To set up the Vodia PBX on Google Cloud, start by creating a VM instance in Google Cloud's Compute Engine - choose a region, zone and a compatible operating system, like Debian. Once the instance is running, configure firewall rules to allow essential ports, such as 80, 443 and SIP-specific ports (5060/5061) to enable communication. Use SSH to install the Vodia PBX by downloading and executing the installation script. After installation, configure the Vodia PBX login, then adjust IP routing settings to recognize the Google Cloud NAT by specifying internal and external IPs. This setup helps you effectively run the Vodia PBX in a cloud environment with secure, remote access and full functionality.
In this blog, we will cover the basic steps for setting up the Vodia PBX with Google Cloud. If you don’t have a google account, you can sign up at https://cloud.google.com/ and get $300 to spend on Google Cloud Platform over the next 12 months!
Once you have access to your Google Cloud, navigate to (Compute Engine) to create a VM.
Click on create
Setting up your VM
Name Your instance (lower case) no spaces
Choose your region and zone
Machine configuration (choose General-Purpose)
Building your instance
Choose your operating system (for this tutorial we are using Debian). You can use Windows or any other Linux flavor.
Service Account (Choose Compute Engine default service account)
Access Scope (Choose Allow default access)
Firewall Setting (Choose Allow HTTP traffic and Allow HTTPS Traffic)
When done, click create.
Running instance
Now that the VM is running, Google has provided us with internal IP and external IP addresses. These IP addresses will be assigned to the Vodia PBX to determine the audio packets.
Edit the firewall
Next, we are going to set up the firewall on Google Cloud.
Click on your instance as shown below.
Next, scroll down to (Network details) and click on (View details)
In the right-hand panel, choose (Firewall rule).
Create Firewall Rules
Click on (default-allow-internal)
Change the IP source address from to 10.128.0.0/9 to 0.0.0.0/0 and save.
This will take care of the following ports:
80 (TCP)
443 (TCP
5060 (UDP)
5061 (TCP)
RTP Ports 49152- 64512
LDAP Ports 2345-2346
Installing the Vodia PBX Phone System
To install the Vodia PBX, we need to log in with SSH. To do this, click on the SSH drop down and choose (open in the browser window).
Allow login only from listed address ( is optional)
Save the password in a safe place
Behind NAT
Since Google Cloud is behind NAT, we need to program the Vodia PBX to use the external IP address of the VM. The (IP Routing list) in the Vodia PBX is used to override the operating system IP routing table (this setting will be consulted by the system before consulting/using the operating system).
To check your internal/external IP address, click on the three-line icon and scroll down to (Compute Engine).
In this example, my internal IP is 10.150.0.2 and my external IP is 35.236.234.40
Vodia Sales Engineer Eric Altman participated in a strategic planning meeting in Washington, DC, with BCM One, SIP Trunk, Cove Central, and elite resellers to discuss joint strategies and goals for 2025. As a trusted partner of these organizations and a member of the Cove Central Technology Alliance Partner Program (TAPP) since November 2023, Vodia continues to build on its strong industry relationships. The meeting highlighted opportunities for collaboration and innovation, aligning with Vodia's 2019s recent milestone: the certification of the Vodia PBX for Microsoft Teams. Announced in November, this certification enables businesses to enhance their Teams ecosystems with critical functionalities such as SIP trunk call routing and VoIP endpoint connectivity.
Transportation companies require robust communication tools that go beyond standard features. By integrating the Microsoft-certified Vodia PBX with MS Teams, businesses gain essential functionalities like overhead paging, emergency calling, priority routing, and failover solutions. This powerful combination ensures seamless connectivity between drivers, dispatchers, and office staff, even in remote areas. With its ability to integrate with vehicle systems and non-Teams-compatible devices, the Vodia PBX transforms communication for logistics companies, enhancing safety, productivity, and customer service. It empowers transportation businesses to maintain 24/7 operational efficiency, even in the most demanding scenarios.
Vodia’s 2024 recap highlights several key milestones, including the certification of our PBX for Microsoft Teams, which will shape the direction of our platform moving forward. We’re addressing areas where Teams falls short, particularly through SIP interoperability. In addition, our efforts to integrate Realtime AI via APIs have shown great progress, with exciting advancements planned for 2025. We’ve also made significant improvements to our PBX interface, transitioning to the more modern Tailwind framework, and launched a native Android app. iOS improvements are also in the pipeline. With AI set to transform telephony, Vodia is positioned to lead the way, bringing AI-driven capabilities to enhance productivity in 2025.
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