Internal support hints

From VoIPmonitor.org


⚠️ Warning: This documentation is for the internal support team. Use at your own risk and test on non-production servers first.

Quick Reference

Testing Configuration

Override Settings with json_config

Override config file and database settings without editing files: 

voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 \
  --json_config='[{"id_sensor":"11"},{"interface":"lo"},{"natalias":"8.8.8.8 10.10.100.50"}]'

💡 Tip: Useful for quick testing of specific parameters. Options in json_config take precedence over config file and DB settings.

Regexp / Country / Billing Tests

Test Type Command
Regexp pattern voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 --test-regexp '^800...[1-9][0-9]'
Country by IP voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 --find-country-for-ip=102.140.68.113
Country by number voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 --find-country-for-number 0034*12345
Billing test voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 --test-billing test_data/billing

Billing test file format (CSV): 

# calldate,connect_duration,caller,called,sipcallerip,sipcalledip,[exp_price_op],[exp_price_cust]
2018-05-09 12:00,120,+4121353333,+41792826527,192.168.101.10,192.168.101.151,800,8

License Management

Task Command
Write channel stats to DB php /var/www/html/php/run.php saveCallStatistics
Check license details php /var/www/html/php/run.php checkLicense -v
Check max peak only php /var/www/html/php/run.php checkLicense -v | grep max_peak -A3 -B1
Get token from DB SELECT content FROM voipmonitor.system WHERE type='license token';
View license file cat /var/www/html/key.php

Auto-update license via cron (without processing alerts/reports): 

04 04 * * * root php /var/www/html/php/run.php runUpdateLicenseKey

Utility Scripts

Script Purpose Details
Parallel alerts Process alerts faster Enable in Settings → System Configuration → Advanced → Number of parallel tasks
Batch download Download >1000 audio files Bypasses GUI limit of 1000 CDRs
RAM control Prevent OOM killer Sets oom_adj_score for PHP threads
Probe backup Backup all probe configs Requires SSH access without password

Debugging

Charts Binary Crash

When dmesg or Apache log shows charts crash: 

charts-x86_64[7321]: segfault at 10 ip 0000000000412553...

Debug procedure: 

# Create debug folder
mkdir /tmp/vm_charts_parameters

# After GUI creates charts, test with saved arguments
/var/www/html/bin/charts-x86_64 -i /tmp/vm_charts_parameters/files

Memory Leak Detection (Jemalloc)

Compile Jemalloc

# Download from https://github.com/jemalloc/jemalloc
./autogen.sh
./configure --enable-prof
make && make install

Compile VoIPmonitor with Jemalloc

Edit config.h: 

#define HAVE_LIBTCMALLOC 0
#define HAVE_LIBJEMALLOC 1

Edit Makefile: 

# Change -O2 to -O0 (disable optimization)
LIBS = ${SHARED_LIBS} -ljemalloc

make clean && make -j8

Run with Jemalloc

Modify /etc/init.d/voipmonitor start section: 

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/local/lib/libjemalloc.so MALLOC_CONF='prof:true' /usr/local/src/voipmonitor --config-file $CONFIGFILE --pid-file $PIDFILE $ARGS

Generate Memory Report

# Install dependencies
apt install graphviz ghostscript  # or: yum install graphviz ghostscript

# Generate PDF report
echo 'jemalloc_stat_full' | nc 127.0.0.1 5029 > /tmp/je_prof
jeprof --show_bytes --pdf /usr/local/src/sniffer/voipmonitor /tmp/je_prof > je_prof.pdf

X88 Mode (Detailed Memory Debug)

For more detailed memory allocation info: 

cp -a /usr/src/voipmonitor-git /usr/src/sniffer-git-jemalloc-X88
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/local/lib/libjemalloc.so ./voipmonitor -k -v1 -c -X88
make clean && make

Run with extra verbose options: 

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/local/lib/libjemalloc.so MALLOC_CONF='prof:true' ./voipmonitor \
  --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf \
  -v 1,force_log_sqlq,memory_stat_ex,memory_stat_ignore_limit=100000,heapsafe

See: X88-memoryConsumptionDebug

Thread Debugging

Method Usage
Log thread CPU Add -v1,threads_cpu_log to command line
List threads nc 127.0.0.1 5029
Extended info Set sniffer_threads_ext=yes in config (requires compile with SNIFFER_THREADS_EXT true)

sniffer_threads options:

  • no_sort - don't sort by load
  • only_traffic - only threads with traffic
  • all - include unloaded threads
  • line - simple line output

SS7 Module Compilation

Requires Wireshark 3.2.

