NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

Last Updated: December 18, 2011

The NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP feature provides the ability to optimize the media path taken by a SIP VoIP session when NAT is used. NAT forces the VoIP traffic to take at least one extra hop in the network, which usually results in several additional hops being added to the path between two IP hosts.

The Message Digest 5 (MD5) algorithm is supported.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest feature information and caveats, see the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the Feature Information Table at the end of this document.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Information About the NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP Feature

Benefits of NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

  • The media path can be shortened, decreasing voice delay.
  • More control of voice policy is possible because the media path is closer to the customer domain and not deep within the service provider cloud.
  • Processes all packets sent through the NAT-enabled router, even those without the Session Description Protocol (SDP).

NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP Feature Design

Cisco IOS NAT will add the relevant translation information per SIP session within the SIP protocol messages. The SIP Application Layer Gateway support within Cisco IOS NAT will extract this translation information from the SIP packets and create NAT table entries.

The "piggybacking" of NAT translation information within the SIP call flows, the design of how users interact with the application when they talk to it, will allow the media path of a SIP VoIP session between two calling parties to take the optimized routing path between each other.

How to Configure NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

Configuring a NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP Messages Including MD5 Authentication

Perform this task to configure messages with a NAT optimized SIP Media path including MD5 authentication.

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router router-id [md5-authentication md5-authentication-key]


DETAILED STEPS
  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Router> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Router# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router router-id [md5-authentication md5-authentication-key]


Example:

Router(config)# ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router 100 md5-authentication md5-key

 

Enables messages with a NAT optimized SIP Media path including MD5 authentication.

 

Configuring a NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP Messages

Perform this task to configure SDP messages with a NAT optimized SIP Media path without MD5 authentication.

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router router-id


DETAILED STEPS
  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Router> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Router# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router router-id


Example:

Router(config)# ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router 100

 

Enables messages with a NAT optimized SIP Media path without MD5 authentication.

 

Configuration Examples for NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

Configuring a NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP Including MD5 Authentication Example

The following example shows how to configure a NAT optimized SIP media path without SDP including MD5 authentication:

ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router 100 md5-authentication md5-key

Configuring a NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP or MD5 Authentication Example

The following example shows how to configure a NAT optimized SIP media path without SDP or MD5 authentication:

ip nat piggyback-support sip-alg all-messages router 100 

Additional References

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

NAT commands: complete command syntax, command mode, command history, defaults, usage guidelines, and examples

Cisco IOS IP Addressing Services Command Reference

Standards

Standard

Title

None

--

MIBs

MIB

MIBs Link

None

To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco IOS releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/go/mibs

RFCs

RFC

Title

None

--

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1 Feature Information for NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP

12.4(2)T

The NAT Optimized SIP Media Path Without SDP feature provides the ability to optimize the media path taken by a SIP VoIP session when NAT is used. NAT forces the VoIP traffic to take at least one extra hop in the network, which usually results in several additional hops being added to the path between two IP hosts.

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Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.

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