How to Connect and Login to Cisco Physicals Phone
If you have a Cisco physical phone, this guide will help you understand how to set it up and log in using your SMU email account.
Keep in mind that your SMU email must be linked to a phone number and properly licensed before you can log in and make calls. Most SMU faculty and staff use the Microsoft Teams app on their mobile devices or computers for calling, so physical phones are less common.
Here are pictures of two Cisco phone models you might have. Although they look different, they function the same way:
How to Physically Connect the Phone with LAN Cables
There are two ways to connect your Cisco phone:
Method 1:
Connect an Ethernet cable from the designated port on the back of the phone to the designated Ethernet wall port.
Method 2:
Plug the phone into both the wall and your computer/docking station. In this setup, one cable goes from the phone to the wall, and another goes from the phone to your docking station or directly into your laptop’s Ethernet port (if available). In this case, the laptop will access the internet through the phone, meaning there's no direct connection between the computer/dock and the wall.
How to Log In to the Phone
1. Once the phone is connected to the network, a sign-in screen will appear similar to the examples shown in the pictures above.
2. On your computer, open a web browser and go to the website displayed on the phone screen.
3. Enter the unique pairing code shown on your phone to connect.
4. Sign in with your SMU email and password, and complete multi-factor authentication (MFA) if prompted.
After completing these steps, your phone should be ready for use.
Troubleshooting
No Sign-In Screen Appears:
If the sign-in screen with the website and pairing code doesn't show up, the phone may not be properly connected or the wall port may lack an internet connection.
Check the connections: Ensure the Ethernet cable is plugged into the correct port on both the phone and the wall.
Try both ports: If you're unsure which port on the phone to use, try switching between them, and also try both wall ports.
Second method troubleshooting: If using Method 2, make sure your computer is receiving an internet connection through the phone.
Phone Suddenly Loses Connection:
If the phone suddenly loses its dial tone or has other connection issues, unplug and re-seat the Ethernet cable between the phone and the wall. This will restart the phone.
Note: If using Method 2, disconnecting the phone will also temporarily cut off the internet connection to your computer.