
 Is a reboot required when changing the mode of the ISDN interfaces (net/usr)? 
 Yes, even twice since the PLDs must be reprogrammed before parsing the CLI file.

 
 Licenses 
 Why do I need a License Key for Release 3.10? 
 SmartWare is the embedded software running on the SmartNodes. SmartWare offers a number of feature options such as QSIG, VPN and IP forwarding.
Up to SmartWare release 2.20 feature options had to be paid but where not keyed. Starting with release 3.10 a license key has to be installed to enable the feature options.

Note that some product bundles include some of the feature options i.e. SN1200/2VIL/UI includes IP Forwarding. The "I" in the model code stands for the IP forwarding license.

Q. Do I need a License Key for every SmartNode?
Yes the License Keys are specific to the feature option and the serial number of the SmartNode. The keys can not be transferred from one unit to another.

Q. Where can I buy Licenses?
Feature Options can be purchased through the regular SmartNode distribution channels.

Q. Where can I get License Keys for feature options purchased together with SmartWare 2.20?
The License Keys for SmartNodes delivered with SmartWare 2.20 can be requested using the following web form:
Liscense Request Form

 
 How do I install a license key? 
 License Key installation is described in the Software Configuration Guide 3.10 in the Chapter "Basic System Management" section "Managing Feature License Keys".

To install the licenses, simply copy the install command and license key ("install license 00010001gB...") from this message and paste them into an open CLI telnet or console session. Note that the CLI session must be in the "configure" mode.
You can verify that your license are installed using the following command:
  show licenses

Occasionally, e-mail clients can add spaces or tabs that will currupt a license key. If you have problems with the cut and paste method, you can alternatively copy a license file from your TFTP server as follows:
  copy tftp://tftp-server-ip-address/tftp-server-path/license-file licenses:

Example:
 copy tftp://192.168.1.1/sn4xxx_00a0ba001234.lic licenses:

  You should then see:
  Download...100% 
 When installing the License the SmartNode returns an error 
 There are two possible reasons for that. 1. You may be trying to install the wrong key. Make sure the keys you are installing match the serial number of the SmartNode. 2. You may have an early access build of SmartWare release 3.00 or 3.10. Please upgarde to a commercial release build number and try again.

 
 I have two different keys for the same feature on the same SmartNode. Which one is correct? 
 When a licence key is issued several times the resulting cipher key is different. However both keys will work and enable the same feature.

 
 What happens if I do not install License Keys after the upgrade from Release 2.20 to 3.10? 
 IP forwarding will be disabled. That means you can still access the SmartNode on all IP interfaces but the SmartNode is not routing IP packets between interfaces. Also if you have been using other feature options such as VPN or QSIG these functions will be disabled as well. Q What does a License Key look like? you will receive a file for each SmartNode including the install commands for each purchased feature option and the actual license key string. Q. Where do I find the SmartNode serial number? The Serial number is marked on the product label on the bottom of the SmartNode. You can also find the serial number by login into the SmartNode and do a "show version".

login: administrator
password:mypassword
172.16.40.125>enable
172.16.40.125#show version

Productname: SN1400
Software Version: SmartWare R3.00 BUILD21244
Supplier:
Provider:
Subscriber:

Information for Slot 0:
SN1400 (Admin State: Application Started, Real State: Application Started) Hardware Version : 0001, 0001
Serial number: 100000020508
Software Version : SmartWare R3.00 BUILD21244

 
 Network Address Translation (NAT) 
 Do SmartNodes have a built-in NAPT application level gateway for H.323? 
 H.323 is a non-well behaving protocol in that it signals transport ports (RTP ports) inband in IP packets. When using NAPT (Network Address and Port Translation) this poses a problem since the ports are used by NAPT for address mapping. Thus H.323 does usually not pass a NAPT unless the NAPT is enhanced with H.323 aware functionality that leaves H.323 port ranges untouched.SmartNodes have NAPT but no H.323 aware application level gateway. However, it is possible to run NAPT and H.323 gateway concurrently on a SmartNode since NAPT affects only packets that are routed from IP interface to another (WAN to LAN).

 
 Can I do VoIP over NAT (Network Address Translation)? 
 Yes, If you are on a private network, your firewall or NAT (Network Address Translation) router must be “H.323 aware” or you'll need a SIP proxy if you are using SIP. To help determine if your LAN uses NAT, you can use a web browser and go to the following URL: http://www.patton.com/support/showmyip
This shows both the public and private IP address of your PC.

