Cisco Voice Gateway (VG4xx ATAs) are analog telephone adaptors, also known as voice gateway adaptors. As a fully managed device on the Webex Calling platform, the VG4xx ATAs offer:

  • Flexible and higher capacity options for connecting analog devices

  • A direct migration path for Unified CM customers who're moving to Webex Calling

  • Use of legacy PBXs that don't work with SIP trunking

Manage VG4xx ATAs in Control Hub

You can manage Cisco Voice Gateways in the Control Hub as VG4xx ATAs. You can use these ATAs to add analog handsets, fax machines, or paging systems to Webex Calling solutions using Foreign Exchange Station (FXS) interfaces.

Supported VG4xx ATA models

The following Cisco Voice Gateway models are supported as Webex Calling ATAs:

Restrictions

  • While some models support FXO or ISDN interfaces, these ports aren’t currently supported for use with Webex Calling.

  • You can add VG4xx ATA to Control Hub by family, rather than a specific model. Therefore, VG4xx ATAs offer the maximum number of configurable ports for that family.

VG4xx ATA support for site survivability

Support for VG4xx ATA failover to Webex Calling site survivability is available from VG4xx ATA version IOS-XE 17.16.1. See article Site survivability for Webex Calling.

Prepare for VG4xx ATA port assignment

Before you add and configure a VG4xx ATA in Webex Calling, plan where the ports are going to use and create the workspaces and user accounts enabled for Webex Calling in the Control Hub.

Consider the following points while planning:

  • An VG4xx ATA is assigned to the workspace or user selected during the add device process for management purposes.

  • The workspace or user selected while adding the VG4xx ATA are permanently assigned to ATA port 1.

  • A workspace or a user may only applies to one line of an VG4xx ATA.

  • A workspace or a user with a professional license may applies to one line on multiple VG4xx ATAs.

  • You cannot assign virtual lines to an VG4xx ATA.

When creating a workspace to assign to an VG4xx ATA port, select the following options:

  • Add a device later.

  • Assign the Webex Calling service with an appropriate license.

  • Add a telephone number and/or extension number.

Prepare VG4xx ATA for onboarding Webex Calling

Using this article you can install and prepare a VG4xx ATA for onboarding to Webex Calling. You can use the following procedures for configuring a new VG4xx ATA device, or reconfiguring an existing device.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have the following before starting this process:

  • Your VG4xx ATA device.

  • An ethernet cable to connect the VG4xx ATA to a network with internet access.

  • Either a second ethernet cable or a console cable to connect your computer to the VG4xx ATA.

  • When installing a VG410 ATA or VG420 ATA, RJ-21 cables to break-out connectors to your telephone cabling.

  • An analog phone, telephone line test set or other telephony device with an RJ-11 connector to test the analog ports.

  • Access to a Cisco Smart License account at https://software.cisco.com.

  • We recommend you use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to provide backup power to the VG4xx ATA.

After you onboard the VG4xx ATA, you can only use it with Webex Calling. Earlier configuration settings are overwritten, including the administrator password.

To use the VG4xx ATA outside of Webex Calling later, reset the device to the Cisco factory default settings.

Manually configure the VG4xx ATA

Use the following procedure to manually configure the Cisco VG400, VG410, or VG420 ATA (VG4xx ATA) for it to connect to the Webex Calling platform.

The supported firmware for a VG4xx ATA to connect with the Webex platform is as follows:

Voice Gateway device modelSupported firmware
VG400 ATA

vg400-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin

VG410 ATA

vg4x0-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin

VG420 ATA

vg420-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin

The following sections show the configuration steps for the VG4xx ATA to work with Webex. Perform the Section A to E on VG4xx ATA that is loaded with Webex supported firmware and with a preinstalled Webex Calling license. If the VG4x0 doesn’t have Webex supported firmware and preinstalled Webex Calling license, see Section F: Converting an existing customer owned non-Webex VG4xx ATA to work with the Webex platform.

Section A: Log in to the VG4xx ATA through Web interface

  1. Connect a computer to port GE 0/0/1 with an Ethernet cable.

    • Interface GE 0/0/1 is the management interface with IP address 192.168.253.253.

