ZyXEL Communications V501-T1 - Manual (Page 187)

Chapter 11 SIP Account Setup
V500 Series User’s Guide
187
When you use SIP to make a VoIP call, it originates at a client and terminates at a server. A
SIP client could be a computer or a SIP phone. One device can act as both a SIP client and a
SIP server.
SIP User Agent
A SIP user agent can make and receive VoIP telephone calls. This means that SIP can be used
for peer-to-peer communications even though it is a client-server protocol. In the following
figure, either A or B can act as a SIP user agent client to initiate a call. A and B can also both
act as a SIP user agent to receive the call.
Figure 134 SIP User Agent
SIP Proxy Server
A SIP proxy server receives requests from clients and forwards them to another server.
In the following example, you want to use client device A to call someone who is using client
device C.
1 The client device (A in the figure) sends a call invitation to the SIP proxy server (B).
2 The SIP proxy server forwards the call invitation to C.
Figure 135 SIP Proxy Server