Note: H.323 aware routers and firewalls support "snooping", in which the H.323 control channel is continuously examined and session requests are authenticated. Once authenticated, the requested ports to be used for the H.323 session are opened for the duration of the conference. Upon termination of the conference, the ports are immediately closed by the firewall.
This is often referred to as an Application Level Gateway since this operation requires the firewall to be protocol-aware. Your H.323 aware router must support H.323v3. Both the firewall and the NAT/PAT software in your router must be H.323v3 aware.  
 NAT is not working anymore after I upgraded to 3.10 
 If you are able to ping all interfaces of the SmartNode but NAT does not seem to be working, please verify that the IP routing license is installed. Without this license IP forwarding is blocked and therefore also the NAT does not work.
192.168.0.1#show licenses

IP Routing [iprouter]
License serial number: 546
Status: Active
 
 SIP 
 How many SIP users can be supported on a SmartNode? 
 For all intents and purposes a maximum number of 100 "SIP users" can be supported on a SmartNode 
 Can I bind multiple SIP Gateways to the same IP Interface? 
 In some cases you may want to create multiple SIP gateways to subscribe to multiple SIP Telephony Services at the same time, or to seperate LAN SIP calls from Global/Internet SIP calls.

In order to bind multiple SIP gateways to the same IP interface the signaling port of the different gateways has to be different. Use the "call-signaling-port" command for this purpose

172.16.40.125(cfg)#gateway sip SIP1
172.16.40.125(gw-sip)[SIP1]#bind interface eth0
172.16.40.125(gw-sip)[SIP1]#no shutdown

172.16.40.125(cfg)#gateway sip SIP2
172.16.40.125(gw-sip)[SIP2]#bind interface eth0
172.16.40.125(gw-sip)[SIP2]#call-signaling-port 5062
172.16.40.125(gw-sip)[SIP2]#no shutdown

If you do not change the signalling port you will get the following error message when you try to bind or activate the second gateway:

% ANOTHER GATEWAY IS ALREADY BOUND TO THE SAME PORT

Note: The ports are allocated even if a gateway is in shutdown. You must still use different signalling ports on each gateway!

Note: The signalling port numbers must be even values e.g. 5060, 5062, 5064 etc.
As an alternative, you may want to create different SIP "services" within one gateway - this allows to have mulitple virtual gateways on the same interface, using all the same call signaling port. 
 Supplementary Calling Features 
 How can a FLASH be relayed from an FXS port to the PSTN on an FXO port? 
 A common application is to accept calls from a PSTN on an FXO port and then ring a telephone connected to a FXS port. In order to send a FLASH out the FXO port to the PSTN, you must disable all supplementary calling features on the FXS interface. For example:

interface fxs IF-FXS-PHONE1
route call dest-table TAB-OUTGOING-LINE1
no call-hold
no call-waiting
no additional-call-offering
caller-id-presentation mid-ring
use profile tone-set US
 
 How can I do Call Transfer and FLASH codes on the SmartNode? 
 SmartWare FLASH Codes

-FLASH 0 - keep current, reject incoming
-FLASH 1 - drop current, accept incoming
-FLASH 2 - hold current, accept incoming
To toggle between the active and the held call, press flash-hook, followed by the "2" key.

Additional Call Offering

To enable aditional call offering, configure the fxs port of the SN with the command: additional-call-offering

1) Press FLASH, then the first call is placed on hold and you will hear a new dial tone.
2) Dial the number of the second call.
3) If you press FLASH, you may change between the two calls.
4) When you hang-up on the phone, the two other parties are connected together. Sorry, three way conferencing is not yet supported. 
 Upgrading/TFTP 
 Using Encrypted TFTP 
 

Encrypted Configuration Download

- An external encryption tool on the PC is used to encrypt the configuration file:

enctool encrypt <plain-config-file> <enc-config-file> [<key>]

- The encrypted confiugration file can then be downloaded with TFTP triggered by

- the CLI copy command:

copy tftp://<host>/<path> <config-file>

- Auto Provisioning

- SNMP

- HTTP

- On the SmartNode the encryption is detected and the configuration file is automatically decrypted

before stored to flash.

- A custom encryption key can be

- downloaded to the SmartWare

- specified with the PC encryption tool

- The encryption key may include the MAC address and/or serial number of the SmartNode using the

placeholders $(system.mac) and $(system.serial) resp.

- An encrypted configuration file can be uploaded to a TFTP server on request, specifying the encrypted

flag:

copy <config-file> tftp://<host>/<path> encrypted

- On the PC the encryption tool can be used to decrypt the file:

enctool decrypt <enc-config-file> <plain-config-file> [<key>]

- A log file lists the last up/downloads:

show log file-transfer


Use Cases

Install a custom encryption key (optional)

You can install a custom encryption key with the SmartNode. The encryption key is used to automatically

decrypt an encrypted configuration file that is downloaded later. A default encryption key is already

installed on the SmartNode.

To install an encryption key you have to create a file on your TFTP server that contains the key. Then you

have to download this key file to the SmartNode using the ‘copy’ command of the SmartNode:

The key file shall contain a key string of at most 24 characters on a single line. Spaces, tabs and LF/CR

characters are trimmed. The key must not contain LF/CR or the null character and must not start or end

with a space or tab. If the key contains more than 24 characters, only the first 24 characters are

considered.

