Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):Getting started with the Linksys SPA941 VoIP phone

VoIP: Getting started with the Linksys SPA941 VoIP phone

Installing your Linksys VoIP phone

Note: to use a VoIP phone on the Centrex service, you must have a router connected to your ADSL line. A USB modem will not work!

  1. Unpack the phone components and cables and plug them together as follows (easiest done with the phone base upside down as shown).

    Hint: If you can’t find the cables, look in the compartment at the very front of the box!

    1. Click the stand to the base unit.
    2. Connect the handset using the curly phone cable.
    3. Connect the Ethernet socket marked to one of the sockets on your router, using the supplied network cable. (Or if you have a hub or switch inboard of the router, use that.)
    4. If you are using a headset, plug it into the socket on the side of the phone.
    5. Connect and plug in the power cable.

    linksys phone connections

  2. Switch the power on and leave the phone to initialise for a minute or two.
    • If you have your network set up to hand out IP addresses (using DHCP), the phone will pick up an IP address and be ready for use. If not, see Setting an IP address.
    • If you bought your phone direct from us, it will already be configured for use with your first Centrex extension. If you bought it from somewhere else, see Configuring the phone.

Setting an IP address

(Only necessary if you do not use DHCP on your network.)

Dial **** on the phone, and then follow the voice menu prompts to make settings appropriate for your network:

  1. Enter 101# and choose 0, to disable DHCP.
  2. Enter 111# to set the IP address.
  3. Enter 121# to set the subnet mask.
  4. Enter 131# to set the default gateway.

Tip: Once you’ve saved the IP address, you can use the web interface (System tab) to enter the other network settings. See step 2 below.

Configuring the phone

(Only necessary for phones not purchased from FreeVirtualNumbers.co.uk . Requires a PC on the same LAN/subnet as the phone!)

  1. Use the Setup button then press 9 to find the phone’s IP address. Write it down temporarily for reference.
  2. Type the IP address into your browser like this: http://nnn.nnn.nnn.n nn/admin/advanced (replace each nnn by as many digits as appear in the phone display, for example http://192.168.0.120/admin/advanced), then use Enter. This shows you the phone’s web configuration pages.
  3. Click the Ext 1 tab at the top.
  4. The important fields here are all provided in your welcome email or the control panel for the first (default) extension:
    • Proxy and Registration section: Proxy (the SIP proxy server)
    • Subscriber info section: User ID and Auth ID (your first Centrex extension number), and Password (your account password set in the Extensions control panel).
  5. Click Submit all Changes and the phone will register with the Centrex service.

Using the phone

The main controls mentioned in this quick-start guide are shown below:

linksys phone main controls

To answer a call: pick up the handset, or use the Headset button to pick up the call on the headset (if any), or press the Speaker button for hands-free operation.

To switch between two calls on different lines: press the corresponding Line button to put the current caller on hold, and press the other Line button to speak to the other caller. The active line is shown by a steady red light, the held one by a flashing light. Unused lines are green.

To hold a call without speaking to another caller: press the Hold (hand) button.

To make calls: enter the number using the keypad then pick up the handset to make a ‘normal’ call. Press the dial softkey at the left bottom of the display to start dialling. Press the Headset or Speaker button before dialling for a headset or hands-free call, respectively.

  • To dial an IP address, hold the hash key down to enter a dot.
  • To dial a SIP URL, press 1 then use the down-arrow on the menu navigation key to toggle between lower-case, capital letters and numbers, as indicated in the display. You’ll find the left-arrow key (to backspace and correct mistakes) useful until you get the hang of this! Use the 1 key twice to get the @ character.

To end headset / hands-free calls: press the Headset or Speaker button again.

To make attended transfers: put the caller on hold by pressing the xfer softkey. Dial the destination number as usual and speak to the recipient. Then press the xfer soft key again to put the caller through and hang up your connection.

To make conference (three-way) calls:

  • If only one party is currently connected, press the conf softkey to put it on hold. Dial the third party, and when it answers, press the conf softkey again to join all three parties into a conference call.
  • If both parties are already connected/on hold, press the confLx soft key. If one call is on hold, the conference call starts immediately. If more than one call is on hold, the phone prompts you to select the other line key to join with the active call.

To pick up voicemails: dial *1 and enter the voicemail password when prompted (which you will find in the extension details in your VoIP control panel).