3 Basic Troubleshooting Tips for Your IP Phone
Posted on Mon, Dec 05, 2011 @ 02:27 PM
You have a situation. Your VoIP (or IP) phone doesn't work and you're not exactly sure what to do. Mostly you don't want to damage the phone, your internet connection, or anything else but you'd like to start receiving and placing phone calls again without having to contact your IT department, submit a repair request, or contact an outside vendor.
99% of IP phone problems can be fixed by following these 3 easy steps. Step 1 resolves the issue 98% of the time.
1. Reboot the phone. You can accomplish this by picking the phone up, turning it over, and disconnecting the Cat 5 (computer) cable and the power supply (if your phone has one - it may get its power through the Cat 5 cable). If you're not sure which cable is what, disconnect all of them. Make sure you note which cable or cord goes to which port/jack so you reconnect everything correctly. Wait 30 seconds and plug everything back in. The phone should restart and, once it has completed the reboot process, try making and receiving calls.
2. Check to make sure your IP phone has an internet signal. The easiest way to do this is to disconnect the Cat. 5 cable going into the back of the phone (i.e., this is the cable coming from the wall) from the back of the phone and then connecting that into a internet device such as a laptop. You're trying to confirm that an internet signal is present. Make sure the laptop is off when you connect it to the cable and then turn it on and let it power up. Once the laptop has booted up, check to see if you can get to the internet and surf some pages.
3. Replace your Cat 5 cable. Although this is rare, cables do go bad. Disconnect the existing cable from both the back of the IP phone and the wall and put it aside. Connect a new cable to the wall and then to the correct port on the back of the phone. If you have power through the Cat 5 cable (POE or Power over Ethernet), your phone will automatically reboot, If not, disconnect the phone from its power source, wait 30 seconds, and reconnect to the power.
Your IP phone should now work. If not, the issue most likely does not lie with the phone itself and it's a good time to contact your telecom/IT professionals.