Phybridge UniPhyer

The Phybridge UniPhyer is a Layer 2/3 Ethernet appliance that provides a complete parallel voice network over existing telephone cabling. The solution allows for a non-disruptive, quick and easy way to deploy IP telephony and Unified Communications (UC) applications. The Phybridge UniPhyer comes in 24 and 48 port models. The Phybridge PhyAdapters are common to both models. It is necessary to have one PhyAdapter for every active port on the Phybridge UniPhyer.

Phybridge solutions are available through our Distribution Partners. Our list of distributors is constantly growing, please visit the http://www.phybridge.com/buy-ip-phonex.aspx for a detailed list or contacts and contact information.

There is no other solution on the market that enables VoIP and Unified Communications applications to be run on two wire legacy telephone cabling with all power provided by the central bridge unit.

12 month replacement warranty is standard. 24 and 48 month PhyCare extended warranty options are available at time of purchase.

12 month replacement warranty is standard. 24 and 48 month PhyCare extended warranty are available at time of purchase.

Multiple manufacturers, VARs and vendors have tested the Phybridge UniPhyer.

Yes. Any IP PBX device is supported as the Phybridge UniPhyer is configured as a layer 2 switch.

The UniPhyer will work with both Multi Mode Fiber (MMF) and Single Mode Fiber (SMF). MMF uses different light frequencies, is for lower cost applications and for short distance runs (is used within a building or campus - 100 Mbit/s up to 2 kms and 1000 Mbit/s up to 500 meters. The UniPhyer will work for both of these network rates for voice bandwidth. The GBIC modules are MMF specific and use a lower cost technology. Single Mode Fiber (SMF) is for higher precision, longer distance applications (more costly for cable and module technology used), 10 to 80 kms applications typically, MMF is orange cable, SMF is yellow cable. The UniPhyer will work with both SMF and MMF, the limitation is in the GBIC module (rate).

The UniPhyer is configured to have a default minimum connection rate of upstream 175 kbps and downstream 2.5 Mbps. The PhyAdapter will not connect to the UniPhyer unless these connection rates are met. This ensures that the necessary bandwidth for VoIP grade voice quality is available for each port.

Yes. Each PhyAdapter can power one IP device (all Class 2 and some Class 3). Some IP phones do allow additional IP devices plugged into them, like a laptop computer, allowing multiple network devices to function off the single PhyAdapter connection. (Note: For the daisy chaining configuration you may require additional Earth ground on the UniPhyer; please consult the UniPhyer Hardware Installation Manual.)

The Phybridge UniPhyer has two types of network connections, one for Management and one for the Uplink traffic, each configurable to a separate domain. The voice traffic is isolated to the GBE Uplink Network ports; in-band management of the UniPhyer is available through this port, or it may be kept isolated. The MGMT port may also be used for monitoring the UniPhyer; this port operates independently of the Uplink ports.

Yes. Both GBE ports support straight through or cross over cables. The straight through cable is recommended.

Yes, traffic between the UniPhyer and PhyAdapter and network ports support full duplex.

The Phybridge UniPhyer supports SNMP messaging on some UniPhyer statistics. The .MIB file is available our website.

The Phybridge UniPhyer provides power over the PhyAdapter’s RJ45 port, the voltage provided is IEEE 802.3af compliant.

The per port signaling connection rates between the PhyAdapter and the UniPhyer are:Length of wiring, wiring quality and wiring environmental conditions for the two wires between the UniPhyer and PhyAdapter can affect both upstream and downstream signaling rate. The minimum signaling speed is 175 kbps upstream and 2.5 Mbps downstream. The signaling rate includes transport overhead, the effective data rate is 80 to 85% of the signaling rate.

The RJ45 port is a 10/100 Mbps Full Duplex Ethernet port that provides IEEE 802.3af compliant voltage to an IP device connected to the RJ45 port.

Yes. The Phybridge PhyAdapter supports Ethernet devices that are IEEE 802.3af compliant. The connection rate is 10/100 BaseT. The Phybridge UniPhyer supports 10/100/1000 BaseT connections on GBE copper and fiber ports.

The PhyAdapter consumes a maximum of 2.5 W.

The PhyAdapter can operate in areas with ambient temperature from 0 to 40 degrees C. The PhyAdapter does not operate above ambient temperature and should be located in an area that gets air circulation.

The UniPhyer can operate in areas with ambient temperature from 0 to 50 degrees C.

Yes. Any IP PBX device is supported as the Phybridge UniPhyer is configured as a layer 2 switch.

All Class 1 and Class 2 and some Class 3 IEEE 802.3af compliant IP devices are supported.

