RE: [Asterisk-Users] Newbie just starting out with *

[McAughan, Matt]

Chris:   Try not to be so worried about sound card, analog (FXO/FXS), digital (ISDN, BRI, PRI) and what is available by connecting device. The channel drivers take care of making the devices available to Asterisk. In turn Asterisk makes all the features such as voice mail, call parking, and conference bridges available to the channels. It is a beautiful and flexible design. many thanks to Mark! With a few exceptions most features will be available to all connection methods.   Yes you can upgrade the TDM400P. My thinking was to get at least two ports on it when I purchased it originally so I could call phone-to-phone internally without using our only external phone line. That way I could learn to configure and use asterisk with out annoying my friends in family trying to call in.   Zapateller does not stop telemarketers it stops the predictive dialers they use. Ever received a call and answered hello two or three times before you get a person? That is a predictive dialer loaded with a list of numbers dialing all of their phone lines as quickly as possible. It will do it more efficiently than a group of agents with a phone number list in hand.    When you answer the dialer takes a moment to diagnose the fluctuations in the voice. The dialer makes a determination if someone even answered and if so if you are a person or an answering machine. If you turn out to be what it thinks is a real person it must find an available agent. That is what causes the pregnant pause. It has to find someone since you turned out to be a real person.   Now what Zapateller can do is answer the phone and play the SIT (special information tone). When the dialer hears this it thinks your number is no longer in service and hopefully removes your number from that companies list. The other thing it can do is just play the SIT tones to any incoming call not providing caller id.   Just take the plunge, buy the equipment, play around and come back here when you get stuck,   Matt -----Original Message----- From: Chris Hirsch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 12:13 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Newbie just starting out with * So its sounds like I do have a clue then...can analog devices have their own extension and do call parking, and paging and all that? I assume the caller id gets passed from the POTS CO to the internal phones?   So from my understanding I can get a TDM400P with one port now and upgrade to additional ports? Thats what comes with the dev kit right? Tell me more about Zapateller..is that the script that I've seen a description of that gives the fake line-disconnected tone? McAughan, Matt wrote: Chris: I started using Asterisk for very much the same reason. To blast those telemarketers and to improve my knowledge of PBX and telco. You have got a good start for a newbie. Yes the Wildcard X100P will terminate the POTS CO in to your Asterisk Linux Box. Then you have to figure out how to get everything "internal" connected up to it. I have a TDM400P. It can be purchased with up to 4 ports. I purchased three to save money. That gives me three "internal" extensions to plug analog phones in to. I just use three cordless phones with the base stations plugged in near the Asterisk computer. We leave one phone in the kitchen, one in the garage, and one in the bedroom. They can call each other when we are too lazy to go get one another or too far to scream at each other. They can all also share the one "external" line. Asterisk has been wonderful using Zapateller to blast those damn predictive dialers. The Asterisk voice mail has been wonderful too as it sends the recorded message to me and my wife at work as an attachment to an email. Best of luck, Matt -----Original Message----- From: Chris Hirsch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 11:30 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Newbie just starting out with * Hey all...I'm brand new to * and I want to convert my home into a pbx type setup. I've figured out that I want a Wildcard X100P to bring my single POTS CO into my Linux box. My problem is that I'm sure sure what I need to do to get my analog phones connected up into a structured phone system. It *looks* like I can go the route of the Cisco Analog -> VOIP for about $100 on ebay. That will get me two analog devices on the system. If I have four analog devices (2 normal phones, 1 fax and one 4 phone cordless system) is this the best setup? Do I need the TDM10B with the Asterisk TDM Dev Kit or does that just let me do one analog phone into the system? When converting from analog to VOIP do I get all the same features that I would if I got a TDM400P (4 ports of analog devices)? As I said I'm new and I would LOVE any pointers, HOWTOs or any good advice from people who have already done something similar. This project started out because I'm tired of the telemarketers calling and it looks like this will be the best and most flexable way to get my phone system wired up. I'm interested in any opinions on any real VOIP phones for a house (assuming VOIP) is the way to go. I envision that I could have a phone in every room, be able to do an intercom, MOH so I can hear music in each room etc....ideas? Thanks for the help and your patience, Chris -- The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist. http://ccicolorado.org Exceptional Dogs for Exceptional People - Help Out Today! _______________________________________________ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users -- I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its eggs in my brain, because later you might think you're having a good idea but it's just eggs hatching. http://ccicolorado.org Exceptional Dogs for Exceptional People - Help Out Today!