How to: Change Extension Numbers

What are they?

Extensions are the end points within your PBXtra that represent your employees. Every employee needs an extension (standard), but Asterisk capitalizes on the idea of 'extensions' by making nearly every aspect of the system extensible. This article only covers how to modify an end-user's extension.

Know Before You Go

To change an extension number, you should first understand that there are two locations where extension configuration occurs:

1. A file called 'sip.conf' located in /etc/asterisk specifies specifies details for every extension within the system. By logging in to http://cp.fonality.com and navigating to Extensions > view extensions, an administrator has complete control over all the details associated with each end-user extension.

2. Every IP phone needs a customized configuration file (located in /tftpboot) in order to establish an 'identity' (extension). It is possible to configure each phone individually for advanced functionality, but Fonality only supports the options listed within the Extensions tab.

The configuration in the IP phone and the configuration in the server must match. It’s not recommended to have more than one extension number configured to point to the same phone/device. One of the limiting factors has to do with the fact that each phone can only access a single voicemail box via the 'voicemail' hardkey or softkey (depends on model). Multiple users should each have their own phone.

Make the Change

The Admin Web Interface allows the creation and deletion of extensions, but does not allow you to change the extension number once an extension has been created. If you would like to move an extension from one user to another (i.e. Jack at extension 7000 gets a new phone and his old phone goes to Jill at extension 7001), please follow these instructions:

1. Login to the web admin interface.

2. Click 'Extensions' > 'view extensions'.

3. Click on the current extension (7000 in our example).

4. Note the MAC address/Softphone ID in the "Phones / Devices" field. You will need this.

5. Set the "Phones / Devices" field to "virtual extension" and hit "Apply All Changes".

6. Return to the 'view extensions' page (Step 2).

7. Click the new extension for the phone (or click Extensions > add extension to create an entirely new extension).

8. Select the MAC of the correct phone from the "Phones / Devices" drop-down.

9. Click "Apply All Changes" at the bottom of the page.

10. Reset the phone.

The reset option for each phone differs slightly. You can find detailed instructions for each model of phone below:

Resetting Your Phone

Aastra Phones

1. On the phone itself, press the "options" button.

2. Scroll to "Network Configurations" (this should be option 12) and press the enter key (the "right" arrow button)

3. At the "admin password" prompt enter "22222" and press the enter key.

4. Scroll to "IP Address". Write down the IP Address displayed.

5. Using a computer on the same subnet as the phone, open a web browser and type the IP Address from Step 4 into the address bar. Press Enter.

6. At the login prompt, use the username 'admin' and the password '22222' to access the phone's administrative interface.

7. Click on "Configuration Server" from the left-hand navigation menu.

8. Next to "Alternate TFTP" type in the IP Address of your PBXtra .

9. Check the box stating "Use Alternate TFTP".

10. Click "Save" at the bottom of the page.

11. Unplug the phone's power cable (or Ethernet cable if Power-over-Ethernet) and then reconnect the cable to reset the phone.

The phone will download new configuration information and take on the identity of the new extension.

Cisco Phones

Reprogramming Cisco phones requires participation from the Fonality technical support group. Please contact Fonality support at http://www.fonality.com/support for assistance. In preparation, you will need to determine the IP address used by the PBXtra server, and prepare each Cisco phone as described below.

1. Press the “settings” Button

2. Press 9 for "Unlock Config"

3. Enter the MAC address (case sensitive). You can find this on a label on the bottom of the phone in the middle. It is 12 characters long containing numbers, and usually letters as well. Toggle between Number and Alpha as needed to enter the MAC Address. Press Accept when finished

4. Press 3 for "Network Configuration"

5. Enter 27 for "Alternate TFTP" and set it to YES, then Press "Save"

6. Press 3 for "Network Configuration" again, and enter 7 for "TFTP Server", then Press "Edit". Enter the IP address of the PBXtra , then press Accept.

7. Press Back twice

8. Disconnect the power cable from the phone, and then reconnect it.

It might be necessary to clear the old settings from the phone, and to repeat the above process if the settings are not picked up from the PBXtra . If you need to clear the settings in the phone, use the following steps:

1. Press the “settings” Button

2. Press 9 for "Unlock Config"

3. Enter the MAC address (case sensitive). You can find this on a label on the bottom of the phone in the middle. It is 12 characters long containing numbers, and usually letters as well. Toggle between Number and Alpha as needed to enter the MAC Address. Press Accept when finished

4. Press 3 for "Network Configuration"

5. Enter 28 for "Erase Configuration" and set it to YES, then Press "Save"

6. Disconnect the power cable from the phone, and then reconnect it.

7. Re-program the TFTP Server setting as described above.

8. Contact Fonality support at http://cp.fonality.com/support for assistance with changing the configuration files on the PBXtra in accordance with your new extension numbers.

