This article describes how to assign and manage devices on the UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT platform.

Why do I need to assign a device?

Devices should be assigned to a user or resource before connecting to your network to ensure proper configuration and functionality. If a device is connected before being assigned, it must be rebooted after assignment.

A device must be assigned to a user or resource to be fully managed in UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT and to place and receive calls. Some configuration options will not appear in Control Panel until the device is assigned.

Important: Each user should have no more than five devices assigned, including UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT Desktop and Mobile applications. Exceeding this limit may cause registration and other issues.

Assigning UNIVERGE BLUE® supplied devices

Note: These instructions are for UNIVERGE BLUE® supplied devices. For assigning your own VoIP hardware, see the Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) article.

To assign a device ordered from UNIVERGE BLUE® to a user, follow these steps:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the name of the device you want to assign (matching MAC/Serial Number).
  5. On the General tab, click on Assign user & edit 911 location link.
  6. Select the user to whom the device will be assigned.
  7. Verify and update the address information for emergency services as needed. For more details, refer to the Emergency 911 Policy and Information.
  8. Check the I have read and understood the 911 Policy and limitations box.
  9. Click Assign User to complete the assignment.

To assign a device ordered from UNIVERGE BLUE® to a resource (Resource or Fax resource), follow these steps:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Resources & Utilities tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the Resource or Fax Resource name.
  5. Switch to the Devices tab and click  Assign new green button.
  6. Select an available device from the Device dropdown.
  7. Ensure the E911 address is current and correct.
  8. Check the I have read and understood the 911 Policy and limitations box.
  9. Click Assign device to complete the process.

Mass device assignment

To assign devices in bulk, follow these steps:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the  Assign multiple users button.
  5. On the Step 1. Download template, click on the  Download template button to get the .csv template file.
  6. Fill out the template following these guidelines:
    • Include devices that can be assigned to users, such as desk phones and handsets linked to a phone base.
    • Only users can be assigned devices (resources cannot be assigned).
    • MAC address is required for desk phones; Serial Number is required for handsets.
    • Fields for Device model and Warranty are optional and can be left blank.
    • The User email field is required; if a device is not assigned to a user, remove the line from the .csv file.
    • For MAC or Serial Numbers containing only numbers, format the cells as "Fraction" to avoid issues. Verify the file's accuracy by opening it in another program like Notepad.
  7. On the Step 2. Upload file, click on the Choose file button to upload the completed .csv template file.
  8. Click Start assignment button to initiate the process.
  9. The assignment process will begin, taking you to the Assignment status page. Click  Refresh list to update the status. Click on an assignment line to view detailed status information per device.
  10. If the process takes a long time, or if you need to check the status later, you can find the assignment history under Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT > Devices >  Bulk processes status.
  11. Once complete, the results will show either Completed or Done with errors. Click  Download errors to correct mistakes and retry.

Reassigning a device to a different user

To reassign a device:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the name of the device you want to reassign (matching MAC/Serial Number).
  5. On the General tab, click on Change user & edit 911 location link.
  6. Select the new user's name from the dropdown.
  7. Check the box for I have read and understood the 911 Policy and limitations.
  8. Click Assign user to finalize the reassignment.

Note: When unassigning NEC hardware, record the Web Credentials, as they are needed for a factory reset, which is recommended when moving, unassigning, or reassigning the device.

Managing existing devices

Time Zones

To adjust the time zone for a device:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Select the device you want to manage.
  5. On the General tab, find the Time zone section.
  6. Select the desired time zone.
  7. Click Save changes at the bottom of the page.

Note: Time zone configuration is unique for each phone and does not follow the user settings.

Audio

To change the codec priority:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Select the device you want to manage.
  5. On the General tab, find the Audio section.

In this section, you can also manage audio security. Options include No Encryption, TLS, and Secure Voice for SRTP with TLS, ensuring a Secure SIP solution.

To enable Secure SIP for all devices:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Settings tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. On the General tab check the Secure SIP option.
  5. Click Save changes button.

Display

To modify the phone's display:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Select the device you want to manage.
  5. On the General tab, find the Display section.
  6. Select the information to display: Username, company, text, extension, or phone number.

Line Keys and Expansion Panels

For detailed instructions on managing Line Keys and Extension Panels, read the Knowledge article on Managing Device Line Keys.

How to change the MAC address of the phone

To swap one phone with another of the same make and model by changing the MAC address:

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the device, which MAC address you want to change.
  5. On the General tab, enter the new MAC address.
  6. Click Save changes to update the MAC address in Control Panel.

Note: This change only updates the record in Control Panel; it does not alter the hardware device's MAC address.

How to access the web interface of the phone

Note: Custom credentials provide advanced configuration access. Be cautious, as some changes can make the device inoperable.

All changes you make via the Device web interface could be reset. All Control Panel settings would be saved in this case and the device will be rebooted. If you want to revert changes back check 'I want to reset all settings, I made with Device control panel'.

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the device.
  5. Under the Settings section, find the Web interface line and click Get credentials link to obtain the login and password.
  6. Find the phone's IP address using the following methods:
    • Cisco phones:  Settings > Network > Current IP.
    • Yealink desk phones: Menu > Status > check IPv4.
    • Polycom IP series: Menu > Status > Network > TCP/IP Parameters.
    • Polycom VVX series: Home > Settings > Status > Network > TCP/IP Parameters.
    • Fanvil desk phones: Menu > Status > IPv4.
  7. Enter the IP address into your web browser's address bar and press Enter.
  8. Use the credentials obtained in Step 5 to log in to the WebUI.

How to copy settings from one device to another

Note: Settings can only be copied between devices of the same make and model.

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the device.
  5. On the General tab, click  Copy settings from another device at the top of the screen.
  6. Select the settings to copy, choose the device from which to copy the settings, then click Copy settings > Confirm.

Share settings with other devices

Note: Settings can only be shared with devices of the same make and model.

  1. As an admin, log in to Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Services > UNIVERGE BLUE® CONNECT on the top of the screen.
  3. Select the Devices tab on the left navigation pane.
  4. Click on the device.
  5. On the General tab, click  Share Settings to other devices at the top of the screen.
  6. Select the settings to share, choose the devices to receive the settings, then click Copy settings > Confirm.

FAQ

Question: What settings can be copied/shared?

Answer: Line keys, audio codec priority, phone display, custom settings.

Note: The first line key (Line 1) is never copied. Settings are copied exactly as they are set, including voicemail access for specific users.

Question: Which devices can copy/share settings?

Answer: All supported devices with a user assigned can copy/share settings. The device should be purchased from UNIVERGE BLUE® or configured as Enhanced BYOP.

Note: The following devices do not support copy/share options:

  • ATA devices (Fax adapters)
  • Cordless bases and handsets (Yealink W52P/H, W56H, W60B, etc.)
  • Unsupported devices
  • Devices without a user assigned

For more information, read the Knowledge article on Supported/Unsupported Devices.

Question: What are custom settings?

Answer: Custom settings are unique configurations set for the device(s) via support requests or manually, such as:

  • Screensaver Timeout
  • BLF Audio/Visual Notifications
  • VLAN tags and priorities
  • Call Waiting Tones
  • Custom forwarding
  • Ringtones
  • Corporate Directory, etc.

Question: Can settings be copied/shared between different device models?

Answer: No, settings cannot be copied or shared between different device models.

Question: How many devices can settings be shared with at once?

Answer: You can share the settings with up to 10 devices.

Question: Will expansion module settings be copied between different devices?

Answer: Not at this time.

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Article ID: 15239

Last updated on: 07/28/2025 08:32 AM

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