Zephyr/IP Connection Server

The Z/IP Server works hard to help your Z/IPs connect to eachother, traverse NATs and firewalls, handle dynamic IP addresses, provide geolocation services and current status of other Z/IPs. It does all of this without requiring you to even know about it. You simply assign a name to your Z/IP and you're ready.

Telos provides the Z/IP server at no additional cost. A value added service requiring no additional hardware purchases or the need of complicated software. With fail safe redundancies such as back up power, multiple IP connections, and backup hardware, the Z/IP Server solves the problems found with public IP and mobile data services. If you don't want to use the Z/IP Server, it will also work on closed intranets, satellite links or other networks that are not connected to the Internet. When you are able to connect to the internet, the Z/IP Server will give you an enhanced experience.

Dial By Name Functionality

Although you can dial a call by directly entering an IP address, this is not always convenient. IP addresses are not that easy to remember, dynamic ones are always changing. This is why the Zephyr/IP allows you to dial by name. Once you assign your Z/IP a unique name, others can always call you using this name. The process looks like this:

When a Z/IP registers with the server, the server keeps track of it's name and current IP address. When another device decides to call, it asks the server for the current IP address of the other unit. Once the server reports back this information, the calling Z/IP can contact the other end directly. This happens on the fly so you don't need to worry about IP reassignments.

You can browse the server directory right from your Z/IP. Wildcard and phoenetic (soundex) searches allow you to find the device you're looking for if you don't remember the exact spelling. You're in complete control over how your Z/IP appears in the directory.You may list your Z/IP as "visible to all", "visible only to others in the same group" or "hidden". While hidden, your Z/IP does not appear in the directory but it is still reachable by your Z/IP's name and group.

The state of the other Z/IPs in your "Group" (or speed dial list), is also available. This way you know if the other Z/IP is online, offline or busy before you attempt the call. This information is continously updated so it is always current.

Overcoming Firewalls and NATs

Network Address Translation devices (NATs) are a fact of life with the Internet. They are convenient because they allow you to share a single public IP address. The problem is that the devices sharing the address are no longer easily reachable from the outside. They generally also have built in firewalls. If you have control over your NAT, and know what "port forwarding" is, skip to the next section. Otherwise, all you need to know is that the Z/IP takes care of the NAT and Firewall traversal for you. During the registration process the server helps the Z/IP figure out if it is installed behind a NAT.

The server also tells the Z/IP about the NAT type detected. When it's time to make a call, the Z/IPs exchange this information and intelligently traverses the NAT. This allows the Z/IP to work without any user intervention or special configuration on your part. When both ends of a call are behind very restrictive NAT, it is not possible to establish a direct path. In this case, the Z/IP Server makes the connection possible acting as a media relay to exchange the audio between the end units.

Real-Time Network Status

The Z/IP helps you understand current network conditions by displaying information such as the link quality, packet loss, and average bitrate. You can also see the number of network hops taken by the audio packets and the delay for each hop. The Z/IP displays this information as a visual trace route on a world map along with the city name for each hop. The map zooms in to the area of the call. All of this is facilittated by the Z/IP Server.