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Cisco CP-7970G IP Telephone

We now sell the SmartNET Service Agreements for these phones! (Necessary to get Firmware)

Send an e-mail to smartnet AT greenwireit.com with your Model, Serial Number, Name, Address and Cisco username.

I see a lot of people coming here and thinking this is just a guide to Reflash/unbrick your phone, there is a complete FAQ here. Ctrl+F what you’re looking for!

(I noticed a high bounce-rate for keywords that don’t show up until further down, hence this message)

The following information is provided with no warranty what-so-ever. Flash your phone at your own risk!

You can also use this guide to reflash your phone from SCCP to SIP.

This phone is a dream when it’s working and a nightmare when it isn’t. I’ve spent a lot of time solving a whole number of different problems related to these phones. The information on a lot of forums out there is fragmented, and sometimes incorrect. Here I’m going to try and make an authoritative guide that works. Mainly because I wish I had one. If you think your phone is bricked, jump to the end of this guide.

Question: What’s wrong, I keep changing the config file but nothing happens?

Answer: Press Settings > 6 > 1 That will give you the Status Messages, it will tell you if your Config is invalid.

Question: Where do I get firmware for a 7970? It seems like I can’t find them anywhere.

Answer: Cisco keeps the firmwares for this phone under lock and key. You have to buy a SmartNET contract in order to get access to them. I know what you’re thinking, you’re not paying for firmware, you’ll look around for a public FTP server. I’ve done this, it works, but for seven dollars a year get one from CDW. It pays itself off especially since the SIP firmware is buggy, the updates help a lot. I have another post here which helps with the buying process at CDW, read it, and save yourself a few hours on the phone.

Question: Why can’t I save the configuration on my 7970? Everytime I reset it seems to forget everything.

Answer: The only way to permanently save a wide number of features on the 7970 is by using a configuration file, these phones are not really intended to be used on their own they are supposed to be used in conjunction with a TFTP server or CallManager.

Question: What is SCCP? Why won’t it work with Trixbox / Freepbx / Whatever?

Answer: SCCP is the Cisco CallManager protocol. It’s very popular in a lot of corporate environments and very powerful. However to the average Asterisk user installing SCCP modules can be difficult and flaky. Your phone will most likely come flashed with the SCCP firmware and chances are if you’re using asterisk you are going to want to reflash your phone into the SIP firmware.

Question: Okay, now I know what SCCP is. How do I reflash my 7970 from SCCP to SIP?

Answer: It’s mostly the same process as “unbricking” the phone, since most “bricked” 7970s are just need need of a new firmware.

To reflash the phone you’ll need:

1. A working 7970G with a stable power source.
2. Updated, working firmware from Cisco. Here is an article on how to get SmartNET Contract from CDW.
3. DHCP Server and TFTP Server configured as described at end of this article
4. Properly Configured XMLDefault.cnf.xml or SEP<mac>.cnf
5. Lots of time and snacks.

The phones when they first boot up look for their SEP<mac>.cnf file first. If they cannot find that file, THEN they look for the XMLDefault.cnf.xml. This means that if you have firmware version stipulated in your SEP<mac>.cnf file, and another in your XMLDefault.cnf.xml file you phone will jump between firmwares based on which configuration file it has loaded. I recommend for a brand new phone you put NO phone specific configuration, and just use the XMLDefault.cnf.xml. Once it’s correctly flashed to the latest SIP firmware, then you can start going through the arduous process of getting the phone to accept your config file.

Question: What the hell is a .cop file? And what do I do with it?

Answer: It’s compressed, right click on it with WinRAR or 7zip and extract it. You’ll find a bunch of goodies inside. The version of the firmware and the version you will be entering into the XMLDefault.cnf.xml file will be the .loads file. For example here it is: SIP70.8-4-2S.loads

apps70.8-4-1-23.sbn

cnu70.8-4-1-23.sbn

copstart.py

copstart.sh

cvm70sip.8-4-1-23.sbn

dsp70.8-4-1-23.sbn

jar70sip.8-4-1-23.sbn

load119.txt

load30006.txt

SIP70.8-4-2S.loads

term70.default.loads

term71.default.loads

Question: My phone keeps saying “Error Verifying Config Info”

Answer: . These phones are so specific, the configurations are case sensitive and the syntax strange. On top of that what works in one version of the firmware won’t work in the next, Cisco keeps changing thigns. I recommend finding a config that detects without any errors and modify it till it works. A single letter can cause the phone to not provision or accept your config. Also make sure the DNS and Gateway are set. The phones can get upset if they are not. Check the next question for a copy of my SEP<mac>.cnf.xml file.  Check voip-info, that page is a mess but it has A LOT of info.

