Setting Quality of Service (QoS)

Information about the importance of Quality of Service (QoS) in VoIP and tips on how to increase call quality.

Martin avatar
Written by Martin
Updated over a week ago

This article provides tips on how you can improve call quality by implementing voice packet prioritization using Quality of Service (QoS).

User Level:

  • System administrator


Why is QoS important?

All networks are limited in some capacity. However, network traffic can affect some applications more drastically than others. A webpage experiencing a spike in users may just take a few extra seconds to load. Apply this to phone traffic, though, and the result is missed information on one or both sides, dropped calls, and choppy audio.

QoS attempts to avoid this problem by prioritizing some traffic over others—routers and network gateways can be configured to recognize certain IP addresses, for which they will dedicate bandwidth and control for jitter and latency.

Keep in mind that bandwidth is just one factor contributing to call quality. The stability of your internet network is very important too!

Setting QoS on a Capable Router

Quick Tips

  • Enable voice packet prioritization if you can.

  • Give priority to voice packets using the DSCP tag with the value 46 (EF 101110). This tag is carried by all packets coming in and out of the CloudTalk app.

  • Use our reference tables below for IP ranges and port prioritization.

  • Set up all relevant addresses that correspond to your location.

  • Avoid using a VPN. If you must use one, try excluding voice traffic using the IP's below.

Example Steps

Each router comes with different configurations and network limitations. The following steps are meant as a loose guide for what the process might look like.

  1. Log into the admin account of the router's interface.

    • Look for the information sticker on the router (usually on the bottom) which lists the wifi password and other information.

    • There will be an IP address labeled something like "Setup" with a username and password. Open a browser tab and enter the address, logging in with the username and password.

    • You can set up QoS rules from your router's interface using the media server IP addresses below. You should set up all of the relevant addresses that correspond to your location.

  2. Find Configure > Content, Wireless (if applicable), or Advanced Settings.

    • Every router will be different, but usually one of these categories will contain QoS Settings.

    • If you have searched everywhere to no avail, the router may not be equipped for QoS—contact your ISP to be sure.

  3. Set up a QoS rule.

    • In the QoS section, find a button that enables you to Set up a QoS Rule and assign priority to a certain type of connection.

    • Look for the possibility to enter specific IP addresses. Refer to the tables in this article for CloudTalk IP addresses and required open ports (for more advanced port allocation within servers).

    • In case the router does not allow this level of specification, it is still worth implementing voice packet prioritization if you can.

  4. To test more advanced settings like reserved input/output bandwidth, our general recommendation for audio traffic only is 100 kbps per phone call (upstream and downstream).

    • Estimate how many simultaneous calls may be occurring at peak hours within your business, and factor in other CloudTalk actions which could be happening simultaneously—integrations, contacts, dashboard, etc.

  5. Save changes and reboot the router.


Tables of CloudTalk Open Network Ports

These are the reference tables of IP addresses to prioritize within your router and allow through your firewall and/or antivirus software.

Signaling

Ports

Protocols

5060

TCP / UDP

5061

TCP / UDP

443

TCP

IP Addresses

52.28.149.110

3.126.196.144

3.123.54.137

3.126.228.141

18.185.153.45

3.125.239.119

Media IP Addresses

All addresses in the table below follow UDP protocol and require ports 20000-60000 open.

IP Address

Required Open Ports

18.184.229.204

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.184.39.118

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.196.5.150

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.192.27.156

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.185.1.221

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.159.223.190

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.159.231.138

20000 - 60000 / UDP

54.93.46.18

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.158.171.97

20000 - 60000 / UDP

34.226.162.125

20000 - 60000 / UDP

52.205.212.227

20000 - 60000 / UDP

3.224.54.77

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.235.86.80

20000 - 60000 / UDP

3.211.114.146

20000 - 60000 / UDP

54.167.125.223

20000 - 60000 / UDP

54.197.244.243

20000 - 60000 / UDP

54.82.115.180

20000 - 60000 / UDP

13.250.189.114

20000 - 60000 / UDP

18.139.9.30

20000 - 60000 / UDP

122.248.207.25

20000 - 60000 / UDP

13.239.177.218

20000 - 60000 / UDP

13.54.42.132

20000 - 60000 / UDP

52.63.20.145

20000 - 60000 / UDP

Set firewalls and antivirus software not to block or inspect our domain .cloudtalk.io on ports 80 and 443.


Need more assistance? Don't hesitate to contact our Support team. We're always happy to help!

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