For companies who need a high level of data security, the SonicWALL firewalls are good security devices. There are some configuration "gotchas" that can pose problems for VoIP users, however:
The first thing those considering the SonicWALL firewalls should know is that the firewalls come configured with two levels of the SonicOS software:
- SonicOS Basic and SonicWALL Enhanced
SonicOS Basic is the default operating system provided on the TZ series firewalls, and is designed to provide security for data services such as E-mail, Web, and Remote Access servers. SonicOS Basic does not provide easy Quality of Service (QoS) controls or wizards for handling VoIP traffic. If you are using SonicOS Basic, your best option for getting the best QoS is to disable the SonicOS security and connection tracking controls for any connections on any protocol to FeatureTel's Session Border Controller (SBC). SonicOS Basic is the default OS provided with the SonicWALL TZ 160, 170, and 180 firewalls.
SonicOS Enhanced provides more capable and customizable controls for both QoS and security, including a VoIP QoS Wizard. Unfortunately, SonicOS Enhanced does not include any direct, out-of-box support for the SCCP or MGCP VoIP protocols used by FeatureTel. QoS for these VoIP protocols may have to be programmed manually. SonicOS Enhanced is an add-on upgrade to the TZ 160, 170, and 180 series firewalls; it is the default OS for the TZ-190 series firewalls.
If you have or are considering purchasing a SonicWALL firewall, please keep this information in mind. Even though FeatureTel cannot provide direct configuration assistance for SonicWALL firewalls or the SonicOS at this time, we can provide up-to-date protocol and port information that you or your firewall administrator can use to configure a SonicWALL firewall to work with the FeatureTel VoIP service.
If you have any questions, please contact the FeatureTel Support Desk via phone or e-mail…