    • The computer should automatically receive the IP address 192.168.253.254 by DHCP from the VG4xx ATA.

  2. From the computer, use a browser to open http://192.168.253.253 and login to the VG4xx ATA web interface using the default username cisco and password cisco2.

Section B: Verify and configure the VG4xx ATA for Boot parameters

  1. From the VG4xx ATA web interface, go to Administration > Command Line Interface page.

  2. Select the Exec mode and input the show version command. Click Run Command to check the boot image and register setting.

  3. In the output of the show version command, the line starting with System image file shows the current boot image. Make sure you have configured the Cisco Webex approved image. If not, select Configure mode, run the command boot system flash <boot image name> to set boot image.

    ModelBoot system flash command example

    VG400 ATA

    boot system flash:vg400-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin

    VG410 ATA

    boot system flash:vg4x0-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin

    VG420 ATA

    boot system flash:vg420-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin

  4. The last line of the output starting with Configuration register shows the register setting. Make sure that the value 0x2102 is configured here. If not, select Configure mode and run config-register 0x2102 command to set the value.

  5. If the Register configuration gets changed at Step 4, select Exec mode and run the command write memory to save the changes.

  6. If the boot image configuration gets changed at Step 4, go to the Administration > Reload page. Select the Save Configuration and Reload option and click Apply to reboot the VG4xx ATA with the new image. It takes the VG4xx ATA about 10 minutes to bootup.

Section C: Verify VG4xx ATA for required licenses

  1. From the VG4xx ATA web interface, go to Administration > Command Line Interface page.

  2. Select Exec mode, input the show license summary command, then click Run Command to check the installed licenses.

  3. In the output of show license summary command, the section starting with License Usage shows the current installed licenses. Make sure that these three required licenses are in use: uck9, securityk9, and webex_calling.

    If these licenses are not in use, see Section F: Converting an existing customer owned non-Webex VG4xx ATA to work with the Webex platform.

Section D: Configure VG4xx ATA for Webex license report

  1. From the VG4xx ATA web interface, go to Administration > Command Line Interface page.

  2. Select Configure mode and input the following commands to set smart license reporting parameters: 

    license smart transport smart
license smart url default

  3. Select Exec mode and run the following commands to trigger smart license reporting:

    license smart trust idtoken <token> local force
license smart sync local

    You can find the token at Cisco Smart Software Manager from the https://software.cisco.com/ website with a valid user account.

Section E: Configure VG4xx ATA for Webex

  1. From the VG4xx ATA web interface, go to Administration > Command Line Interface page.

  2. Select Configure mode and run the following commands to set Webex Device Management URL:

    voice service voip
wxc-dm-url <Device Management URL>

    The valid settings for <Device Management URL> are as follow:

    US

    https://cisco.sipflash.com

    UK https://cisco-uk.bcld.webex.com/

    EU

    https://cisco.broadcloud.eu

    EUN

    https://cisco-eun.bcld.webex.com

    AU

    https://cisco.broadcloud.com.au

    CA

    https://cisco-ca.bcld.webex.com

    JP

    https://cisco-jp.bcld.webex.com

    For example, use the following for VG4xx ATA devices installed in the US region:

    wxc-dm-url  https://cisco.sipflash.com

  3. Click Run Command.

  4. Write down the VG4xx ATA’s MAC address shown at the output screen after running the commands.

  5. Add the VG4xx ATA MAC address in the Control Hub.

  6. Select Exec mode and input the command write memory. Click Run Command to save the configuration.

  7. Connect GE 0/0/0 port on VG4xx ATA to the internet through DHCP.

    Wait about five minutes. The VG4xx ATA is configured and ready for use with the Cisco Webex network.

Section F: Converting an existing customer owned non-Webex VG4xx ATA to work with the Webex platform

  1. Upgrade the VG4xx ATA to the Webex approved image. For example, vg400-universalk9.17.12.02.SPA.bin.

  2. From the VG4xx ATA’s console port, run the following commands to add the uck9 and securityk9 licenses:

    conf t 
license boot level uck9
license boot level securityk9
end

  3. Run the following commands to make uck9 and securityk9 license take effect on the next boot and reboot:

    write memory
reload

  4. After the VG4xx ATA’s boots up, run the following commands to add Webex Calling licenses:

    conf t 
voice service pots
webex-calling license
end

  5. Run the following command to ensure that the Webex Calling license boot takes effect on next boot:

    write memory

  6. Run the following commands to erase all existing config and reboot the VG4xx ATA:

    write erase
reload

  7. After the VG4xx ATA boots up, follow sections A, B, C, D, and E to configure the VG4xx ATA device.

Create a VG4xx ATA in Control Hub and assign to a workspace

Using this procedure, you can configure the VG4xx ATA as a Webex Calling ATA device.

