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The Obihai OBI110 is a very simple FXO VoIP peripheral that consists of one ethernet, Phone, and Line port each, though ; and for organizations spanning multiple buildings and sites it proves very cost effective. While this article does not provide configuration of more advanced OBI models, the same general configuration should be consistent though the placement and potentially naming of certain properties in configuration may not align fully in relation to the OBI110.

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Until recently, NocTel recommended the use of Cisco SPA line VoIP adapters for integrating legacy paging and intercom systems. However, some of the most cost effective models are approaching end of life and will not have manufacturer support for issues. This also means eventually production is likely to cease making procurement of the devices harder and more expensive. To remedy this, NocTel evaluated and successfully integrated the Obihai OBI110 FXO VoIP adapter for the same purpose with a lower price per unit (for the OBI110 model).

Whereas comparable devices by other manufacturers as well as Obihai itself may include additional ports for LAN, Phone, and Line; the OBI110 is very simple. This makes configuration fairly simple straight forward and purchasing multiple devices for multiple locations more affordable.

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• The intercom/paging system is reached by dialing an extension number just like any other NocTel handset deployed in the organization 
• There will no longer be a need to dial a # or similar key to reach the intercom/paging system from a NocTel handset - just dial the extension number
• There will be a distinctly different dial tone when the intercom/paging system is successfully reached by the OBI110 - at this distinct dial tone is where you would enter valid intercom/paging dial codes (e.g.: 010# for all call)

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OBI110 Configuration

This section presumes the OBI110 is new out of box and never accessed or configured. Out of box, the OBI110 will default to DHCP to obtain an IP address so it may be necessary to leverage network appliances to discover what IP address the device has been assigned. This is typically done by accessing the switch port the OBI110 was connected into on its ethernet port or querying a firewall or switch for the IP address of the device with the OBI110's MAC Address.

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-If you get a busy signal or dead air, it is possible the Line In Use voltage needs to be adjusted. The correct value will vary by vendor and setup. Use the LINE & PHONE status interface on the OBI110 web UI before placing a call and when one is received. The voltage should change readout on the Line port in both cases - use this to make gradual adjustments to the LineInUseVoltageThreshold under Physical Interfaces → LINE Port and possibly the LineInUseCurrentThreshold in the same section. Don't forget to reboot the OBI110 after making changes for them to take effect.

• You may experience the case where the OBI110 is sometimes able to successfully connect to the intercom/paging system and sometimes fail to do so. This is usually due to the LineInUseVoltageThreshold setting not fully overlapping with the Line In Use voltage variance. Use the same troubleshooting guidance above.

Common Troubleshooting

As with any configuration for integration, there are a number of missteps and incorrectly input settings that can happen along the way. This section identifies several common problems and recommended resolution:

Dead Air When Dialing the OBI110 Extension

Causes:

• Incorrect settings used for the OBI110 extension in NocTel
• Forgot to create a NocTel extension for the OBI110
• Improper settings for LineInUseVoltageThreshold and/or LineInUseCurrentThreshold
• Intercom/paging system cable connected to the Phone port when it should be in the Line port
• Incorrect cable for the intercom/paging system is connected to the OBI110's Line port
• OBI110's ethernet port is connected to a switch that does not have the port configured for voice VLAN (or whatever configuration is used for NocTel handsets)

Fixes:

This can occur if the OBI110 generic SIP device extension is improperly configured. In the NocTel control panel ensure the extension exists, is of generic SIP device type, and the SIP username, password, and VoIP server address are correct. If you have specified different VoIP servers for the OBI110 extension, use the VoIP server address of the primary server.

If the OBI110 was functioning correctly prior, it's possible the Line in Use voltage from your intercom/paging system varies such that some calls fall outside the expected value.

Also ensure the OBI110 is cabled up properly. The most likely case would be the wrong cable used to connect the intercom/paging system to the OBI110's Line port or connecting to the Phone port instead of the Line port.

Busy Signal When Dialing the OBI110 Extension

Causes:

• Improper settings for LineInUseVoltageThreshold and/or LineInUseCurrentThreshold

Fixes:

Modify the above setting(s) accordingly. The appropriate values for a particular system can be inferred based on the outputs for the LINE Port, which can be found under Status → PHONE & LINE Status. The voltages will change depending on what's occurring between On Hook and In Use.

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