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Opti 420 Phones getting stuck in "Initilising" (H4K V2)
- Thread starter jnzy111
- Start date
Is anything interfering with their ability to contact the gateway card IP? Recent changes in firewall, network configuration, or security software? That would be the first place I'd look if I was messing with it.... Doesn't take much for IT to mess up the phone system with some not so well thought out network update plan....
- Thread starter
- #3
Nope, no changes, I also handle the network and have not done any changes..
Let me add some info on this problem;
Most Optipoint 420 Standard phones with version 5x if not on the network for a few days or more get stuck in init.
Siemens solution was to give us version 6x phones but most of them come up with "no ip address"
Our DHCP server admins claim there are no problems with the dhcp server and the range has plenty of available addresses.
The Cisco switch ports have a voice vlan defined (Vlan 120). The dhcp server is on a different subnet and there is an ip helper-address configured properly for the dhcp server.
We first thought that the option 43 which defines the voice vlan might have been a problem but this has not changed in years. We verified the info and even recreated it but no help.
We started having this issue a few years ago with just a few phones but now around 95% of new phone we connect hangs up.
---Mike
Let me add some info on this problem;
Most Optipoint 420 Standard phones with version 5x if not on the network for a few days or more get stuck in init.
Siemens solution was to give us version 6x phones but most of them come up with "no ip address"
Our DHCP server admins claim there are no problems with the dhcp server and the range has plenty of available addresses.
The Cisco switch ports have a voice vlan defined (Vlan 120). The dhcp server is on a different subnet and there is an ip helper-address configured properly for the dhcp server.
We first thought that the option 43 which defines the voice vlan might have been a problem but this has not changed in years. We verified the info and even recreated it but no help.
We started having this issue a few years ago with just a few phones but now around 95% of new phone we connect hangs up.
---Mike
A couple of dumb questions, but valid nonetheless....
I assume you are plugging your network cables into the LAN port that is closest to the option bays (furthest from the back edge of the phone)? If you stand the phone up with the bottom facing you and the display up the lower of the two ethernet ports is the right one. You've had these phones for years and I assume you are doing the correct one, but if end users are involved.....
Have you gone through all the entries on the configuration menu on the phones to see if they have made some changes to the defaults in newer versions of the firmware that might cater to newer switch versions but cause issues with older ones?
Have you tried connecting to the IP of one of the phones from a PC and using the web-based tool to check settings? Sometimes there are things in there you can't see otherwise that might be messed up?
Just tossing some more ideas out there for you.
I assume you are plugging your network cables into the LAN port that is closest to the option bays (furthest from the back edge of the phone)? If you stand the phone up with the bottom facing you and the display up the lower of the two ethernet ports is the right one. You've had these phones for years and I assume you are doing the correct one, but if end users are involved.....
Have you gone through all the entries on the configuration menu on the phones to see if they have made some changes to the defaults in newer versions of the firmware that might cater to newer switch versions but cause issues with older ones?
Have you tried connecting to the IP of one of the phones from a PC and using the web-based tool to check settings? Sometimes there are things in there you can't see otherwise that might be messed up?
Just tossing some more ideas out there for you.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks Don...
Yes, definitely plugging into the correct port, we use Power over Ethernet so when they power up, that confirms it..
I thought I went through all of the configurations of the phone but that's a good point, I'll go through again and see if I can find anything..
We can't get to the Web Gui, most phones dont get an ip address but when they do, it works good.
There is definitely a disconnect between the DHCP server and the phone, Siemens tells me the problem has to be with the DHCP server, My Windows Server Guys tell me nothing is wrong with the Server.
The next step is to build a whole new DHCP server and see if this helps..
Yes, definitely plugging into the correct port, we use Power over Ethernet so when they power up, that confirms it..
I thought I went through all of the configurations of the phone but that's a good point, I'll go through again and see if I can find anything..
We can't get to the Web Gui, most phones dont get an ip address but when they do, it works good.
There is definitely a disconnect between the DHCP server and the phone, Siemens tells me the problem has to be with the DHCP server, My Windows Server Guys tell me nothing is wrong with the Server.
The next step is to build a whole new DHCP server and see if this helps..
I have issues with my IT department all the time, and the famous "there is nothing wrong with our stuff" argument.
Depending how much you know about your DHCP server and your VLAN, usually the DHCP block has some space around it for just in case stuff. If you know the DHCP block, and you know either some addresses at the top that aren't in use or a few addresses in the same range that are outside the block set the IP statically and see what happens. Another option is to find a working phone on an unused desk and look up its IP address. Then unplug that phone and use that address static for your new phone and try it. If the static address works then it's probably not your phone system.