Polycom Phones

1. Press and hold *468

2. Continue holding the keys until you are prompted for a password (appx 2-3 seconds)

3. Enter 456 as the password

4. The phone should reset to factory defaults and reboot

The phone will download and apply the change via its customized configuration file (written when you click "Apply All Changes" from the Extensions page).

If you do not have Option 66 set on your DHCP server, you may need to manually key in the boot server (i.e. PBXtra ) IP Address information. If the phone does not immediately download configuration information and take the identity of the new extension assigned, set the boot server using the following guide:

1. Press the "Setup" key at boot time. You'll see this on the LCD screen.

2. Enter "456" as the admin password, followed by the "Enter" softkey.

3. Scroll down to "DHCP Menu" and hit the "Select" key.

4. Scroll down to "Boot Server" and hit the "Edit" key.

5. Scroll right (blue ">" key) until "Boot Server" is set to "Static" and hit the "Ok" key.

6. Hit the "Exit" softkey.

7. Scroll down to "Server Menu" and hit the "Select" key.

8. Hit the "Edit" key on the "Server Type" and scroll (blue ">" key) until it displays "FTP" then press "Ok" key.

9. Scroll down to "Server Address" and hit the "Edit" key.

10. Hit the "a->1A" softkey until the title says "1->Aa".

11. Enter "x.x.x.x" followed by the "Ok" softkey.

12. Hit the "Exit" softkey twice.

13. Hit the "Select" softkey once you see "Save & Reboot" selected.

snom Phones

Fonality no longer sells snom phones, but the information below still applies for versions of firmware sold with our snom phones.

1. Obtain the IP address assigned to the phone, and browse to it.

   1. Press the “<” key twice, followed by the soft key below the word “IPAdr” in your LCD display. This will show the IP address on the LCD display.

2. Browse to the IP address using your web browser. Example: http://192.168.1.100

   1. Click on the “Advanced” link on the left side of the screen.

   2. Change the "Update Policy" setting to "Never update, do not load settings".

   3. Click "Save" to save this change.

   4. Click on the “Line 1” link on the left side of the screen.

   5. Change each appearance of the old extension number to the new one. Click the “Save” link when finished changing these settings to the new extension number:

   6. Displayname

   7. Password

   8. Mailbox

Swissvoice Phones

Fonality no longer sells snom phones, but the information below still applies for versions of firmware sold with our snom phones.

1. Obtain the IP Address assigned to the phone and browse to it.

   1. Press the “OK” button under the “Menu” display on the LCD.

   2. Scroll down to “Admin Settings” and press “OK” again.

   3. Click “OK” for “Current settings”

   4. Click “OK” for “Network Configuration”

   5. Press the down arrow button to scroll down one position to see the IP Address.

   6. Browse to the IP address using your web browser. Example: http://192.168.1.100

2. Click on the “Administrator” button, and log in:

   1. Username: admin

   2. Password: admin

3. Click on the “SIP configuration” link on the left side of the screen.

4. Change each appearance of the old extension number to the new one. Click the “Submit” button when finished changing these settings to the new extension number:

   1. Authenticate Password

   2. Display Name

PBXtra Softphone

Reinstall

With the PBXtra softphone, you can choose to reinstall the application or modify the existing settings. Each method is detailed below:

1. Log into the PBXtra Admin Web Interface at cp.fonality.com using your server’s administrative username and password.

2. Click the “Extensions” tab, and locate the extension you want to change. Click on the extension number and make note of the Web Username (and password if you know it). Also make note of the setting in the Phones/Devices drop down menu, as you will need it for step 4 below. Make note of any other settings you want to match.

3. After you have recorded all information mentioned in step 2, use the “Extensions” tab to locate and delete the extension you want to change.

4. Click “add extension” and enter the new extension number. You can assign a new Web Username and password, or recycle the same name you recorded in step 2.

5. Set the “Phones/Devices” drop-down menu to the same setting you recorded in step 2.

6. Click “Apply all changes” once you have selected all of your desired settings. This will create a new extension using the same softphone “Device” information.

7. Reinstall your softphone program. Use Start->All Programs-> PBXtra eyebeam-> Uninstall PBXtra eyebeam

8. Answer yes to “Do you want to delete all saved data files left behind?”

9. Run the installer again

10. When the program starts enter your registration key (from your CSV file emailed when you ordered your softphones.

11. At the “Login Username” prompt enter the setting you used for the “Web Username” in step 4. Use the Password from step 4 as well.

12. When you complete the install wizard, your phone will be fully configured with the correct extension and device information.

Modify Settings

If you would prefer to modify the settings on the current softphone installation, please follow these instructions:

1. Right-click on the softphone and select "SIP Accounts"

2. Click on your SIP Account

3. Change the values shown in the image accessible from the link above to the new settings for your new extension (e.g. the extension listed - you already changed the 'SOFTPHONEXXX' setting via the Extensions tab in the Admin Panel).