EHS Hookswitch Cables: Complete Compatibility Guide

Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) lets you answer and end calls remotely from your wireless headset — no mechanical lifter needed. The catch is that EHS only works if your phone has the technology built in, and the specific cable you need depends on your exact phone model, your headset's generation, and your headset brand. This is the master reference: find your phone below to get the exact cable.

Last updated July 2026

What is EHS, and do you need it?

EHS stands for Electronic Hook Switch. It lets your wireless headset base communicate directly with your desk phone — pressing the answer button on your headset tells the phone to go "on" or "off" hook electronically, the same job a mechanical lifter does by physically raising the handset, but with no motor or moving parts to wear out.

Plantronics EHS cables by phone model

A note on older vs newer headset generations

Several Plantronics EHS cable families come in two versions — one for older headset generations, one for newer — and they are not interchangeable:

• APP-5 works with older Plantronics models (CS50, CS55, CS70, CS351, CS361, including the "N" variants); APP-51 works with the newer CS500 series and Savi WO/W700 series. You cannot use an APP-51 with an old CS55.
• APC-4 works with the same older models (CS50, CS55, CS70, CS351, CS361); APC-41 works with the newer CS500 and Savi WO/W700 series.
• APC-45 is a special case — it only works with Cisco/Linksys SPA 512G, 514G, and 525G2 phones, and only with the newer CS500/Savi WO/W700 headset generation. It will not work with older headset models at all.

For Avaya, the same generational split applies: the 9600 and 1600 series typically use the APV-6A/APV-63 pairing, while most other Avaya phones use APV-6B/APV-66 — though there are model-specific exceptions, so confirm your exact phone before ordering.

The APN-91 (for NEC DT330, DT730, DT750 phones) follows the same rule — it works only with the newer Plantronics CS500 and Savi W700 series. There is no equivalent EHS cable for the older CS50, CS55, CS70, CS351, or CS361 models on these NEC phones; a mechanical lifter such as the HL10 is the only option for those older headsets.

The APU-72 replaced the earlier APU-71 for the same set of Cisco (8811, 8961, 9951, 9971) and Avaya/Nortel (1120E, 1140E, 1150E, 1165E) phones. As with all EHS cables, confirm current availability with our team before ordering, since Plantronics/Poly EHS parts occasionally go in and out of stock.

The APC-82 covers a specific gap: the Cisco 8941, 8945, and 8945G need this adapter rather than the standard Cisco EHS cable, connecting to the headset port on the back of the phone. For phones fitted with a 7914 expansion module, plug the module into the phone's AUX connector, connect the APC-43 control connection into the expansion module, then use a 40287-05 adapter to extend the audio input to reach the phone's headset jack.

ShoreTel, Allworx, and Toshiba: a ring-alert sensor, not EHS itself

ShoreTel, Allworx, and Toshiba phones are a distinct case, because electronic hook switch is already built into the phone itself — you can answer and end calls remotely on these phones with a compatible wireless headset with no extra cable at all. What you won't get without an add-on is an audible signal that the phone is ringing, since the headset itself has no way to know a call is coming in until you're already within earshot of your desk phone.

The Plantronics RD-1 solves that specific gap. It's a ring sensor, not a true EHS cable — its ring-detect pad sits on the phone's speaker, sensing the vibration when it rings, and sends a signal to your wireless headset that beeps in your ear to alert you. Because ring detection is its only job, it's priced well below a full EHS cable. It's genuinely optional: without it, remote answer already works on these phones, you just need to already be near your desk to know a call has come in.

Compatible phones:

• ShoreTel: IP100, IP212K, IP230, IP230G, IP265, IP420, IP480, IP480G, IP485, IP530, IP560, IP560G, IP565, IP565G, IP655
• Allworx: IP 9112, 9204, 9212, 9222, 9224
• Toshiba: IPT2008-SDL, IPT2010-SD, IPT2020-SD, DP5008, DP5018-S, DP5022, DP5022-SD, DP5023-SD, DP5032, DSP-5118-DP, DP5122-SD, DP5130, DP5132-SD

One practical note across all these cables: hookup varies by phone brand — some connections are immediate, some require a menu setting on the phone, and a few (notably Polycom) require your phone's firmware and boot-ROM to meet a minimum version first. Regardless of the phone, one end of the cable always plugs into the Aux port on your wireless headset's base, and the other into a specific port on the phone.