I know just enough about IT's business in our company to be dangerous. Is there a trend on these phones? In other words are they scattered all over your organization, or did you expand a department and the new phones aren't working now? If they are all over the organization my argument won't hold water, but if they are trending to one rack look for a new switch(es) that was installed and not imaged properly (we have Cisco stuff, and it has to have some software setup done before we put it in use). That's another possible issue. If you do have other phones already working off the same switches the programming is probably OK.
Another possibility if they haven't looked into it yet is that you could have more phones than you have address space set up in your voice block for DHCP? There should be a way to check for that, but that's not my area of expertise. I know you can configure the size of the block, but I have never had one run out of addresses so I don't know what indication there is that it's happening....
.... just a few more things to think about....
Depending how much you know about your DHCP server and your VLAN, usually the DHCP block has some space around it for just in case stuff. If you know the DHCP block, and you know either some addresses at the top that aren't in use or a few addresses in the same range that are outside the block set the IP statically and see what happens. Another option is to find a working phone on an unused desk and look up its IP address. Then unplug that phone and use that address static for your new phone and try it. If the static address works then it's probably not your phone system.
I know just enough about IT's business in our company to be dangerous. Is there a trend on these phones? In other words are they scattered all over your organization, or did you expand a department and the new phones aren't working now? If they are all over the organization my argument won't hold water, but if they are trending to one rack look for a new switch(es) that was installed and not imaged properly (we have Cisco stuff, and it has to have some software setup done before we put it in use). That's another possible issue. If you do have other phones already working off the same switches the programming is probably OK.
Another possibility if they haven't looked into it yet is that you could have more phones than you have address space set up in your voice block for DHCP? There should be a way to check for that, but that's not my area of expertise. I know you can configure the size of the block, but I have never had one run out of addresses so I don't know what indication there is that it's happening....
.... just a few more things to think about....
Hi
I have had Initialising problems with Optipoint 420 HFA phones many times, it seems to be a bug in that phone. I sometimes could recover the phone, by unplugging the network, and power the phone up with a normal power adapter, (no POE), then it would get as far as (no network) in the display, and i could reset the phone, and then it would work again.
I have also sometimes solved the problem, by simply erasing the DHCP lease, and make it get a new IP over DHCP.
Some phones however, I could never again bring back to life, they just keep doing "initialising"
Never seen this on OpenStage phones though
I have had Initialising problems with Optipoint 420 HFA phones many times, it seems to be a bug in that phone. I sometimes could recover the phone, by unplugging the network, and power the phone up with a normal power adapter, (no POE), then it would get as far as (no network) in the display, and i could reset the phone, and then it would work again.
I have also sometimes solved the problem, by simply erasing the DHCP lease, and make it get a new IP over DHCP.
Some phones however, I could never again bring back to life, they just keep doing "initialising"
Never seen this on OpenStage phones though
Did you ever get this problem resolved? I am having the same issue. I have plugged a laptop into the VLAN port and can verify that the address handed out by DHCP is correct but when I plug an Opti420 it just says 'initialising'. So I manually set the address on the phone and now it just says "gateway busy" on the display. I don't know how to verify that the STMI card is setup correctly. Any help would be truly appreciated.
If you hook your laptop to the same VLAN port in place of the phone and let it grab an address with DHCP can you ping the gateway IP address or verify some other way that you can get through the firewall to the gateway, or anything else that would be blocking access to it?
donb01, With the laptop plugged into the voice vlan port and with the DHCP address that was supplied (on the 192.168.12.x network), I am able to ping the to address assigned to the STMI card (192.168.12.4). I do not get any indication of 'busy' or unreachable.
I'm not going to be able to provide all the information, but I know I have seen it before somewhere in the switch, but the next thing I would do is look at the STMI config (or maybe it is in the station config) and look at the ports needed for the phone to communicate with the gateway. Make sure those ports are not blocked between where your laptop is and the gateway. Ping uses a different port to do it's business that's not usually blocked (sometimes it can be) - so you have verified you can see the server on your network.
That said, if other phones plugged into this same switch, network segment or whatever connect and work fine then that is probably not the problem. Have you tried another phone you know for sure is working at that location and see if it works? If it does, login to the admin menu on the phone and look at the settings - write them down. Then look at the new phone and see if any of the settings are wrong.
If you have been doing this for decades I don't mean to imply anything - just making suggestions for places I would look. I know when I was trying to make Cisco SIP phones work on my system it took me months to figure out there was one feature that needed to be enabled on the phone to make it work....
