Design
Product colour	Black, Grey
Network
Ethernet LAN data rates	10,1000,100 Mbit/s
Power
Input voltage	100 - 240 V
Input frequency	50 - 60 Hz
Security
DoS attack prevention
VLAN support
Weight & dimensions
Width	296 mm
Depth	160 mm
Height	51 mm
Weight	670 g

The Audiocodes Mediant 500L is a Hybrid Session Border Controller (E-SBC) and Media Gateway, developed for small businesses and branch offices. It serves as a compact, powerful VoIP connectivity solution, connecting IP-PBX systems with SIP trunking service providers, while simultaneously enabling flexible integration between TDM and VoIP networks. The device supports up to 60 simultaneous SBC sessions and offers up to 8 TDM sessions, making it suitable for both migrating from analog to IP-based systems and integrating existing TDM infrastructures into modern IP networks. The Hybrid functionality enables a step-by-step transition, reduces acquisition costs, and minimizes space and energy requirements. The device is designed in a compact 1U format, with a width of 296 mm, depth of 160 mm, and height of 51 mm, and weighs 670 g. The product color is Black and Grey.

Applications

The Mediant 500L is designed for use in small businesses and branch locations where reliable and secure VoIP connectivity is required. It is particularly suitable for environments undergoing migration from analog telephone systems to IP-based systems, as it supports both SIP and TDM connections. The Branch Survivability function ensures that local calls remain possible even in the event of a WAN connection failure, which is crucial for maintaining communication continuity in branch offices. Additionally, the device offers a PSTN failover function with E911 support to ensure emergency calls remain available during network outages.

Functions and Equipment in Detail

The device features 4 BRI interfaces (Basic Rate Interface), serving as digital telephone interfaces and usable for connecting to ISDN networks. These interfaces support both NT and TE termination, enabling integration into existing TDM networks. Additionally, 4 Fast Ethernet LAN ports are available, which can be operated in a 1+1 redundancy configuration or as individual ports. The Ethernet ports support data transfer rates of 10, 100, and 1000 Mbit/s, enabling flexible network integration. The SIP interworking functions include 3xx-Redirect, REFER, PRACK, Session Timer, Early Media, Call Hold, and Delayed Offer, enhancing compatibility with various SIP platforms and IP cloud services.

Technology Explained Simply

The Mediant 500L functions as a Session Border Controller (SBC), acting as a security and switching platform between different VoIP networks. It protects the internal network from cyberattacks, DoS and DDoS attacks, eavesdropping attempts, fraud, and service denial. The VLAN support enables separation of data traffic on both physical and logical levels, isolating different media, control, and OAMP interfaces. The Voice Quality and SLA functions include Call Admission Control, Packet Marking (802.1p/Q, DiffServ, TOS), Transrating, RTCP-XR, acoustic echo absorption, dynamic jitter buffer control, packet loss compensation, and silence suppression. These functions ensure optimized voice quality and reliable service delivery. The Direct Media function enables hair-pinning of local calls, avoiding unnecessary media delays and bandwidth consumption.

Compatibility and Accessories

The device is designed for connection with SIP trunking service providers, SIP platforms, and IP cloud services. It supports various transport protocols such as SIP over UDP, TCP, TLS, IPv4, and IPv6, as well as RTP/SRTP (SDES). The signal conversion includes DTMF, RFC 2833/SIP, T.38 Fax, and T.38 V3, ensuring compatibility with various telecommunications standards. The NAT traversal functions support both local and remote NAT traversal, enabling connections with remote workers. The header manipulation is performed using a simple, Wireshark-like language, allowing modification, addition, or deletion of SIP headers and message bodies. The digit manipulation is performed on both incoming and outgoing sides to adapt number formats.

Mounting and Installation

The device is delivered in a 1U format and can be mounted in standard 19-inch racks. Installation requires connecting the 4 BRI interfaces to the TDM network and connecting the 4 Ethernet ports to the local network. Power supply is provided via an external power adapter, included in the delivery scope. The input voltage is 100–240 V at a frequency of 50–60 Hz, enabling worldwide use. Configuration is performed via a web-based user interface accessible over HTTPS, as well as via SSH and other management protocols.

Operational Advantages

The Mediant 500L offers high resilience through local branch survivability and PSTN failover function, ensuring communication continuity. The scalability through support for up to 60 sessions and 200 registered users makes the device suitable for growing businesses. The security functions such as DoS/DDoS protection, VoIP firewall, TLS, SRTP, HTTPS, SSH, and SIP digest authentication protect the network from unauthorized access and attacks. The interoperability with various SIP platforms and IP cloud services simplifies integration into existing IT infrastructures. The voice quality optimization ensures clear and reliable voice transmission, even under challenging network conditions. The centralized control via SIP registration, authentication, and transport mediation enables centralized management of VoIP connections.