Polycom PhoneOften the first steps to troubleshooting a Polycom IP phone is to make sure you have an up-to-date or the correct firmware loaded.  If you are trying to upgrade the firmware or factory default one or two Polycom phones, then the easiest way is to use Polycom’s provisioning server:

  1. Go to http://voipt2.polycom.com and follow their directions.

If you are working with multiple phones or need more control over the config files, the easiest  to  way upgrade is through a local TFTP server:

  1. First off you need a TFTP server, also known as, Trivial FTP server. You can find many programs on the internet but the one that we use in house PumKIN (PumpKIN Can be downloaded at: http://kin.klever.net/pumpkin/ )pumpkin-1
  2. The next step would be to gather all of the files you need to update your Polycom device.  You can check the compatibility of the firmware to your device and also download most releases at the Polycom SIP Software Compatibility Matrix.  Some of the latest firmware will only be available through us directly.  Please email support@thetelecomspot.com with your order number to receive the instructions for downloads.
  3. Create a folder called TFTP and place it on your C: Drive.  Unzip the downloaded files into this directory making sure the bootrom and sip files are listed in root of the C:TFTP directory
  4. Open PumpKIN up and click on Options.  Under the Server tab, change the TFTP file-system root to C:TFTP and Read Request Behavior to Give all Files.  Press OK and make sure all software firewalls are turned off or configured to allow access to PumpKIN on the host computer.pumpkin-2

Now that your TFTP server is running, we need to make sure the Polycom Unit is set up to search for TFTP updates.  On the unit itself (This process might be slightly different depending on the phone):

  1. Make sure the phone is connected to the same network as the TFTP server.
  2. Power on the phone and press the SETUP button when prompted.
  3. Enter the password of 456
  4. Scroll down to Server Menu and select
  5. Change the server type to Trivial FTP
  6. Change server address to the IP Address of TFTP Server you created (the IP Address of the PC running PumpKIN)
  7. Exit the menu, and the phone will prompt you to Save and Reboot, select OK.

Upon reboot, the phone will go through the boot process and display Uploading Bootrom on the screen.  It will reboot a couple of times after updating the rest of the files.  When the phone completes the process, it will display a welcome screen, which shows the current firmware version loaded.