Summary
This article will guide you through the initial steps of setting up your VoicePulse FIVE account portal. Completing the steps in this article will result in your VoicePulse FIVE account being correctly configured for Outbound calling. After successfully making an outbound call, you should proceed with Getting Started 2: Configuring a PBX trunk to connect to your FIVE Gateway. Once "Getting Started 1" and "Getting Started 2" have been completed, you should configure your account for Inbound calling by using the last guide, Getting Started 3: Configuring your FIVE account to receive Inbound calls.
This article assumes that you have already registered for your FIVE account and have successfully logged into your portal. If you have not yet registered with VoicePulse FIVE click Register.
Step 1: Create an Organization
An Organization is the top administration layer of your VoicePulse Five account. Your Organization will handle the billing for all related VoicePulse FIVE Gateways you create and is where any payment, billing or user management takes place.
After logging in, the first screen you will see is the Organization creation page. Click on the "Create New Org" button toward the top of the page as seen in the picture below. You will be taken to a new screen to name your Organization. Once you have entered a name click the "Create" button.
(figure 1.a)
Your new Organization should appear in the grid as seen in the picture below. If you do not see your Organization in the grid, click refresh on the page.
(figure 1.b)
Selecting the Organization will make this Organization your "Active Organization". To select an Organization, click the select button to the right of your Organization in the grid, as seen in the image above. You can now manage your new Org by click on "Manage Organization" in the left hand menu and continue to add and configure the other necessary VoicePulse FIVE objects.
Step 2: Create a Gateway
A Gateway represents the connection between VoicePulse and your SIP Endpoint. While your Organization is the top administration layer for your account, the Gateway is the top layer for the SIP trunking part of your account.
Your SIP Endpoint (e.g. PBX, SIP Phone, etc) will send calls to your VoicePulse FIVE Gateway hostname and your VoicePulse Trunks and Endpoints will be directly related to a Gateway.
(Figure 2.a)
From the left hand menu click "Gateways". This will bring you to the screen above.
Click "New Gateway" and you will be brought to the page as seen below.
(Figure 2.b)
Enter a name (for display only) and a hostname for your Gateway then click the "Save" button.
This hostname will be where you register your SIP endpoint and send your outbound calls. You will see the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) in the next step (Create an endpoint).
*Note: Your hostname can be any lowercase alphanumeric string, but most use company name or domain name (without the .com, .net etc). While the site may accept a hostname with special characters, it could cause an issue when you try to register. Stick with just alphanumeric characters to be on the safe side.
After clicking "Save" you should see your Gateway in the grid as in the image below.
(Figure 2.c)
Step 3: Create an Endpoint
A VoicePulse FIVE Endpoint represents your actual SIP Endpoint (e.g. PBX, SIP Phone, etc). When you create a VoicePulse FIVE Endpoint you are choosing how you want to authenticate your SIP Endpoint to your VoicePulse FIVE Gateway.
There are two authentication methods;
IP authentication (Most Secure/Recommended)
If your SIP Endpoint has a static public IP address, we recommend using IP authentication. IP authentication is easier to configure, doesn't require registration and only allows calls to be made from the allowed IP address.
Credential authentication (If IP authentication is not an option due to a dynamic IP)
Credential authentication requires you to create a username and password that will be used to authenticate your SIP Endpoint with your VoicePulse FIVE Gateway. This should be used only if your endpoint IP address is not static.
*Note: With credential authentication calls will not be restricted by IP address.
From the left hand menu click "Endpoints". This will bring you to the Endpoints page as seen below.
(Figure 3.a)
Click "New Endpoint". This will bring you to the Endpoint edit page as seen in the images below.
Configuring your Endpoint for IP Authentication
This first image is how your endpoint will look if you are setting it up using "IP Authentication". If you are setting up your Endpoint using "Credential Authentication" you can skip to that section below.
In the drop down at the top select the Gateway we created in the previous step.
Name your Endpoint, again this is just for display on the portal.
Select the State nearest to you under the "Closest DataCenter" drop down.
After selecting the DataCenter you can see the FQDN of your hostname.