Edit config.h: 

#define HAVE_LIBWIRESHARK 1
#define LIBWIRESHARK_VERSION 30200

Edit Makefile: 

INCLUDE += -I/usr/include/wireshark
SHARED_LIBS += -lwiretap -lwireshark -lwsutil
# Change -O2 to -O0

./configure && make clean && make ss7

PCAP Testing

Basic Methods

Method Command
Basic upload voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -r /tmp/file.pcap
Via packetbuffer (fast) voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -rpbsa9: /tmp/file.pcap
Via packetbuffer (original time) voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -rpb: /tmp/file.pcap

IPFIX Testing

Receiver instance: 

ipfix = yes
ipfix_bind_ip = 0.0.0.0
ipfix_bind_port = 12345

Sender instance: 

voipmonitor --config-file=/etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 \
  --ipfix-client-emulation='/tmp/ipfix.pcap;1.2.3.4;8.8.8.8;127.0.0.1;12345'
# Parameters: pcap_file;client_ip;server_ip;dest_ip;dest_port

IPFIX PCAP Download Behavior

Key fact: IPFIX data is internally converted to packet format for processing. This means:

  • PCAP files CAN be downloaded from the GUI for IPFIX-sourced calls
  • SIP signaling is reconstructed from the IPFIX data
  • RTP streams are NOT included in the PCAP - only QoS metrics from IPFIX data are available, not actual audio packets

When downloading PCAP from IPFIX calls with TLS, TCP sequence numbers may be set to 0 causing Wireshark to display incorrectly. Disable TCP sequence analysis in Wireshark preferences to view all packets.

Tcpreplay

Enable in /etc/init.d/voipmonitor: 

ARGS="-v 1,dump_call_flags,tcpreplay"

Add Layer 2 if missing (for captures done on "any" interface): 

tcprewrite --dlt=enet -i /tmp/x.pcap -o /tmp/x_enet.pcap
tcprewrite --enet-dmac=00:55:22:AF:C6:37 --enet-smac=00:44:66:FC:29:AF \
  --infile=/tmp/x_enet.pcap --outfile=/tmp/x_l2.pcap

Rewrite IP addresses: 

tcprewrite --pnat=8.7.6.5/32:1.2.3.4/32 -i ./original.pcap -o ./rewritten.pcap

SSL/TLS Testing

voipmonitor --config-file /etc/test.conf -k -v1,pcap_stat_period=1,_ssl,_tls,_ssldecode \
  -rpba:/tmp/keys.pcap@@/tmp/call.pcap \
  --json_config='[{"sipport":"8089"},{"ssl":"yes"},{"ssl_ipport":"192.168.0.1:8089"},{"ssl_sessionkey_udp":"yes"},{"ssl_sessionkey_udp_port":"1234"}]'

For TLS details, see Tls.

Manager API

For complete reference, see Manager_API.

This section covers quick debug commands. For encryption setup and full command list, see the main article.

Via Manager Port (5029)

# These require encryption disabled OR use socket file
echo 'listcalls' | nc 127.0.0.1 5029
echo 'sniffer_stat' | nc 127.0.0.1 5029
echo 'jemalloc_stat_full' | nc 127.0.0.1 5029
echo 'sniffer_threads' | nc 127.0.0.1 5029

💡 Tip: For encrypted communication, use the GUI's run.php send_manager_cmd or Unix socket. See Manager_API#Usage Examples.

Via Server Port (60024)

Used in distributed deployments for probe management: 

# List connected clients
echo '{"type_connection":"manager_command","command":"active"}' | nc 127.0.0.1 60024

# Send command to specific probe
echo '{"type_connection":"gui_command","sensor_id":1011,"command":"terminating"}' | nc 127.0.0.1 60024

GUI Workarounds

Disable Sensor Logs Popup

ℹ️ Note: There is no built-in GUI option to disable the sensor logs popup shown at admin login.

Option 1: Periodic SQL update 

UPDATE voipmonitor.log_sensor SET confirmed = 1;

Option 2: Database trigger (permanent) 

DELIMITER $$
CREATE TRIGGER before_insert_log_sensor
BEFORE INSERT ON log_sensor
FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
    SET NEW.confirmed = 1;
END$$
DELIMITER ;

IonCube Crash Fix (Ubuntu 22.04 + PHP 7.4)

Symptom: ldap.so crash at login page (CVE-2024-8932).