That said, if other phones plugged into this same switch, network segment or whatever connect and work fine then that is probably not the problem. Have you tried another phone you know for sure is working at that location and see if it works? If it does, login to the admin menu on the phone and look at the settings - write them down. Then look at the new phone and see if any of the settings are wrong.
If you have been doing this for decades I don't mean to imply anything - just making suggestions for places I would look. I know when I was trying to make Cisco SIP phones work on my system it took me months to figure out there was one feature that needed to be enabled on the phone to make it work....
I've done everything you suggested before I turned to this forum -I have 2 STMI cards for IP phones and the vendor has compared and said they are set up identically except for the address assigned to each card. I've tried 4 different IP phones. I am going to delete the extension and re-add it to the other STMI card and see if that makes a difference. It's been frustrating.... My vendor is going to reset the card after hours and see if that helps.
Iamnothere
Technical User
It is not normal for your optiPoint 420 HFA phones to be stuck in "initializing" state. These phones are installed and working perfectly worldwide. It does happen from time to time, but not all of the phones! Something is definitely wrong.
You are working with HiPath 4000 V2. That was an era when there were many problems with STMI loadware. Try accessing the STMI via Assistant/Expert Mode or directly via browser and acquire the loadware version info. Post it here. If you need assistance with that process, just ask. What is the part number of the STMI board? Q2316-x? Please post that info. Are you using VLAN Tagging on the STMI & the phones? In SBCSU, is there a subscriber password configured? Is that password entered correctly on the HFA phone(s)? Feel free to post your entire AMO HFAB config for one of your problematic STMI/HG3530 boards. I will be glad to review it.
Testing Recommendation: Remove the LAN connection from one of your HG3530 boards for a TEST. Take one of your "initializing" optiPoint 420 phones and assign that phone a static IP address in the same network as your test STMI/HG3530. Also ensure that the phone is assigned a subscriber number and password, PBX address, Default Gateway, etc which are configured on your test STMI/HG3530. Example: if the STMI is 192.168.0 50/24, make your phone 192.168.0.51/24. Make sure you are using the same netmask in both the STMI (AMO HFAB config) and the phone. The "/24" above represents class C (255.255.255.0). Using a LOCAL power supply for the phone, connect the phone directly to the STMI using either a cross-over LAN cable, or use a simple/non-programable Layer 2 switch (not a Hub!) with a straight-thru cable to the phone, and a straight-thru cable to the STMI LAN port. No other cables should be connected to this Layer 2 switch. Either method you choose, now you have a private LAN between the phone and the STMI. If the phone is configured properly, the phone should register and work 100%. If the "initializing" problem occurs now, then you know that the problem is NOT your network and/or NOT your DHCP server. Regardless of whether it works or not, now try using your POE switch instead of the Local Power Supply and non-programmable Layer 2 switch. No other cables should be connected to your POE switch - only the STMI and the one test phone. Does that make a difference? Post the results!
If this "private LAN" does not work, then the problem could be: (1) Bad STMI (try a different STMI board), (2) AMO HFAB misconfiguration (post the config here), (3) the STMI is configured to use VLAN Tagging but the phone is not, or vice versa (check the config), (4) there is a mismatch between the STMI's loadware and the phone's app software (perhaps the HFA software is TOO new - thus incapable of communicating with the older STMI loadware). In this case you could attempt to downgrade the phone's HFA software, or upgrade the STMI's loadware. You will probably need your vendor for the loadware update. Siemens has a simple process called the "EIP" which uses a Procomm script that can install the most recent/recommended loadware for all the boards in your HiPath 4000 V2 system. If this system has not been kept current with VK patches, loadware could definitely be the problem. Is the service vendor Siemens, or an authorized/trained distributor, or "other"? Good luck.
You are working with HiPath 4000 V2. That was an era when there were many problems with STMI loadware. Try accessing the STMI via Assistant/Expert Mode or directly via browser and acquire the loadware version info. Post it here. If you need assistance with that process, just ask. What is the part number of the STMI board? Q2316-x? Please post that info. Are you using VLAN Tagging on the STMI & the phones? In SBCSU, is there a subscriber password configured? Is that password entered correctly on the HFA phone(s)? Feel free to post your entire AMO HFAB config for one of your problematic STMI/HG3530 boards. I will be glad to review it.