Based on the IEEE 802.3af standard: Operational testing is required to determine if the Class 3 IP device you have will work in your unique network topology (the longer the two wire length, the less power is available to the IP device.) First, please verify the manufacturer's IP device power consumption specification, if it is less than 10.6 W then you may be able to use a standard PhyAdapter, you will need to test your IP device in the final network topology to ensure the line power draw and IP device power draw does not exceed the 10.6 W. A quick test is to plug the IP device into the PhyAdapter and put the IP device into maximum power consumption. For an IP phone this is usually the ringing state (maximize the ring volume), if the phone does not restart or shut down then your IP device and line load is drawing less power than the 10.6 W maximum. The UniPhyer limits the current drawn on the RJ45 PoE port. If the power draw of the IP phone (device) and line length exceeds the power that can be provided by the UniPhyer for the IP phone, then it may not power up or will reset during operation. To recover, unplug the RJ45 cable from the PhyAdapter. If the problem persists re-test the same IP phone at a very short cable length to verify that problem is related to the IP phone drawing more than the maximum rated at the desired line length.

Yes. Video conferencing requires between 300 and 400 kbps. Verify with your video phone VoIP device manuals the recommended minimum data bandwidth required. Now check your connection rate of the PhyAdapter through the WEB GUI under the ADSL Interface menu (ADSL -> Data & Inventory -> Op Data-Channel (OP)) to ensure the minimum rate is achieved.

The UniPhyer is the only component that requires connection to a power source. The PhyAdapters and IP devices plugged into the PhyAdapters receive their power from the Phybridge UniPhyer. The Phybridge UniPhyer is a complete PoE solution; no local power pucks or adapters are required for the PhyAdapter or for the IP device plugged into the PhyAdapter.

VLANs are not required when deploying the UniPhyer. The UniPhyer and PhyAdapters act essentially like a “physical” VLAN, this is done by isolating the IP voice traffic to the parallel voice network provided by the UniPhyer system. The UniPhyer has a default configuration of VLAN 1 with all untagged configuration. This will pass all untagged VLAN traffic or remove the tag from VLAN 1 for data to and from the UniPhyer and PhyAdapter. If you need to configure your IP phones to work with any fixed VLANs (because you may already be using VLANs on your corporate data network), then you will need to configure the UniPhyer to handle this VLAN traffic. This requires changing the bridging configuration on the GBE ports and each PhyAdapter port to. Sample UniPhyer database configuration files are available with VLAN configured.

The default configuration of the UniPhyer is as a bridge. Because of the point to point topology of the PhyAdapter to the Phybridge UniPhyer, customized QoS configuration is not normally required. The UniPhyer does support some layer 3 switch and QoS configuration options (such as VLAN or Spanning Tree). Please consult the WEB GUI manual for more details. An understanding of networking protocols and QoS is required to make configuration changes. In most instances network configuration is not required.

The UniPhyer does not support the CDP or LLDP messaging protocols. The CDP messages are passed through the Phybridge UniPhyer and PhyAdapters. LLDP messages are not responded to and not passed on through the UniPhyer.

The Phybridge UniPhyer may be physically installed in the server room or telephone closet prior to use. Ensure the UniPhyer will have adequate air flow. Connect Earth ground connection if required. An Earth ground connection is not normally required with the  PhyAdapter, however when more than six PhyAdapters that have multiple IP devices are connected (in daisy chained mode) to any single UniPhyer, then that UniPhyer requires an Earth ground connection. Before powering the UniPhyer, ensure all legacy digital sets and legacy PBX equipment is disconnected from the two wire infrastructure to be used. Prepare RJ21 female connection to the Line interface. You may be able to directly disconnect your RJ21 cable from your PBX line card to the UniPhyer (all lines connected in single Amphenol cable bundle) or you may need to prepare a new separate RJ21 line bundle with selected lines punched down from the two wire infrastructure.

Mount the UniPhyer in desired location. Unplug your legacy telephone system (digital phones and PBX) from the two wire infrastructure that will be connected to the UniPhyer. Warning: the UniPhyer can damage legacy equipment if it is left connected. Connect AC cable and optional ground connection, turn on the UniPhyer. Connect UniPhyer Line Interfaces to the prepared Female RJ21 Connectors from the two wire infrastructure. Install cable with ferrite. Connect the Phybridge UniPhyer GBE1 port directly to the IP PBX or selected Ethernet switch. Connect the PhyAdapter to the RJ11 connection at desired wall locations. Connect the chosen IP phone to the RJ45 port on the PhyAdapter. The chosen IP phones will register with the IP PBX. Use your new IP telephony system (or optional PC port from IP phone). The default UniPhyer configuration is set up for the daisy chaining of the GBE ports. If you want to set up a redundant network topology for the Phybridge UniPhyer, please refer to the Phybridge UniPhyer manuals or www.phybridge.com for configuration information. Installation videos are available here: http://www.phybridge.com/ip-phones-installation.aspx

The UniPhyer comes from the factory with a default configuration that provides basic functionality without any additional programming. The Phybridge UniPhyer may be configured to customize operation for you unique deployment (IP address, bridging configuration, ADSL configuration). Please read the UniPhyer WEB GUI and Hardware Installation manuals before attempting to change any configuration. If problems occur, reset the Phybridge UniPhyer to its factory default from the GUI (in the Maintenance > Database menu).

