Using Custom Device States to control BLF lamps

Do you want to know how to use a custom device state to control the lamp on a programmable key of an IP phone? In this article I explain how to set up the hints and make any number of IP phones subscribe to a custom device state and how to switch the custom status from within the Asterisk dial plan. … Read more


How secure is your Asterisk PBX? – part 2

Protecting your Asterisk server In part 1, we examined the techniques that are used to probe for vulnerabilities in a SIP server and reviewed the types of exploitation a would-be hacker hopes to use. In this second part, I look at the ways you can protect your Asterisk or other SIP server and guard against weaknesses … Read more


How secure is your Asterisk PBX? – part 1

A growing problem Like a slice of Victoria sponge cake on a summers day attracts wasps, so new technologies seem to attract the attention of cyber-criminals. The more widely used the technology, the greater the interest. It was inevitable, and widely predicted, that VoIP would become a favorite target for hackers as its popularity and uptake increased … Read more


Installing Mediaproxy 2 on CentOS 5 64bit

Mediaproxy 2 is a Python application from AG-Projects which is available as a free download as well as being available as a commercial product from AG-Projects. It is used in combination with the Mediaproxy module of OpenSIPS. Unlike Mediaproxy 1, the new version has a lot of dependencies and it can be quite tricky to … Read more


IP Phone Configuration: User Account Settings

Manufacturers different naming conventions While SIP is an industry standard protocol, the names assigned to the configuration fields on an IP phone are far from standardised. The tables below show the text labels that you can expect to see on the web interface configuration forms next to the boxes where you must enter your settings. … Read more


Installing OpenSIPS v1.6.1 on CentOS 5 64bit

Smartvox Limited offers a consultancy for installation of OpenSIPS -we have expertise and experience installing and configuring OpenSIPS, Asterisk and PSTN gateways. We also have a wealth of experience in systems integration and networking to get your OpenSIPS server working smoothly with your existing VoIP infrastructure. Details of our consultancy services are located here. However, … Read more


Asterisk behind NAT

Scenarios in which NAT may adversely affect Asterisk SIP connections The Asterisk Server is behind NAT The Asterisk server could be on the LAN (or in a DMZ) with a NAT firewall between it and the Internet. When it communicates with external peers or devices, the network connections have to pass through the local NAT … Read more


Using SIP Devices behind NAT

SIP Devices behind NAT: What solutions are available? When an IP phone is installed behind NAT, problems can be created by the NAT device itself, by the phone’s inability to correctly understand its own networking environment or from a combination of the two. Because it is such a common problem, most IP Phones have built-in … Read more


SIP Outbound Proxy Server Explained

Why do IP Phones require a setting for ‘Outbound Proxy Server’? Outbound Proxy Server When you look at the configuration options on most IP phones, you will see a field called “Outbound Proxy” or “Outbound Proxy Server”. In this field you can enter an IP address, a host.domain name or just a domain name (as … Read more