Testing Recommendation: Remove the LAN connection from one of your HG3530 boards for a TEST. Take one of your "initializing" optiPoint 420 phones and assign that phone a static IP address in the same network as your test STMI/HG3530. Also ensure that the phone is assigned a subscriber number and password, PBX address, Default Gateway, etc which are configured on your test STMI/HG3530. Example: if the STMI is 192.168.0 50/24, make your phone 192.168.0.51/24. Make sure you are using the same netmask in both the STMI (AMO HFAB config) and the phone. The "/24" above represents class C (255.255.255.0). Using a LOCAL power supply for the phone, connect the phone directly to the STMI using either a cross-over LAN cable, or use a simple/non-programable Layer 2 switch (not a Hub!) with a straight-thru cable to the phone, and a straight-thru cable to the STMI LAN port. No other cables should be connected to this Layer 2 switch. Either method you choose, now you have a private LAN between the phone and the STMI. If the phone is configured properly, the phone should register and work 100%. If the "initializing" problem occurs now, then you know that the problem is NOT your network and/or NOT your DHCP server. Regardless of whether it works or not, now try using your POE switch instead of the Local Power Supply and non-programmable Layer 2 switch. No other cables should be connected to your POE switch - only the STMI and the one test phone. Does that make a difference? Post the results!
If this "private LAN" does not work, then the problem could be: (1) Bad STMI (try a different STMI board), (2) AMO HFAB misconfiguration (post the config here), (3) the STMI is configured to use VLAN Tagging but the phone is not, or vice versa (check the config), (4) there is a mismatch between the STMI's loadware and the phone's app software (perhaps the HFA software is TOO new - thus incapable of communicating with the older STMI loadware). In this case you could attempt to downgrade the phone's HFA software, or upgrade the STMI's loadware. You will probably need your vendor for the loadware update. Siemens has a simple process called the "EIP" which uses a Procomm script that can install the most recent/recommended loadware for all the boards in your HiPath 4000 V2 system. If this system has not been kept current with VK patches, loadware could definitely be the problem. Is the service vendor Siemens, or an authorized/trained distributor, or "other"? Good luck.
I believe the problem was the OS on the phones. I had a spare phone that I just purchased with a newer release (v5.R6.3.0) that worked. Now I am trying to update the rest of my phones and I am having problems. The scenario: Using Filezilla FTP server on a PC assigned 192.0.2.51 then connected to a switch and an Opti420 that was assigned an address of 192.0.2.5. I can ping from the PC to the phone.
When I launch IE and see the phone thru the Web Interface, administration mode, file transfer, the entries are:
FTP Server address of 192.0.2.51
FTP Account Name: ? not sure what to use ? I didn't assign a name
I see File Transfer on the screen of the phone but then I get an error "Invalid FTP Server name". I have tried several different names but get the error every time.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
When I launch IE and see the phone thru the Web Interface, administration mode, file transfer, the entries are:
FTP Server address of 192.0.2.51
FTP Account Name: ? not sure what to use ? I didn't assign a name
I see File Transfer on the screen of the phone but then I get an error "Invalid FTP Server name". I have tried several different names but get the error every time.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
When you set up your ftp server you must have given it a name. If not, go into control panel, then system, then click the computer name tab and see what name the computer has from whoever set it up.
Also when you created the ftp server you must have created at least one login and password (for admin at the least)?? That would be your ftp account name. I would assume once you enter a valid name it will ask for a password, but I've not done it through a phone yet.
I have used ftp with my openstage phones to download the company logo. On my openstage phone I specified my ftp server (your IP), port is 21, did not enter an account, entered username and password, and the file name I wanted to download. For my use I had to specify a path to the directory the file was in. Because I just had it in the default directory you get when you login I used ./ for that.
hope that helps a wee bit....
Also when you created the ftp server you must have created at least one login and password (for admin at the least)?? That would be your ftp account name. I would assume once you enter a valid name it will ask for a password, but I've not done it through a phone yet.
I have used ftp with my openstage phones to download the company logo. On my openstage phone I specified my ftp server (your IP), port is 21, did not enter an account, entered username and password, and the file name I wanted to download. For my use I had to specify a path to the directory the file was in. Because I just had it in the default directory you get when you login I used ./ for that.
hope that helps a wee bit....
)Thanks for the reply.
In the FTP server name (which I suspect is labeled the FTP Account Name in the Web Interface), I have tried both the FQN of my PC (mgause@corp.domain.com) and the pc name (mgause), the IP address of the PC, leaving it blank, etc. Maybe I'll try reinstalling Filezilla because I don't remember it asking to name the FTP server. It's not getting hung up on the FTP Username - its the FTP server name. The error comes back with invalid FTP Server name but there's no field for 'server name'.
This should be easy but there's obviously something that's missing.