Default user name: admin

Default password: admin

Default IP addresses:
192.168.100.1 GBE IP Address
192.168.1.1 MGMT IP Address

Please try the default user name and password (admin/admin). If this does not work then contact Phybridge Tech Support. WARNING: It is a complicated and costly process to recover the factory default passwords if you have forgotten your passwords. Please ensure you keep the passwords stored in a safe place.

First try the default addresses (MGMT 192.168.1.1 and GBE 192.168.100.1). Second, the management (MGMT) port could have been configured for DHCP, plug in the UniPhyer MGMT port to a DHCP server to see if it resolves an IP address. (Note: the MGMT port requires a cross over Ethernet cable or to be plugged into a network port that supports auto MDIX). If these do not work then you will need to connect a PC to the MGMT port. Start a network monitoring software (like Wireshark) and monitor the MGMT port. The Phybridge UniPhyer will send out 'arp' requests, the source address of the 'arp' requests indicate the IP address of the MGMT port.

The Green port LEDs represent a specific port’s connection link status between the UniPhyer and the PhyAdapter.

The top left LED represents the CONNECTION link status between the UniPhyer and the PhyAdapter. The top right LED represents the NETWORK (Ethernet) link status between the PhyAdapter and the IP phone/device.

The UPS allows the materials to be switched to emergency battery power for up to several minutes or longer in case of electrical problems, including; power line disturbances, outages, overvoltage, under-voltage, voltage spikes and lightening. To determine more accurate UPS power requirements you should determine the following:

How much power the UniPhyer and PhyAdapters consumes (with line loss)? The LB-UA2324 draws an operational maximum of 76 W, The LB-UA2348 draws an operational maximum of 130 W, Each PhyAdapter draws an operational maximum of 2.5W (multiply this by number of ports used).

How much the IP devices consume (with line loss? This is dependent on your unique deployment, two wire line length, wire gauge used, IP devices used and will be difficult to calculate an exact value.

How long you want to keep your network to remain up?

The length of electrical protection by a UPS is expressed in VA (Volt-Ampere). Generally, for electrical protection during a 10-minute power outage, you must have a UPS with a capacity that is equal to the power of all the materials connected to the UPS multiplied by a factor of 1.6. Consult UPS product documentation for required rating needed to maintain your parallel voice network and IP devices operational. It is recommended to test your UPS system to ensure that it will perform as desired under operational load. (Note: At the initial power up the maximum power consumption can exceed the operational maximums as there is an initial in rush current during the power up of PhyAdapters and IP devices). (Note: A simplified fully populated maximal power consumption for the UniPhyer, PhyAdapter, IP devices and line loss to use is 720 W for the LB-UA2348 and 430 W for the LB-UA2324. As per FCC label 240V at 3 A and 1.8 A respectively).

The Phybridge UniPhyer and PhyAdapter are designed to work with 24 and 26 AWG (American Wire Gage) wiring. If you were previously successfulusing a legacy TDM based PBX (digital phones and PBX) on the same wiring infrastructure, then the UniPhyer and PhyAdapter will function up to 1200 feet distance.

Yes. The UniPhyer provides up to 54V DC on a single pair. This voltage can potentially damage some digital and legacy phone equipment. Please ensure all old legacy phones are disconnected from the wiring infrastructure before you power up the Phybridge UniPhyer.

The best location for the PhyAdapter is as close to the RJ11 (standard telephone jack) connection as possible; on the wall next to the RJ11 wall plate or near the RJ11 jack in a cubicle. It is recommended to have the PhyAdapter in a place where there is reasonable airflow.

A female connector on your RJ21 cable is required to connect the RJ21 cable to the Phybridge UniPhyer Line Interface.

Yes. Both GBE ports support straight through or cross over cables. The straight through cable is recommended.

Yes. The MGMT port requires an Ethernet Cross over cable. If the network or PC device connected to the MGMT port supports Auto MDIX then a straight thru cable should work.

The Phybridge UniPhyer can be seen on the network. The Phybridge UniPhyer can be configured with an IP address for in-band management (on GBE ports). The Phybridge UniPhyer can be configured with an IP address on the MGMT port for out-of-band management. The PhyAdapter does not have a MAC address and acts as a bridge for the device plugged into the RJ45 port. It is not accessible from the network. Once an IP device is connected to the PhyAdapter it will be fully manageable as it is now on the network.

The rates are displayed from the WEB GUI in the ADSL -> Data & Inventory -> OP Data, select the Channel option and desired port. This displays the signaling upstream (NE US) and downstream (FE DS) rates.

The DSL connection rate is a signaling connection rate. There is signaling overhead to transmit the network traffic data.

The PhyAdapter requires no configuration.

There could be multiple reasons, including wiring problems, short on wiring, problem with the UniPhyer port, or a problem with the PhyAdapter. Please see the Hardware Installation manual for details on how to troubleshoot this problem.

There could be multiple reasons, wiring problems, distance from the UniPhyer, damaged PhyAdapter, a damaged port on the UniPhyer. Please see the Hardware Installation manual for details on troubleshooting connection problems.

Yes, you can connect non-PoE devices like a PC as long as the device is IEEE 802.3af compliant.

No. The PhyAdapter requires a straight through Ethernet cable for the IP device.