Fix: 

# Backup
cd /usr/lib/php/20190902 && mkdir BKUP && cp -pv ldap.so* BKUP

# Download and extract fixed package
wget https://pl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/p/php7.4/php7.4-ldap_7.4.3-4ubuntu2.24_amd64.deb
ar x php7.4-ldap_7.4.3-4ubuntu2.24_amd64.deb

# Install and restart
cp -v ./usr/lib/php/20190902/ldap.so /usr/lib/php/20190902/ldap.so
systemctl restart apache2

Database Operations

Rename MySQL Database

Generate RENAME TABLE commands: 

SELECT CONCAT('RENAME TABLE ',table_schema,'.',table_name,' TO NEW_DB.',table_name,';')
FROM information_schema.TABLES
WHERE table_schema LIKE 'OLD_DB';

⚠️ Warning: Foreign keys may cause issues during rename.

Spooldir Testing

voipmonitor --config-file /etc/voipmonitor.conf -k -v1 --test-cleanspool-load all

Remote Support Access

customer prevents internet access

When internet is not reachable from the host You can use ssh tunnel and ssh's sock5 for proxyhttp to get repositories working i.e. connect with

on our server run: 

ssh -D 1080 root@localhost
ssh -R 1080:127.0.0.1:1080 user@CUSTOMER_IP

on client create bash skript and run 

export http_proxy="socks5h://127.0.0.1:1080"
export https_proxy="socks5h://127.0.0.1:1080"

Now http and https should be reachable from repos/curl/wget/GUI....


VPN Connection Issues

When support staff cannot connect to client VPN (Fortinet, etc.):

  1. Cause: Support IP not whitelisted on client firewall
  2. Solution: Client must add support staff's public IP to their VPN/firewall whitelist
  3. Note: This is client-side network administration, not a VoIPmonitor issue

ℹ️ Note: Don't confuse VPN network access with FortiToken 2FA (GUI authentication).

System Troubleshooting

TCP SACK (Buggy Kernels pre-2019/03)

echo "0" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/tcp_sack

Memory Speed Test

sysbench memory --threads=2 run
# Should be >5000 MiB/sec

Additional Resources

Topic Link
HAProxy config sample HAproxy configuration
Hugepages for high CPS voipmonitor and hugepages
Manager API reference Manager_API
Syslog status line Syslog_Status_Line
Ribbon SBC 7k TLS Ribbon7k monitoring profiles
Support email templates common body of support emails
IPACCOUNT feature ipaccount
DTLS decryption DTLS
Rocky 9 installation Rocky 9

IOPS testing: 

fio --name=rootTest --ioengine=libaio --rw=randwrite --bs=8k --numjobs=16 \
  --size=1G --runtime=600s --time_based --filename=/root/testW.dat


AI Summary for RAG

Summary: Internal support documentation for VoIPmonitor team covering testing, debugging, and troubleshooting procedures. Key topics: (1) Testing configuration with --json_config to override settings without editing files; (2) Testing regexp, country assignment, and billing; (3) License management commands (checkLicense, cron updates); (4) Debugging tools including jemalloc for memory leaks, X88 mode for detailed allocation, thread monitoring via sniffer_threads command; (5) PCAP testing methods (basic upload, packetbuffer, IPFIX emulation, tcpreplay with L2 addition and IP rewriting); (6) SS7/Wireshark module compilation; (7) Manager API commands on ports 5029 and 60024; (8) GUI workarounds including sensor logs popup disable (database trigger solution); (9) IonCube ldap.so crash fix for Ubuntu 22.04 + PHP 7.4; (10) VPN access troubleshooting (IP whitelisting on client firewall).

Keywords: internal support, json_config, testing, regexp, country assignment, billing test, license, checkLicense, jemalloc, memory leak, X88, sniffer_threads, SS7, wireshark, IPFIX, tcpreplay, pcap testing, Manager API, IonCube, ldap.so, Ubuntu 22.04, VPN access, IP whitelisting, sensor logs popup, log_sensor, database trigger, tcp_sack, sysbench, memory speed

Key Questions:

  • How to test configuration without modifying voipmonitor.conf?
  • How to test regexp patterns or country assignment?
  • How to check license channel usage?
  • How to debug memory leaks using jemalloc?
  • How to compile voipmonitor with jemalloc or SS7 support?
  • How to generate jeprof PDF memory report?
  • How to monitor thread load with sniffer_threads?
  • How to test IPFIX or replay PCAPs?
  • How to add layer 2 to PCAP for tcpreplay?
  • How to disable sensor logs popup in GUI?
  • How to fix IonCube ldap.so crash in Ubuntu 22.04?
  • How to resolve VPN connection issues for remote support?
  • How to disable TCP SACK on buggy kernels?
  • How to test memory speed with sysbench?
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