In the FTP server name (which I suspect is labeled the FTP Account Name in the Web Interface), I have tried both the FQN of my PC (mgause@corp.domain.com) and the pc name (mgause), the IP address of the PC, leaving it blank, etc. Maybe I'll try reinstalling Filezilla because I don't remember it asking to name the FTP server. It's not getting hung up on the FTP Username - its the FTP server name. The error comes back with invalid FTP Server name but there's no field for 'server name'.
This should be easy but there's obviously something that's missing.
Well I do have to admit that I did not use an IP address for my server designation I used an FQDN - I couldn't convince corporate to give me an ftp account so I just dumped it on my server at home and used my own - but I can't imagine you not being able to reference the ftp server by IP rather than ftp.mydomain.com as I did. I don't know if there are restrictions or not on that.
Dumb question, but do you have the installation guide for the phone? If not you can grab it at wiki.siemens-enterprise.com/index.php/Main_Page you can get the install and user manual PDFs for some of the more current stuff there. Maybe the docs give you any restrictions on the naming conventions.
I know I got mine to work, but what I don't know is whether or not I had to ask the install tech whether I was supposed to leave "account" blank or I just figured that out on my own.
Dumb question, but do you have the installation guide for the phone? If not you can grab it at wiki.siemens-enterprise.com/index.php/Main_Page you can get the install and user manual PDFs for some of the more current stuff there. Maybe the docs give you any restrictions on the naming conventions.
I know I got mine to work, but what I don't know is whether or not I had to ask the install tech whether I was supposed to leave "account" blank or I just figured that out on my own.
I've read the phone administration doc's and there isn't too much regarding the FTP server name. Maybe I'll try the 3Com FTP that they suggest. Can't hurt.
If anyone else has had any luck updating Optipoint 4xx, please reply with what you used and the settings.
TIA
Monica
If anyone else has had any luck updating Optipoint 4xx, please reply with what you used and the settings.
TIA
Monica
greetings all
settings as follows should be set via the web gui on the 410/420's to enable a succesfull file transfer:
(all of the following assuming you are using an 'anonymous' ftp account)
ftp server = the ip address of the ftp server
phone account = phone ( yes, i do mean the word 'phone')
password = anonymous
application filename = exact file name of file ( e.g opt410ecoP_V5_R6_3_0.app)
then select 'download application' from the drop down menu and click submit.
the phone should now do the following:
attempt to look for the tftp server, try and find the file specified above, then restart due to lack of memory on the phone and carry out a download of the file.
Once downloaded the phone will write the file to it's flash memory. Whilst it is doing this do not at any stage disconnect the phone from its power source, if you do disconnect the phone whilst it is writing it's file you will currupt the flash ram chip on th phones motherboard - this component is not field replaceable.
Personally i use a shareware FTP program by 3COM called FTP pro.
It may be a good idea to set yourself up a small LAB at wherever you are working consisting of the following:
1. PC with above mentioned FTP program loaded
2. Firmware file required loaded onto the pc and placed in the FTP directory of the FTP software
3. crossover patch lead ( phone to PC )
4. local PSU for optipoint 410/420 srs
5. phone to be upgraded
That way you would have completely isolated the upgrade process from any other 'interference' ( above and beyond nosey blighters wondering what you are doing).
any problems please ask again.
settings as follows should be set via the web gui on the 410/420's to enable a succesfull file transfer:
(all of the following assuming you are using an 'anonymous' ftp account)
ftp server = the ip address of the ftp server
phone account = phone ( yes, i do mean the word 'phone')
password = anonymous
application filename = exact file name of file ( e.g opt410ecoP_V5_R6_3_0.app)
then select 'download application' from the drop down menu and click submit.
the phone should now do the following:
attempt to look for the tftp server, try and find the file specified above, then restart due to lack of memory on the phone and carry out a download of the file.
Once downloaded the phone will write the file to it's flash memory. Whilst it is doing this do not at any stage disconnect the phone from its power source, if you do disconnect the phone whilst it is writing it's file you will currupt the flash ram chip on th phones motherboard - this component is not field replaceable.
Personally i use a shareware FTP program by 3COM called FTP pro.
It may be a good idea to set yourself up a small LAB at wherever you are working consisting of the following:
1. PC with above mentioned FTP program loaded
2. Firmware file required loaded onto the pc and placed in the FTP directory of the FTP software
3. crossover patch lead ( phone to PC )
4. local PSU for optipoint 410/420 srs
5. phone to be upgraded
That way you would have completely isolated the upgrade process from any other 'interference' ( above and beyond nosey blighters wondering what you are doing).
any problems please ask again.
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