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Cisco CP-7912

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The Cisco CP-7912 is probably one of the easier Cisco phones to reflash and get configured. In fact, after spending hours wrestling with 7940s, 7960s and 7970s, this one was a breath of fresh air. The phone itself is very simple, uncomplex and surprisingly SIP friendly. I think Cisco might have started out with a nod towards compatibility with this phone before pulling away the carrot.’

Only complaint, no speaker phone, only “monitor mode”. Which sounds great, but they can’t hear you.

To reflash this phone you’re going to need:

1. DHCP Server
2. TFTP Server
3. cmterm-7912-8.0.0-sip.cop
4. XMLDefault.cnf.xml configured for the 7912. (make sure you right click save target as, else your browser will try to parse the file)

I’m going to steal a few bits from my Cisco 7970G Guide you can always use whatever TFTP server and DHCP server you like as long as you have the ability to set the DHCP options manually. Here we are goign to use tftpd32, it has both a tftp and dhcp server inside.

To start make a folder on the desktop, I named mine CP-7912.

Extract the cmterm-7912-8.0.0-sip.cop with 7zip or WinRAR. If the archiver doesn’t automatically detect it’s extractable when you right click. Add a .gz to the end, it’ll figure it out.

Now you should have:

• cmterm-7912-8.0.0-sip.cop
• cmterm-7912-8.0.0-sip.cop.gz
• copstart.sh
• CP7912080000SIP060111A.sbin
• load30007_sip.txt
• XMLDefault.cnf.xml

<loadInformation30007 model="IP Phone 7912">CP7912080000SIP060111A</loadInformation30007>

It’s important you add the loadInformation30007, a common mistake is to adde <loadInformation8> because the file already has Cisco 7960 firmwares inside. This number comes from the load30007 text file, and is therefore important.

Next let’s configure TFTPd32

Firstly, determine how you are going to connect your 7912 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.
3. The switch option works 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, or whatever underground ftp site you found.

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)
• Set TFTP Security to STANDARD, in the image it says None.
• Make certain that the bind address is set to the correct interface.

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TFTPD32 Configuration

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

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TFTPD32 DHCP Settings for Cisco 7912

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

Now it’s time to boot up the phone. Watch the logs. With any luck it should boot up, and try to pull it SEPMAC.cnf.xml then give up and move on to XMLDefault.cnf.xml. When it sees that file it should download CP7912080000SIP060111A.sbin and reboot. If as its rebooting you see the phone look for gkMAC then gkdefault.cfg, your phone is successfully reflashed.

If it isn’t try restarting it a couple times, double check your TFTP settings and make sure the phone is detecting your TFTP server. You may have to go into Network Settings and enable alternate TFTP server. Typically you can do this by moving to the option then pressing **# to unlock it, then typing in the TFTP server address. The most common problem though is an error in the XMLDefault.cnf.xml file.

This will get the phone reflashed, you’ll have to write the configuration on your own. However one of the neat things about these phones is that you can register it from the handset. Unlike it’s newer and more expensive cousins this phone let’s you provision by hand.