Part Nr. 80-0165, Rev. 1.13 12-07-05 49/54

The key may contain variables that are resolved when the key file is downloaded to a SmartNode. Using

this mechanism you can specify device-specific encryption keys. We currently support the following

variables:

- $(system.mac): The MAC address of the first ethernet port. Execute the show port ethernet

command on a SmartNode to display the MAC address of a SmartNode. This value without the colon

separators and with all lower-case hexadecimal letters is used instad of the variable on the SmartNode.

- $(system.serial): The serial number of the SmartNode. Execte the show version command on

the SmartNode to display the serial number.

When your key file contains the following line…

123$(system.serial)abc$(system.mac)XYZ

show port ethernet shows the following…

Ethernet Configuration

-------------------------------------

Port : ethernet 0 0 0

State : OPENED

MAC Address : 00:0C:F1:87:D9:09

Speed : 10MBit/s

Duplex : Half

Encapsulation : ip

Binding : interface eth0 router

and show version the following….

Productname : SN1200

Software Version : R3.20 TB2005-06-24_MEYER SIP

Supplier :

Provider :

Subscriber :

Information for Slot 0:

SN1200

Hardware Version : 0004, 0001

Serial number : 100000020002

Software Version : R3.20 TB2005-06-24_MEYER SIP

the encryption key on this SmartNode will be interpreted as…

123100000020002abc000cf187d909XYZ

Then you have to download the created key file to the SmartNode. Open a telnet session and type in the

following commands:


>enable

#copy tftp://<ip>/<path> key:

where <ip> is the IP address of your TFTP server and <path> is the path to the key file relative to the

TFTP root.


Encrypt a configuration file

Use the encryption tool to encrypt a configuration file on your PC. Therefore you have to enter the

following command.


enctool encrypt <plain-file> <encrypted-file> [<key>]

where <plain-file> is the path of the non-encrypted input configuration file and <encrypted-file> is the path

of the encrypted output configuration file. <key> specifies the encryption key which shall be used to

encrypt the configuration file. If ommitted the default key is used.


Download an encrypted configuration file

Now you can download the configuration file as usual using the CLI copy-command, the autoprovisioning

feature, HTTP or SNMP download. The SmartNode automatically detects that a downloaded

file is encrypted and tries to decrypt the file using the pre-installed key.


Upload an encrypted configuration file

The SmartNode immediately decrypts a configuration file after downloading it. This is the configuration

file is stored non-encrypted in the flash memory. Thus when you upload a configuration it is uploaded

non-encrypted.

You may upload an encrypted configuration file specifying the encrypted flag at the end of the copy

command:


#copy startup-config tftp://<ip>/<path> encrpted

This encrypts the configuration file before sending it to the TFTP server. Use the enctool decrypt

command on the PC to regain the original configuration.


File Transfer Logs

We introduced an additional log file that stores the history of all file transfers (up to 50 entries). To show

all recently executed file transfer operations enter the following command:


#show log file-transfer

 
 What happens if the software upgrade on a SmartNode fails? 
 Each SmartNode is equipped with a bootloader application. If an upgrade fails and no valid firmware is available on the system the SmartNode will start in this bootloader mode. The bootloader will allow you to install a new firmware.
Please refer to the user documentation on how to operate in bootloader mode.
Note that the bootloader can not be replaced. 
 Where can I get a TFTP Server to load in my configuration or upgrade my SmartNode Software? 
 We recommed two good TFTP Servers: First the Solar Winds TFTP Server is found on the SmartWare CD. You can also download it from the SolarWinds web site. Use SolarWinds version 3.0.9 or higher. SolarWinds is especially nice if you want it to run a TFTP server all the time as an NT service.

Additionally,
TFTPD is available on-line for easy download. Use version 2.60 or higher. TFTPD32 a very small, fast, easy to use and contains a TFTP Client, TFTP Server, Syslog, and SNTP server which are all useful for testing. TFTPD32 is a stand-alone executable that is quick to get running.

Thank you SolarWinds and Philippe Jounin! See their web sites for more great software.

 
 The software download fails in the middle of the process. Why? 
 Some firewalls may reset a session when it takes too much time to complete. On low speed links the software download via TFTP may indeed take a long time and thus the firewall on the link may prematurely reset the session.

 
 Is there a tool to convert SmartWare R2.20 configurations to R3.10 configurations? 
 Yes, Release 3.10 adds SIP and a lot of new session router features. The configuration must be converted. An easy to use on-line tool and instructions can be found at Smart Convert

 
 VPN 
 Can I do encrypted VoIP calls with the SmartNode IPSec? 
 Yes, with SmartWare software releases dated 3/1/06 and later. For earlier relases, VoIP calls terminated on the SmartNode route the RTP outside the VPN tunnel. A VPN feature license has to be installed for this feature to work. 
 How many VPN tunnels can I configure on a SmartNode? 
 The number of VPN tunnels that you are able to create is only limited to the amount of available RAM. The SmartNode does not have a preset limitation of VPN tunnels. In practice the SmartNode will support a minimum of 10 VPN tunnels but also 100 tunnels are working. Keep in mind that with a large number of tunnels the available bandwidth for each tunnel is reduced. Note that you have to install the VPN license key to have access to the VPN configuration.