diff --git a/fern/advanced/sip/troubleshoot-sip-trunk-credential-errors.mdx b/fern/advanced/sip/troubleshoot-sip-trunk-credential-errors.mdx
index fa43fe560..a3134046b 100644
--- a/fern/advanced/sip/troubleshoot-sip-trunk-credential-errors.mdx
+++ b/fern/advanced/sip/troubleshoot-sip-trunk-credential-errors.mdx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ This error occurs during the gateway creation step of SIP trunk provisioning. Va
**In this guide, you'll learn to:**
- Identify the three most common causes of SIP trunk credential validation failures
+- Understand when hostnames work (outbound) and when they don't (inbound)
- Resolve hostname-vs-IP, inbound-flag, and IP-allowlist issues
- Verify your gateway configuration against the full parameter reference
@@ -30,21 +31,26 @@ Before you start troubleshooting, ensure you have:
- Your SIP provider's server address, username, and password
- Access to your SIP provider's admin panel (to check IP whitelisting)
-## Using a hostname instead of an IP address
+## Using a hostname for an inbound gateway
This is the most common cause of this error.
### What happens
-Vapi's API accepts both hostnames (for example, `sip.example.com`) and IPv4 addresses (for example, `203.0.113.10`) in the `gateways[].ip` field. However, the underlying SBC only accepts IPv4 addresses. When you provide a hostname, the SBC rejects the gateway configuration.
+The `gateways[].ip` field accepts both hostnames (for example, `sip.example.com`) and IPv4 addresses (for example, `203.0.113.10`). However, the behavior differs depending on the call direction:
+
+- **Outbound gateways** — Hostnames and IPv4 addresses both work. Vapi resolves the hostname when routing outbound calls to your SIP provider.
+- **Inbound gateways** — Only IPv4 addresses work. The SBC needs a numeric IP address to match incoming SIP requests to your trunk. When you provide a hostname with `inboundEnabled: true`, the SBC rejects the gateway configuration.
### How to check
-Look at the value you passed in `gateways[].ip`. If it contains letters (for example, `sip.example.com`), it is a hostname. The SBC needs a numeric IPv4 address instead.
+Look at your gateway configuration. If `inboundEnabled` is `true` (or omitted, since it defaults to `true`) and the `ip` field contains a hostname (for example, `sip.example.com`), this is the cause of the error.
### How to fix
-Resolve the hostname to its IPv4 address, then use that IP directly.
+You have two options depending on whether you need inbound calling:
+
+**If you need inbound calling**, resolve the hostname to its IPv4 address:
@@ -76,7 +82,7 @@ Replace the hostname with the numeric IPv4 address in your gateway configuration
"ip": "203.0.113.10",
"port": 5060,
"outboundEnabled": true,
- "inboundEnabled": false
+ "inboundEnabled": true
}
]
}
@@ -86,10 +92,27 @@ Replace the hostname with the numeric IPv4 address in your gateway configuration
- Always use the IPv4 address, not the hostname. If your provider's IP changes,
- you need to update the gateway configuration.
+ If your provider's IP address changes, you need to update the gateway
+ configuration with the new address.
+**If you only need outbound calling**, you can keep the hostname and disable inbound:
+
+```json title="Gateway configuration"
+{
+ "provider": "byo-sip-trunk",
+ "name": "my sip trunk",
+ "gateways": [
+ {
+ "ip": "sip.example.com",
+ "port": 5060,
+ "outboundEnabled": true,
+ "inboundEnabled": false
+ }
+ ]
+}
+```
+
## Inbound enabled on an outbound-only trunk
### What happens
@@ -157,7 +180,7 @@ The table below lists all available options for each entry in the `gateways` arr
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
| -------------------- | ------- | --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `ip` | string | (required)| IPv4 address of your SIP gateway. Must be a numeric IP address, not a hostname.|
+| `ip` | string | (required)| IPv4 address or hostname of your SIP gateway. Hostnames work for outbound-only gateways. Inbound gateways require a numeric IPv4 address.|
| `port` | number | `5060` | SIP signaling port. |
| `netmask` | number | `32` | Subnet mask for inbound IP matching. Valid range: 24 to 32. |
| `inboundEnabled` | boolean | `true` | Whether this gateway accepts inbound calls. Set to `false` for outbound-only trunks. |