Jabra Link EHS cables by phone model

For the Polycom IP 320, 321, 330, and 331, ordering guidance for Jabra/GN wireless headsets has referenced both the Jabra Link 17 EHS cable and the 8800-00-75 2.5mm-to-RJ9 cable as items needed for setup. The exact relationship between the two — whether both are required together or one applies to a different connection point in your specific configuration — is worth confirming with our team before ordering, since sources on this aren't fully clear on the point.

Jabra Link 43 vs Link 22 (Cisco 6900/7900/8800/8900 series): these two cables were released for the Cisco 6945, 7821, 7841, 7861, 7942G, 7945G, 7962G, 7965G, 7975G, 8811, 8841, 8851, and 8961, but for different headset generations. The Link 43 (14201-43) requires the Jabra wireless headset to be manually set to "IQ mode" before it works, and was released for the Jabra Pro series (Pro 920, 9450, 9460, 9465, 9470, and Motion Office). The Link 22 (14201-22) needs no headset setting changes, but is compatible only with headsets described as the "9400 series." We haven't independently confirmed how the "9400 series" designation maps onto Jabra's current headset lineup, so if you're setting up a current Jabra wireless headset on one of these Cisco phones, call our team to confirm the correct cable for your exact model rather than assuming either Link 43 or Link 22 applies.

A note on Jabra Link 16 vs Link 14201-22: both work with Cisco phones, but with different headset generations. The Jabra Link 16 works only with older Jabra/GN wireless headset models — the 9120, 9125, 9330e, and 9350e. Newer Jabra headsets on Cisco 6400 and 9400 series phones (such as the 6470 or 9470) instead need the Jabra Link 14201-22. As with the Plantronics cables, matching your exact headset generation to the right cable version matters as much as matching the phone model.

EPOS Cisco adapters (CEHS-CI series)

EPOS (formerly Sennheiser) uses its own CEHS-CI adapter line for Cisco phones, and the numbering maps to what the phone supports rather than its series:

For the Cisco DX650, DX70, and DX80, EPOS offers two routes: the HSL10 II lifter, or connecting the headset base directly to the phone's USB port, depending on the model.

Yealink: its own EHS adapters, not a headset manufacturer's cable

Yealink IP phones are a separate case from everything above. They don't use the Plantronics, Jabra, or EPOS adapters in the tables — Yealink makes its own, and which one you need depends on your phone's generation:

The split follows the model suffix: the newer "S" and "W" series phones need the EHS40, while the earlier non-S models take the EHS36. Ordering an EHS36 for a T46S is one of the more common mistakes here, since the model numbers look almost identical.

The EHS36 connects with three cables — 3.5mm to the wireless headset base, RJ12 to the phone's EXT port, and RJ11 to the phone's headset port. See our Yealink EHS36 setup and troubleshooting guide for the full connection steps, the headset settings that resolve static and echo, and the busylight port conflict worth knowing about before you order one.

Phone not listed? Use a handset lifter instead

If your exact phone model doesn't appear in any table above, it likely doesn't have EHS support built in — the alternative is a mechanical handset lifter, which physically raises the phone's handset to answer the call rather than communicating electronically. The Plantronics/Poly HL10, the Jabra GN1000, and the EPOS HSL10 II are the standard options; see our full HL10 & GN1000 lifter setup and FAQ for installation and troubleshooting.

Matching the right EHS cable to your exact phone model, headset generation, and headset brand is the whole trick — get all three right and remote answering just works. If your phone isn't in any table above, a handset lifter is your path instead. Call our headset experts at 877-999-3838 with your exact phone model and headset brand, and we'll confirm the right cable in a minute.