We recommend you to add VG4xx ATAs with a workspace and not with a user, because users are more likely to change over time. Workspaces can be more readily change on ports.

Before you begin

1

Sign in to Control Hub.

2

Go to Devices and click Add device.

3

Select Shared usage and click Next.

4

Select Existing workspace.

5

Search and select the workspace that you want to permanently assign to the first VG4xx ATA port and click Next.

6

Select a Cisco phone, ATA, or third-party device.

7

Select Cisco-managed devices, then the Model of VG4xx ATA.

8

Enter the MAC address of the VG4xx ATA that you copied earlier and click Save.

Assign users and workspaces to the remaining ports

Before you begin

An VG4xx ATA is added to Control Hub.

1

Sign in to Control Hub.

2

Go to Devices and select the VG4xx ATA from the list of devices.

3

Select Configure ports.

4

Add the preconfigured users and workspaces to VG4xx ATA ports as required.

When searching, only users and workspaces with a license entitlement to be added are listed.

VG4xx ATA ports are numbered from 0, while other ATA ports are numbered from 1. For example, the workspace or user assigned to an ATA port 2 are connected to port 0/1/1 of the VG410 ATA.

5

(Optional) To assign customized behavior to configured ports, you can modify the following:

  • For ports connected to a fax machine, enable T.38 compression to override the default audio codec.
  • For ports connected to an analogue handset, hot-line functionality may be configured. Enable the feature toggle and enter a number to automatically dial when the handset is taken off-hook.
Troubleshoot the deployment of your VG4xx ATA

Issue

Action
IP Address not provided via DHCP

Configure details manually using the following commands: 


interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0 

ip address <VG address> <network mask> 

ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 <default router address> 

ip default-gateway <default router address>
DNS server address not provided via DHCP

Configure DNS server details manually using the following command. Use your preferred server addresses if necessary.

ip name-server 208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220
vDSP application in DEPLOYED state for VG410 ATA models

Reinitialise the vDSP application using the following exec commands. Allow each command to complete before entering the next.


app-hosting upgrade appid vdsp package flash:vDSP/vg4x0_vdsp.tar 
voice vdsp remove 
voice vdsp install

Verify that the vDSP application in the RUNNING state using show app-hosting list.

Can’t onboard a device

  • Verify the initial setup using the VG4xx ATA local Web GUI or console.

  • Verify that you have configured the device management URL correctly.

  • Verify that the MAC address configured in the Control Hub is the same as the MAC address of GigabitEthernet0/0/0 on the VG4xx ATA. If not, remove the device from the Control Hub and add it back with the correct address.

  • Ensure that all ports are in onhook state by using the command show voice port summary before downloading configuration from Webex Calling. If there is any port in offhook state, VG4xx ATA won’t process the configuration file downloaded from Webex Calling.

No dial-tone on FXS ports

Verify network settings and connectivity to the internet,

Wrong DN provisioned to a FXS port

Check configuration in the Control Hub.

The ATA ports are numbered from 1, while the VG4xx ATA ports are numbered from 0.

Troubleshooting steps for VG410 ATA only

If the VG410 ATA still cannot register even after following the steps in above table, verify that the vDSP application is running with the following steps:

  1. From VG410 ATA console port, run show app-hosting list command and verify that the vDSP is in Running state.

  2. If vDSP is not in Running state, run the voice vdsp remove command to remove the vDSP application.

  3. Run show app-hosting list command to verify that the vDSP is removed.

  4. Run voice vdsp install command to install the vDSP application.

  5. Run show app-hosting list command and verify that the vDSP is in Running state.

If the VG410 ATA still experiences issues after above actions, please contact your technical support team for assistance.