A5120 PoE Settings and Cisco 7841s

[L1nklight]

We have a backwards process where we record statements from customers. This process is usually done by using a Plantronics MX10 with input/outputs run through a desktop PC for audio. The audio is recorded by the computer and put into MP3 format. 

We recently moved from Avaya digital phones to Cisco PoE 7841s and everything is working great with the exception of the recorded calls process. When the audio input/outputs get hooked up to the PC, the phone draws too much power and cuts out. I am using the default PoE configuration on all my A5120s, but I was trying to figure out what the default power level is for the "Max-Power" option and if there is any merit in increasing the "Max-Power" value to prevent the phones from cutting out.

The alternative is that we have to purchase 120 power bricks for our PoE phones to suppliment the power for the 1 or 2 recorded statements our phone jockies have to record.

[L1nklight · Accepted solution]

Just to add a little bit of information to this, the max-power option simply adds a ceiling to the power any port can supply. Typically phones use cdp/lldp to request a certain amount of power. The issue I am running into is that the way I have the hardware configured doesn't work because the phones don't actually know they need more power so they never send the request to the switch for more power. This was shown by displaying the power outputs on the ports by using the command "disp poe interface gi x/x/x".

Anyway, my particular problem I was attempting to address cannot be resolved by manipulating power settings on the 5120. This can be disregarded.