How to Set Up a Router Phone / 3CX SBC for Remote & WFH Employees

Working from home (WFH) or working remotely has become the norm. But what if you still want to use your office IP Phone without the hassle of configuring each one individually?

The solution is Router Phone or 3CX SBC (Session Border Controller). This feature lets an IP Phone outside the office stay connected to the 3CX system with a more stable and secure connection.

Let’s take a look at how it works and how to set it up.

What Is a Router Phone? #

A Router Phone is a specific IP Phone that acts as a gateway for several other IP Phones on the same network.

In other words, you only need to turn one phone into a Router Phone, and the other IP Phones will connect through it. That means you don’t need to do complicated configuration on every single phone.

This feature is a great fit for:

• Employees working from home (WFH)
• Branch offices with several IP Phones
• Locations where a Raspberry Pi- or Mini PC-based 3CX SBC isn’t practical

What Is a 3CX SBC? #

A 3CX SBC (Session Border Controller) is an application that connects a local network to the 3CX server through a single encrypted connection.

While Router Phone uses an IP Phone as the gateway, an SBC uses dedicated hardware such as:

• Raspberry Pi
• Mini PC
• Windows
• Linux

Both serve the same purpose: making communication between IP Phones and the 3CX server more stable while reducing NAT or firewall issues.

IP Phones That Support Router Phone #

Not every IP Phone can be turned into a Router Phone.

Some commonly used series include:

• Yealink T31G
• Yealink T42U
• Yealink T46U
• Yealink T54W
• Yealink T57W

Make sure your phone’s firmware supports the Router Phone feature so the configuration goes smoothly.

How to Set Up a Router Phone #

Here are the steps for configuring a Router Phone in 3CX.

1. Prepare the IP Phone #

Make sure the phone:

• Has an internet connection
• Is running the latest firmware
• Has been successfully provisioned from the 3CX server

2. Enable Router Phone Mode #

Go to the 3CX Admin Console, then:

• Select Extensions
• Open the extension that uses the IP Phone
• Go to the Phone Provisioning section
• Enable the Use as Router Phone option

Save your changes.

3. Connect the Other IP Phones #

Once the Router Phone is active, connect the other IP Phones to the same network.

During provisioning, the devices will automatically use the Router Phone as their communication path to the 3CX server.

4. Restart the Devices #

Restart all the IP Phones so the latest configuration takes effect.

If everything worked, all devices will show up as Registered in the Admin Console.

Benefits of Using a Router Phone #

Using a Router Phone brings several benefits, such as:

Simpler setup #

Only one device acts as the gateway. The other phones don’t need complicated network configuration.

Great for WFH #

Employees can use their office IP Phone from home without setting up port forwarding or a VPN.

More stable connection #

All communication to the 3CX server travels through a single, more efficient path, lowering the risk of connection disruptions.

More cost-effective #

No need to buy a Raspberry Pi or Mini PC just to run an SBC if you don’t have that many phones.

When Should You Use a 3CX SBC Instead? #

If a single location has a lot of IP Phones, a 3CX SBC is usually the better choice.

For example:

• Branch offices
• Warehouses
• Customer service centers
• Call centers

Router Phone, on the other hand, works best when there are only a few phones at home or in a small office.

Tips Before You Set It Up #

To make sure the setup goes smoothly, check the following:

• Use the latest IP Phone firmware.
• Make sure your internet connection is stable.
• Use a device that actually supports Router Phone.
• Don’t turn off the Router Phone while other IP Phones are still relying on it.
• Always provision through the 3CX Admin Console to keep the configuration in sync.

Conclusion #

Router Phone is a practical solution for connecting several IP Phones to a 3CX server without additional hardware. It’s especially helpful for remote or WFH employees, since installation is simpler, the connection stays stable, and implementation costs are lower.

Meanwhile, as the number of devices at a single location grows, a 3CX SBC will deliver better performance. By choosing the solution that fits your needs, business communication stays smooth no matter where your team is working from.