Problems with backbone after shoretel install

[maudesse]

I am the network administrator for a network which just got a shoretel Voip phone system added to the backbone. Now we are having major speed issues on the PC's and phone qaulity issues, echo, tinny sounding voice and breaking up. all the voice issues and speed issues are intermittent. We have about 80 phones and 75 PC's with five file servers 100 mb backbone one site. The switches on the backbone are Adtran 1224st Layer-2 running on the same subnet as the PC's and servers. with all my research trying to help solve the problem it looks like I either need to cable seperatly for the phones or introduce a layer three switchs which will do QOS. The other really weird problem is when the phones were first installed they were set for DHCP which is issued from a MS 2003 DC server, but randomly when the phnes were first connected they would boot get the IP info download updates but when they did their last reboot after updates they would report a duplicate IP would exist on the network which we verified did'nt, the only way we could fix this is by static ip assignment to the phone handsets. Any help is appreciated.

[eazeaz]

Backbone

Without QOS A 100MB network sharing VOIP and data will not work. You would have a better chance with gigabit, but the problem would still remain. The problem is intermittent (and directly coincides with) when workstations are creating network traffic.

I don't think that the system should have ever been installed without QOS if you are sharing a network with workstations (especially if there is a 100MB uplink).

I suspect that you were probably sold the system by a PHONE vendor that happens to do VOIP and not a true data/voip vendor.

I believe the 1224ST will do the QOS/COS that you need. I use 1224ST switches here, but we have separate voice and data cabling so QOS is not necessary or I would post the config for you.

If you are happy with the workstation performance you are getting over the 1224ST switches, then QOS may be all you need.

I bet one of the guys here will have a config or some screenshots for those switches.

[cburgy]

What build of Shoretel are you running?

The Adtran's should do the QOS you need but I can't point you in the direction of what configuration to implement as we don't work with Adtran devices.

Make sure you set your TOS/DiffServ byte under Call Control -> Options to "184"

You have to reboot your phones for the change to take effect.

The DHCP issues sounds like the change in the boot firmware that Shoretel made midway through the 7.0 and 7.5 builds although it was more impacting on environments that utilized vlan tagging.

[maudesse]

I have build 8.0 currently, we started with 7.5 but upgraded this week to make sure we were covering all the bases.

[Forum]

I would suggest checking your codecs. You stated it sounded 'tinny', and echoed. This usually means you are using a higher bandwidth codec. Linear Broadband is about 256k, isn't it? That would take a chunk out of your bandwidth. 711 or 729 is ideal.

Also, you don't have to run QOS on every data/VOIP install, but with that many computers, YOU SHOULD run QOS. VLANS would be nice too.

Charles

[cburgy]

You'll have to create a custom codec in 8.0. Select PCMU/8000 and name it G.711. Set it via SITES.

We've noticed the default codec lists in 8.0 result in audio that isn't quite as pleasing for most people.

[eazeaz]

Codec

Absolutely.

the default codec in 8 sounds like someone talking into a TIN CAN

[maudesse]

more testing complete

Network speed is better at this point , but the voice qaulity is still an issue. The installer is back onsite now that we ruled out network traffice being the problem. The trouble ticket with shoretel has been escalated. Thanks everyone for your input it was very helpful.