Nortel BCM400 + Wifi Phones?

[Dephcon]

I just started a co-op at a manufacturing company a few weeks ago, and I'm trying to talk my manager into doing as much cool shit as i can to get more experience. I've already got a proposal approved for buying gigabit switches to replace all existing ones (with fiber), which should be fun.

Anyway i got my boss a talkin' about their nortel phone system and how much he hates the Companion wireless phones system they have tied into it. He mentioned something about wanted to try wifi phones but never having the time to test it.

So my question is: Is there a module or software upgrade for a BCM400 to allow the use of wifi phones and tie them in like the companion phones (ie. rings at your desk phone and your wifi phone) using just standard phones lines, no voip. And if so, do you need to use some overpriced proprietary AP's or can you use pretty much any AP that can be configured to operate on the same signal as another one (for seamless ap transition?... I don't really know what I'm talking about)

Also, if anyones got some informative links aobut how this system works i'd appreciate that. According to my boss its kinda complected (he's not a phone guy).


Thanks!

 

[dan__wright]

to use 'wifi' phones your going to have to use Voip! have have soft phones on our bcm 400s, i tried to get one working on a ipaq with wireless but didnt get too far (although this was when i didnt know too much about the BCM) but yes it should be possible as the bcm supports one of the standard VOIP protocols (H.232? IIRC) aswell is its propitiatory one that the nortel sets use.

 

[Dephcon]

So would is it possible to use the Voip protocols for communication between the phones and the BCM, then have the BCM convert it to analog and send it out on a normal telephone line?

 

[randyc]

So would is it possible to use the Voip protocols for communication between the phones and the BCM, then have the BCM convert it to analog and send it out on a normal telephone line?

Kind of...?


The proper method AFAIK is to create a separate extension for the voip/wireless phones and then just make that a bridged call appearance to the users real extension.

I come from an Avaya background so terminology may be different, but the concept should not change.