asterisk users - Sep 2003 - Asterisk as a GW or PBX?

Hi all,

I've got myself all confused about the capabilities of *.  I somehow 
convinced myself (because I see a lot emails flying around about IP phones) 
that Asterisk works as a PBX and trunking gateway, but does not do voice 
coding (i.e. TDM in, VoIP out).  Does Asterisk work as a VoIP gateway that 
regular (non-IP, non-SIP) phones can connect to and establish voice 
connections to other non-IP or IP phones?

My understanding is that a network would be connected as so:
PSTN phone <---> [a channel bank or something to put voice calls onto TDM]
<----> Asterisk  <---> RTP stream

Is this diagram feasible?  In this case, Asterisk would be acting as the 
VoIP gateway (as well as have PBX responsibilities).

I'm trying to work out my confusions, please excuse the ignorance.

Thanks,
Kevin

_________________________________________________________________
Compare Cable, DSL or Satellite plans: As low as $29.95.  
https://broadband.msn.com

Start off by reading the main page: http://www.asteriskpbx.com

Yes, for a cheap solution Digium sells 1-4 port FXS cards to which you
connect "regular" phones to. I you wanted a larger setup you could go
for a channel bank.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com [mailto:asterisk-users-
> admin@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Kevin K
> Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 11:26 PM
> To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Asterisk as a GW or PBX?
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I've got myself all confused about the capabilities of *.  I somehow
> convinced myself (because I see a lot emails flying around about IP
> phones)
> that Asterisk works as a PBX and trunking gateway, but does not do
voice
> coding (i.e. TDM in, VoIP out).  Does Asterisk work as a VoIP gateway
that
> regular (non-IP, non-SIP) phones can connect to and establish voice
> connections to other non-IP or IP phones?
> 
> My understanding is that a network would be connected as so:
> PSTN phone <---> [a channel bank or something to put voice calls onto
TDM]
> <----> Asterisk  <---> RTP stream
> 
> Is this diagram feasible?  In this case, Asterisk would be acting as
the
> VoIP gateway (as well as have PBX responsibilities).
> 
> I'm trying to work out my confusions, please excuse the ignorance.
> 
> Thanks,
> Kevin
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Compare Cable, DSL or Satellite plans: As low as $29.95.
> https://broadband.msn.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Asterisk-Users mailing list
> Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
> http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users

> Hi all,
>
> I've got myself all confused about the capabilities of *.  I somehow
> convinced myself (because I see a lot emails flying around about IP
> phones)
> that Asterisk works as a PBX and trunking gateway, but does not do voice
> coding (i.e. TDM in, VoIP out).  Does Asterisk work as a VoIP gateway that
> regular (non-IP, non-SIP) phones can connect to and establish voice
> connections to other non-IP or IP phones?
The simple answer.  Yes.

The complex answer. Asterisk can take calls in via TDM, VoIP (via SIP,
H.323, IAX/IAX2, and a few others still in experimental stage) and spit
them back out on whatever protocol you want.

Quite simply, if it needs to be done in telephony, Asterisk can probably
already do it.  If not, it can be made to do it.
> My understanding is that a network would be connected as so:
> PSTN phone <---> [a channel bank or something to put voice calls onto
TDM]
> <----> Asterisk  <---> RTP stream
>
> Is this diagram feasible?  In this case, Asterisk would be acting as the
> VoIP gateway (as well as have PBX responsibilities).
Quite feasable and already in place by many asterisk users.

See this big fat newbie over view
http://www.vlug.org/vlug/meetings/presentations/VLUG-Telephony.pdf

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin K <asteriskk@hotmail.com>
To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com <asterisk-users@lists.digium.com>
Date: September 8, 2003 9:01 PM
Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Asterisk as a GW or PBX?

>Hi all,
>
>I've got myself all confused about the capabilities of *.  I somehow
>convinced myself (because I see a lot emails flying around about IP phones)
>that Asterisk works as a PBX and trunking gateway, but does not do voice
>coding (i.e. TDM in, VoIP out).  Does Asterisk work as a VoIP gateway that
>regular (non-IP, non-SIP) phones can connect to and establish voice
>connections to other non-IP or IP phones?
>
>My understanding is that a network would be connected as so:
>PSTN phone <---> [a channel bank or something to put voice calls onto
TDM]
><----> Asterisk  <---> RTP stream
>
>Is this diagram feasible?  In this case, Asterisk would be acting as the
>VoIP gateway (as well as have PBX responsibilities).
>
>I'm trying to work out my confusions, please excuse the ignorance.
>
>Thanks,
>Kevin
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Compare Cable, DSL or Satellite plans: As low as $29.95.
>https://broadband.msn.com
>
>_______________________________________________
>Asterisk-Users mailing list
>Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
>http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users