Good Advice: Add things one at a time, work your way up. It takes FOREVER, but I’ve literally had times where I’ve copied and pasted a few lines of code, and the config stopped working. Then I manually added each line one at a time and it worked. Made Zero sense but there was a problem somewhere that the phone didn’t like.

Question: My phone keeps saying “No CTL Installed”,  or .tlv not found?

Answer: The 7970 does not actually need this file but it looks for it anyway. A lot of people think that the reason why their phones are not provisioning/loading is because of this file. It’s actually a symptom rather than the cause. When the phone has an invalid firmware it will keep checking for a good one. Everytime the phone checks for a firmware it checks for the CTL .TLV file. This means that your Status messages on the phone and TFTP log will be filled with requests/errors for this file. Don’t worry, you don’t need it. It’s just annoying.

Question: DNS Unknown Host

Answer: This is frustrating as hell, from what I understand it’s caused by the <callManagerGroup> setting. Unfortunately, because we’re not actually using CallManager here, I cannot find a valid way to stop it. Maybe if you set a valid DNS name for your PBX and then set <processNodeName> to match it will stop. I’ve never got it to go away. It’s fortunately not a big problem.

Question: My phone is provisioned and ready to go but I can’t make calls?

Answer: Whole bunch of potential problems, first thing I would try is make sure whether the NAT settings are correct on the phone and the pbx. NAT should be off when configured locally and ON when going through a router.  Other than that comb through your configuration file, and your PBX. Chances are it’s a connectivity issue. Also make sure that a line is defined in the first slot on the phone. The Trixbox forumand the Voipuser Forum has loads of advice and lots of genuinely helpful people.

Here is my config, you’ll need to remove/change some stuff, but it contains a lot of helpful things you may need. I can confirm that this config works with SIP70.8-4-2S , and is based off of the Trixbox template with some modifications as the default did not work for my phone.

Cisco 7970G SIP Configuration with Speed Dial and XML menus.

Excuse the SEO friendly name. I also have a post here with some other help on speed dials.

Question: My phone is stuck at the “Upgrading” Screen , is it bricked? How do I debrick it?

Answer: There are a number of reasons why your phone might be doing this, if you are at the upgrading screen though, it means that you’re phone is NOT bricked. Merely, lost and confused. Don’t believe what people say, it’s not bricked.

Every time a phone has done this to me I have used the same process to fix it. I am going to provide two ways to do this, one for people with windows and a normal home network. And one for those who already have Cisco 7960, 7940 or other IP phones on their network. If that’s you skip ahead, you know how to configure tftp already.

Method 1: TFTPD32 in Windows

Chances are if you phone is stuck at the Upgrading screen it’s just lost and needs a firmware. We’re going to use a number of tools to make an error-proof environment that’ll coax your phone into getting a good firmware from us.

Firstly, determine how you are going to connect your 7970G to your DHCP/TFTP server. You’re going to need to make sure that there is no other routers on the network that could send competing DHCP broadcasts. I recommend one of two scenarios.

1.Connecting the Phone and Computer directly with a Crossover cable.

2.Connecting the Phone and Computer together on a network switch with no other devices. Notice I say SWITCH not ROUTER. You could use a router if you configured it properly, but that’s another story.

The switch option works a bit better because it prevents the computer’s LAN interface from going up and down depending on if the phone is plugged in or not.

Next you are going to need to get a copy of tftpd32:

Personally, I like to get the zip file, and extract it into a folder along with the firmwares from Cisco.

