Once the PBX is installed, configured and licenced, you can begin to setup a basic configuration. Full details of how to configure all aspects of the PABX are contained in the PBX Admin Manual (available from the PABX web interface via the context help link) and covered in our technical training course. The content on this page gives a quick start which is a useful shortcut if you just want to create users and extensions to begin developing API code.

First, connect a phone or two

Connect a suitable VoIP phone to the data network. Phone models that are auto-configuration compatible with the PABX are shown in the Appendix to the VoIP PABX Installation and Administration Guide. Phones that have previously been used on other systems should be factory reset before attempting to connect them to the VoIPCortex network.

It may take up to a few minutes for the phone to find the PABX and register, and during this time the PABX may also push a software upgrade to the phone. Please observe the phone display, and do not power off or disconnect the phone, network or PABX during this time as damage to the phone may result.

On successful completion of phone discovery, the phone will be shown as an unconfigured phone on the PABX phones list. If this does not happen after 5 mins then please review your DHCP and DNS settings and/or perform a factory reset on the phone to remove any previous configuration.

Create an Extension Number Range

Go to the PABX tab and click on the summary menu item. This shows all of the extensions, phones and users that are active on the system. On an unconfigured PBX, all that you will see will be any phones that have been discovered onto the system under Non Callable Phones and Users.

The internal extension number range to be used on the PABX may now be created. Click on the top of the Extensions column and select new. Click on the create multiple button to create a block of extensions:

If creating an extension block that maps directly onto a DDI range, then simply enter the first and last extension number against Add a range of extensions, then enter the DDI range area code and prefix into the form before clicking on the Create button next to the extension range.

It is also possible to create voicemail boxes automatically for all extensions in the range at this point by selecting the option prior to pressing the appropriate Create button.

Create Users

The final step in configuring a basic phone system is to create users who will own extensions and phones, thereby causing particular phones to ring when extensions are called.

Go to the summary screen and click on new user:

The only fields that must be entered in order to create a user are Unique Id which will be users login name on the PABX web UI, and Name which is used for the phone directory entry. The user should be associated with a Home Extension and Phone by selecting an available extension number and phone from the drop down lists on the create page. You may also at this point rename the phone to match the users name by selecting this option before creating the user.

You now have a working PBX setup!