Startup Problems

After installing a Cisco Unified IP Phone into your network and adding it to Cisco Unified Communications Manager, the phone should start up as described in the Phone Startup Process Verification. If the phone does not start up properly, see the following sections for troubleshooting information.

Cisco Unified IP Phone Does Not Go Through Normal Startup Process

Problem

When you connect a Cisco Unified IP Phone into the network port, the phone should go through its normal startup process and the LCD screen should display information.

Cause

If the phone does not go through the startup process, the cause may be faulty cables, bad connections, network outages, lack of power, or the phone may not be functional.

Solution

The following suggestions can help determine if the phone is functional:

1 Verify that the network port is functional:

• Exchange the Ethernet cables with cables that you know are functional.
  
• Disconnect a functioning Cisco Unified IP Phone from another port and connect it to this network port to verify the port is active.
  
• Connect the Cisco Unified IP Phone that will not start up to a different network port that is known to be good.
  
• Connect the Cisco Unified IP Phone that will not start up directly to the port on the switch, eliminating the patch panel connection in the office.
  

2 Verify that the phone is receiving power:

• If you are using external power, verify that the electrical outlet is functional.
  
• If you are using in-line power, use the external power supply instead.
  
• If you are using the external power supply, switch with a unit that you know to be functional.
  

3 If the phone still does not start up properly, power up the phone with the handset off-hook. When the phone is powered up in this way, it attempts to launch a backup software image.

4 If the phone still does not start up properly, perform a factory reset of the phone. For instructions, see Perform Factory Reset.

If after attempting these solutions, the LCD screen on the Cisco Unified IP Phone does not display any characters after at least five minutes, contact a Cisco technical support representative for additional assistance.

Cisco Unified IP Phone Does not Register with Cisco Unified Communications Manager

If the phone proceeds past the first stage of the startup process (LED buttons flashing on and off) but continues to cycle through the messages displaying on the LCD screen, the phone is not starting up properly. The phone cannot successfully start up unless it is connected to the Ethernet network and it has registered with a Cisco Unified Communications Manager server.

In addition, problems with security may prevent the phone from starting up properly. See Cisco Unified IP Phone Security Problems for more information.

Phone Displays Error Messages

Problem

Status messages display errors during startup.

Solution

As the phone cycles through the startup process, you can access status messages that might provide you with information about the cause of a problem. See Status Messages Screen for instructions about accessing status messages and for a list of potential errors, their explanations, and their solutions.

Phone Cannot Connect to TFTP Server or to Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Problem

If the network is down between the phone and either the TFTP server or Cisco Unified Communications Manager, the phone cannot start up properly. 

Solution 

Ensure that the network is currently running.

TFTP Server Settings

Problem

The TFTP server settings may not be correct.

Solution

Check the TFTP settings. See Check TFTP Settings

IP Address and Routing

Problem

The IP addressing and routing fields may not be correctly configured.

Solution

You should verify the IP addressing and routing settings on the phone. If you are using DHCP, the DHCP server should provide these values. If you have assigned a static IP address to the phone, you must enter these values manually. See Check DHCP Settings.

DNS Settings

Problem 

The DNS settings may be incorrect.

Solution

If you are using DNS to see the TFTP server or to Cisco Unified Communications Manager, you must ensure that you have specified a DNS server. See Verify DNS Settings.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Settings On Phone

Problem

The phone may have the correct Cisco Unified Communications Manager information.

Solution

On the Cisco Unified IP Phone, press the Settings button, choose Device Configuration, and look at the Unified CM Configuration options. The Cisco Unified IP Phone attempts to open a TCP connection to all the Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers that are part of the assigned Cisco Unified Communications Manager group. If none of these options contain IP addresses or show Active or Standby, the phone is not properly registered with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. See Phone Cannot Connect to TFTP Server or to Cisco Unified Communications Manager, for tips on resolving this problem.

Cisco CallManager and TFTP Services Are Not Running

Problem

If the Cisco CallManager or TFTP services are not running, phones may not be able to start up properly. In such a situation, it is likely that you are experiencing a systemwide failure, and other phones and devices are unable to start up properly.

Solution

If the Cisco CallManager service is not running, all devices on the network that rely on it to make phone calls are affected. If the TFTP service is not running, many devices cannot start up successfully. For more information, see Start Service.

Configuration File Corruption

Problem

If you continue to have problems with a particular phone that other suggestions in this chapter do not resolve, the configuration file may be corrupted.

Solution 

Create a new phone configuration file. See Create New Phone Configuration File.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Phone Registration

Problem

The phone is not registered with the Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Solution

A Cisco Unified IP Phone can register with a Cisco Unified Communications Manager server only if the phone has been added to the server or if auto-registration is enabled. Review the information and procedures in Cisco Unified Communications Manager Phone Addition Methods, to ensure that the phone has been added to the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database.

To verify that the phone is in the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database, choose Device > Phone > Find from Cisco Unified Communications Manager Administration to search for the phone based on its MAC Address. For information about determining a MAC address, see Cisco Unified IP Phone MAC Address Determination.

If the phone is already in the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database, its configuration file may be damaged. See Configuration File Corruption, for assistance.

Cisco Unified IP Phone Cannot Obtain IP Address

Problem

If a phone cannot obtain an IP address when it starts up, the phone may not be on the same network or VLAN as the DHCP server, or the switch port to which the phone connects may be disabled.

Solution 

Ensure that the network or VLAN to which the phone connects has access to the DHCP server, and ensure that the switch port is enabled.

Cisco Unified IP Phone Displays Security Error Message

Problem

The phone displays Security Error on the screen.

Cause

When a Cisco Unified IP Phone boots, it performs an internal Power On Self Test (POST). POST checks for existing encryption functionality. If POST detects that encryption functionality is missing, the phone fails to boot, and the message “Security Error” appears on the screen.

Solution

To correct the problem, perform the following steps:

1 Reset the phone manually.

2 If the phone does not start up properly, power up the phone with the handset off-hook. When the phone is powered up in this way, it attempts to launch a backup software image.

3 If the phone still does not start up properly, perform a factory reset of the phone. For instructions, see Perform Factory Reset.