In the image below we have selected "Virginia" as the "Closest DataCenter".
This causes our hostname to be mycompany2.dca.proxy.voicepulse.com
Had we selected "California" the FQDN would be mycompany2.sfo.proxy.voicepulse.com.
The next section give you a few options to set.
E164: Selecting this will send inbound calls to your PBX or SIP Endpoint using the full 11 digits of your inbound number.
In most cases you can leave this off which will send the call as just the 10 digit number.
Use 011: Turn this on if you will be sending VoicePulse 011 prefixed on your international calls.
*Note: If you leave this off you will need to strip the 011 from your International calls in the "Dialed number manipulation" section of your PBX SIP Trunk.
If you do not plan to make international calls, you can leave this off.
Under IP address, Enter the Public IP address that your PBX will be sending traffic from.
Under UDP Port, Enter the "Bind Port" or the "Listening Port" configured in your PBX.
*You are responsible for any and all calls made from this IP address*
Configuring your Endpoint for IP Authentication
In the drop down at the top select the Gateway we created in the previous step.
Name your Endpoint, again this is just for display on the portal.
Select the State nearest to you under the "Closest DataCenter" drop down.
After selecting the DataCenter you can see the FQDN of your hostname.
In the image below we have selected "Virginia" as the "Closest DataCenter".
This causes our hostname to be mycompany2.dca.proxy.voicepulse.com
Had we selected "California" the FQDN would be mycompany2.sfo.proxy.voicepulse.com.
The next section give you a few options to set.
E164: Selecting this will send inbound calls to your PBX or SIP Endpoint using the full 11 digits of your inbound number.
In most cases you can leave this off which will send the call as just the 10 digit number.
Use 011: Turn this on if you will be sending VoicePulse 011 prefixed on your international calls.
*Note: If you leave this off you will need to strip the 011 from your International calls in the "Dialed number manipulation" section of your PBX SIP Trunk.
If you do not plan to make international calls, you can leave this off.
If you wish to use Credential authentication, make sure the "Use IP Authentication" checkbox is unchecked and enter a Username and Password for your SIP Endpoint.
Take note of the username and password as you will need this when configuring your SIP Endpoint. You will not be able to see the password again once saved. You will need to enter a new password if this is lost or forgotten.
Note: This username and password is what allows an outbound call be be completed using your VoicePulse Five account. Create a strong username and password and keep these credentials and the PBX on which they are entered secure.
*You are responsible for any and all calls made using these credentials*
(Figure 3.b)
Once you have finished with the settings above, click "Save".
You will be taken back to the Endpoints page. You should see your Endpoint in the grid as seen below.
Step 4: Create a Trunk
A Trunk represents a connection from your VoicePulse FIVE Gateway to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). From here you can choose to Allow Inbound and/or Outbound calling for your trunk and how many channels (simultaneous inbound/outbound calls) you wish to allow.
From the left hand menu click "Trunks". This will bring you to the Trunks page as seen below.
(Figure 4.a)
Click the "New Trunk" button toward the top of the screen as seen in the above image. This will bring up the "Create Trunk" page as seen below.
(Figure 4.b)
Enter a name for your Trunk (for display only), decide whether you wish to allow Inbound calling, Outbound calling, or both for this Trunk, select how many channels (simultaneous inbound/outbound calls) you wish to allow, and select the Gateway you created above from the drop down. Click the "Save" button.
Your Trunk should now show in the grid as seen below.
Step 5: Configure your PBX
With an Organization, Gateway, Trunk, and Endpoint created you are now ready to test outbound calling through your FIVE account. You now need to configure your SIP Endpoint to connect to your FIVE Gateway using the authentication method chosen when you created your Endpoint. Continue to the next article in this series Getting Started 2: Configuring a PBX trunk to connect to your FIVE Gateway for help configuring your PBX.
You can also continue to the last article in the series Getting Started 3: Configuring your FIVE account to receive Inbound calls if you would like to allow Inbound calling on your FIVE account. We recommend completing "Getting Started 1" and "Getting Started 2" and successfully completing a test Outbound call before continuing to "Getting Started 3".