Now that you have tftpd32 open and running, we need to configure it:

• Open up the settings box
• Enable DHCP Server, TFTP Server, and Log Viewer, all others can be unchecked.
• Make sure that you have set the directory into the same directory as your Cisco Firmware Files.
• Make sure you have the correct configuration files in the directory including a XMLDefault.cnf.xml that at least partially resembles this one: (right click save as)
• You may have to disable “Ping First” on some phones, they try to get more than one IP.
• Set TFTP Security to STANDARD, in the image it says None, you will get an error.
• Make certain that the bind address is set to the correct interface.

• When done go to the DHCP tab
• Make sure a DHCP and DNS server are set. Under additional option set “150″ and make the IP the same as your TFTP server.

TFTPD32 DHCP Settings for Cisco 7970G

• Check for any settings that I may have missed and double check that everything is correct.

Here is the magic part.

• Unplug the phone.
• When the speaker light comes on hold down the # key.
• When you see line lights begin to cycle, let go of the # key.
• Once the cycle has completed once.
• Type in: 3491672850*#
• Make sure you type it right, if you mistype a single number, the phone will restart without eating the firmware.
• The phone will turn off, and the first line light will turn red.
• DO NOT UNPLUG YOUR PHONE NOW YOU WILL BRICK IT FOR REAL.
• The screen will go black and the phone will seem like it’s off for around five minutes.
• You should see the phone pull files from the TFTP server, the phone will first look for it’s SEP<mac>.cnf.xml file, and if it doesn’t find it, it will look for XMLDefault.cnf.xml
• If the files are correct the phone should boot up correctly flashed.

If you can’t make a call immediately or the phone says “Unprovisioned”, that’s okay. You are out of the woods for now, all you have to do is find the annoying little error in your config file.

Here is a Youtube Video of the resetting process. This is for a typically hard reset which means it will only be the same up to the point where you put in the numbers. THE NUMBERS AND AFTERWARD ARE DIFFERENT.

Method 2: You already have a network with Cisco 7960s or 7940s or other IP Phones.

If you have a CallManager server, try hooking it up directly to that, this is the best way to get the 7970G back in action. Once you have the SCCP firmware on you can try flashing to SIP again.

I’m going to assume since you are reading this you don’t need any instructions about how to do this:

1. DHCP Option 150 , no Option 66 won’t suffice, these phones are picky.
2. Gateway and DNS must be set
3. TFTP Server must have all the correct files and XMLDefault.cnf.xml in the root directory.
4. Follow the instructions above under “magic part”.

Voilà !

You’re phone should be up and ready to go. Well at least until you break it again. If you have trouble with the phone not taking a new configuration file at boot, post your config file and I’ll try to help you with it.

Oh no! My phone screen is black, nothing is working, I’m freaking out!

A few folks wrote in because their phones seemed more bricked than usual. One of these users who found a solution to his problem was kind enough to write up a little description of the issue and the solution. Here writes Scott from U of Toronto:

You've got it.  Here's the deal:

This situation can occur if the factory reset process is interrupted.  If the tftp server isn't up & running, if the power is cut, etc.

The reason why you can't put it back into factory reset mode seems to be because it's still in the process of the factory reset -- it's just been interrupted.  Other than the speaker light coming on the phone appears dead for all intents and purposes.  The screen won't come on or anything.

So what you do is you plug it in and leave it to find the firmware on tftpd32... eventually it resumes the reset process and pulls down the firmware from there.  If things aren't set up right on the server, the phone will never do it.

You can unplug the phone multiple times and it'll still continue this process... it's incredibly resilient in that way.

The only way to see that the phone isn't smoked is to watch the log viewer of the tftp server... it'll show the phone trying to get an IP.  This can take 5 mins or more.

So basically, you can interrupt the factory reset and pick it up again as long as all your ducks are in a row.

Hope this helps!

Scott

A lot of people I’ve spoken too have said two interesting things about this situation as well. The screen although apparently black, is still on. Read this post over at the trixbox forums. “SteveW” writes that if you use a high powered torch you can actually see motion on the screen. (Light torch, no flame please). I’ve heard on several occasionals but cannot confirm that CallManager can get the phones working almost instantly. I’d love to hear more info on this because it may be possible to learn what CM can tell the phones that would bring them right out of Recovery. It’d be interesting to see if we could mimmick that with standard tools.