SIP Multicast Paging with MiVB 1

[AH64Armament]

I've got a site that has a Virtual MiVB running the latest available software version. They have Mitel's IP paging devices that are connected to traditional paging systems.
They are having trouble with the existing paging system on multiple aspects - mostly that it's 30 years old and pieced together.

They're wanting to go to an IP Paging solution - We've selected Grandstream GSC3505 - they're SIP capable as well as PoE capable.
I ordered 2 of them for testing and have run into some snags.
I'm able to get both systems registered to the system as Generic SIP. The work fine and are you're able to call them, they answer and you can speak over the speaker.

I'm testing this on my office before taking it to the customer site - we're running MiVB 8

Unfortunately, this is a Unicast paging - only one speaker will answer at a time.

Reviewing this, it appears that Mitel MiVB doesn't support Multicast paging on Minet phones.

Which means that I need to find an intermediate relay server... that will host the speakers as well as allow the Mitel phones to call the relay and let it relay the calls to the multicast.

I've got a ticket in thru grandstream support - I think they're suggesting that the speakers will do this automatically to each other - referring me to page 27 of their user guide - I've done what they're suggesting, and it's not working. I'm waiting for their response, but figured I'd ask here.

Does anyone have experience with similar?

 

[John Keri]

Set up a group page that includes both units.
As far as I know, the MiVB does not support multicast, at least it wasn't at 8.x.

One of the troubleshooting for group page issues is that you capture in Linux of the virtual using the tcpdump utility of the OS.
- if you have access to the KBs you can find the article I wrote about it
In the packet capture you can find a separate stream for every destination device in the group and another from the source.
- you can use this method to verify what is happening

 

[Billz66]

We have used algo 8180 for this kind of thing
sip extension registered on 8180 - 8180 does multicasting to other 8180 across the network

so its unicast to 1st 8180 and then multicast from that
is multicasting allowed on the switches - from memory there are things that need to be done to enable that as its often off by default

If I never did anything I'd never done before , I'd never do anything.....

 

[AH64Armament]

We'll have to check the switches.. but that's a good point too.

What's an Algo 8180?

I was hoping to get a VM-Ware "Device" that can handle the SIP to Multicast. Looks like we're going to test with a Valcom Page relay. I hope to pick up the unit today for testing.

 

[Billz66]

Algo is One of these

http://www.algosolutions.com/products/speakers/8180.html

handy little device
- has 2 extensions
one ring only - put it into ring all ring group with an extension( for use as tone ringer or loud sounding alarm)
other is audio - auto answer - allows you to speak - can be hooked into PA ( or multicasted)
- also allows talk back - has a microphone so users near it can respond

If I never did anything I'd never done before , I'd never do anything.....

 

[AH64Armament]

Circling back to this project now that the customers system is running MiVB 9.1...

Mitel MiVB 9.1 now supports Multicast. Their help documentation shows how to configure the form, but doesn't show how to use it.

It appears that the configuration only allows you to set it up so the 69xx series phones that are in the same zone will receive the mass notification... there doesn't appear to be a way to have the phones initiate such a notification.

Back to searching for something that can be used.
Mitel has the "Mitel Revolution" platform that is supposed to make this work.

 

[Valamagules]

Yes, have also used Algo 8180 , pretty neat little device, and can be interfaced with traditional pager via copper output or IP.
Comes into two modes, Pager or Alerter (Ringer) which can handle 2 generic SIP extensions.
Supports Unicast and Multicast.

A note, SIP devices cannot be added into Page Group as it's not supported.


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