Lab 15d: Optional Private Line Automatic Ring Down (PLAR) Connection

Cisco Voice Products

This section lists each Cisco voice-capable router and gives a brief description of its multiservice voice/data integration. We will cover the Cisco 1750, Cisco MC3810, Cisco 2600, Cisco 3600, and Cisco 7200 series routers.

The Voice Network Modules for the Cisco 2600 and 3600 series support up to two voice interface cards that come in three different types. Each of these provides a slightly different interface for connecting to different types of equipment:

• Foreign exchange office (FXO) ” The FXO interface is a connector that allows an analog connection to be directed at the central office of the PSTN. This interface is of value for an off-premises extension application. This is the only voice interface card that will be approved to connect to off-premises lines. This interface might be used to provide backup over the PSTN or for Centrex-type operations.

• Foreign exchange station (FXS) ” The FXS interface is a connector that allows connection for normal basic telephone service phones, fax machines, key sets and PBXs; it provides ring voltage, dial tone, and so forth. It is used where phones are connecting directly to the router.

• Ear and mouth (E&M) ” The E&M interface is a connector that allows connection for PBX trunk line (tie lines). It is a signaling technique for two- and four-wire telephone and trunk interfaces. This has been a popular interface for PBX extension-type applications.

Cisco 1750

The Cisco 1750 is a multiservice access router that uses Cisco IOS with QOS to provide voice/fax and data integration. The Cisco 1750 supports the same WAN interface modules as the Cisco 1600, 1720, 2600, and 3600 routers. The Cisco 1750 also supports the same analog voice interface cards and voice over IP technology as the Cisco 2600 and 3600 routers. The voice interface cards include support for FXO, FXS, and E&M.

Cisco 2600

The Voice over IP feature enables the Cisco 2600 and 3600 to carry voice traffic simultaneously with data traffic over an IP network. Voice over IP is primarily a software feature supporting both voice and fax calls. Support for the ISDN BRI signaling type allows a 2600 or 3600 to provide voice access connectivity to either an ISDN telephone network or a digital interface on a PBX/key system. The voice or data also crosses an IP network to which the router connects.

Cisco 3600

The Cisco 3600 supports Voice over IP, Voice over Frame Relay, and Voice over ATM (3640 and 3660), which allows voice traffic to be transported over existing WAN infrastructures , including ISDN, leased lines, ATM, and Frame Relay. Additional features include support for fax relay and interoperability with other H.323 applications.

Cisco MC3810

The key benefits of the MC3810 are voice and data integration. The MC3810 integrates LAN, synchronous data, legacy, voice, video, and fax traffic for transport over a public or private Frame Relay, ATM, TDM, and VoIP networks. The MC3810 optimizes network bandwidth by multiplexing voice and data on the same physical interface. The analog model of the MC3810 has 6 voice ports, and the digital model houses a single digital voice access port (T1/E1) of up to 24 compressed voice channels.

Cisco 7200

The Cisco 7200 series provides both enterprise and service provider customers with a choice of either a four- or a six-slot chassis. The 7200 provides service providers with the foundation for managed router and managed network services with multiservice for data, voice, and video integration. The 7200 extends the multiservice capabilities to support VoIP services, as well as voice-processing extensions such as voice compression and PBX signaling. The 7200 supports multiservice aggregation of lower-end or branch CPE applications for a cost-effective end-to-end solution.

Comparison of Cisco Voice-Capable Routers

In summary, the Cisco voice-capable routers that offer a high level of multiservice voice/data integration include the following:

• The Cisco 1750 offers voice/fax/data integration.

• The Cisco MC3810 provides an end-to-end multiservice solution for VoFR, VoATM, and VoIP.

• The Cisco 2600, 3600, and 7200 support VoFR, VoIP, and VoATM.