asterisk users - Oct 2004 - Vonage, PSTN, 911, and hardware question

Hi. I've never deployed a Asterisk system before, so go easy on me. :)
I'd really appreciate if you
answered these questions:

1. Is it possible to use Asterisk with Vonage VOIP service? (I'm talking
about the "Premium
Unlimited" plan.) I think I've seen something about plugging the phone
line from the ATA into a
Digium card, but I'm guessing it would be a lot easier to just bypass the
ATA.

2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern. I'm planning
on keeping my regular
PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls actually go
to the 911 center,
along with my address). Is there an easy way for all the phone jacks in my house
to automatically be
switched to the PSTN line if my broadband goes out? I'm also planning on
hacking together a powered
switch so that when the computer's power supply goes down, the line gets
switched fully to the PSTN
line, but I'm hoping somebody can give me a better solution.

3. I'm assuming it would be (relatively) easy to configure Asterisk to dial
out through VOIP and
answer through PSTN. Is this correct?

4. Hardware. I'm planning on using a Pentium III 500Mhz computer, running
Debian Linux (probably
Woody, maybe Sarge if it's stable by the time I build this system). Assuming
I have 1 PSTN line and
up to 3 VOIP lines, would this be enough? Also, which phone card would you
recomend? I'm kind of
confused about which card to buy (I've only looked at the Digium site as of
now), and they all seem
extremely expensive. (I was expecting to spend ~$50, but oh well.)

Anyway, that's all I can think of now. I'm sure I'll think of more
questions later. Thanks in advance!

-Rajeev

Rajeev,
1. I have a packet 8 service connected to my X100P card, works fine.
2. as for power outages, buy a ups or lets face it that's what mobiles
are for. As for 911 I think this is just crap, when was the last time
you called 911?
3. Yes your hardware is sufficient

Best way to get started is to use one of the how to guides and grow from
there.

Cheers,
Dean


-----Original Message-----
From: asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Rajeev
Sharma
Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2004 10:20 AM
To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Vonage, PSTN, 911, and hardware question

Hi. I've never deployed a Asterisk system before, so go easy on me. :)
I'd really appreciate if you 
answered these questions:

1. Is it possible to use Asterisk with Vonage VOIP service? (I'm talking
about the "Premium 
Unlimited" plan.) I think I've seen something about plugging the phone
line from the ATA into a 
Digium card, but I'm guessing it would be a lot easier to just bypass
the ATA.

2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern. I'm
planning on keeping my regular 
PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls
actually go to the 911 center, 
along with my address). Is there an easy way for all the phone jacks in
my house to automatically be 
switched to the PSTN line if my broadband goes out? I'm also planning on
hacking together a powered 
switch so that when the computer's power supply goes down, the line gets
switched fully to the PSTN 
line, but I'm hoping somebody can give me a better solution.

3. I'm assuming it would be (relatively) easy to configure Asterisk to
dial out through VOIP and 
answer through PSTN. Is this correct?

4. Hardware. I'm planning on using a Pentium III 500Mhz computer,
running Debian Linux (probably 
Woody, maybe Sarge if it's stable by the time I build this system).
Assuming I have 1 PSTN line and 
up to 3 VOIP lines, would this be enough? Also, which phone card would
you recomend? I'm kind of 
confused about which card to buy (I've only looked at the Digium site as
of now), and they all seem 
extremely expensive. (I was expecting to spend ~$50, but oh well.)

Anyway, that's all I can think of now. I'm sure I'll think of more
questions later. Thanks in advance!

-Rajeev
_______________________________________________
Asterisk-Users mailing list
Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users

Rajeev

For your Ist question, yes you can use Vonage with Asterisk. I am using it
only problem i faced is while transfering DTMF. Rest all are OK.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rajeev Sharma" <rajeev@hoojamomma.com>
To: <asterisk-users@lists.digium.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2004 7:20 AM
Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Vonage, PSTN, 911, and hardware question

> Hi. I've never deployed a Asterisk system before, so go easy on me. :)
I'd
really appreciate if you
> answered these questions:
>
> 1. Is it possible to use Asterisk with Vonage VOIP service? (I'm
talking
about the "Premium
> Unlimited" plan.) I think I've seen something about plugging the
phone
line from the ATA into a
> Digium card, but I'm guessing it would be a lot easier to just bypass
the
ATA.
>
> 2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern. I'm
planning
on keeping my regular
> PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls
actually go to the 911 center,
> along with my address). Is there an easy way for all the phone jacks in my
house to automatically be
> switched to the PSTN line if my broadband goes out? I'm also planning
on
hacking together a powered
> switch so that when the computer's power supply goes down, the line
gets
switched fully to the PSTN
> line, but I'm hoping somebody can give me a better solution.
>
> 3. I'm assuming it would be (relatively) easy to configure Asterisk to
dial out through VOIP and
> answer through PSTN. Is this correct?
>
> 4. Hardware. I'm planning on using a Pentium III 500Mhz computer,
running
Debian Linux (probably
> Woody, maybe Sarge if it's stable by the time I build this system).
Assuming I have 1 PSTN line and
> up to 3 VOIP lines, would this be enough? Also, which phone card would you
recomend? I'm kind of
> confused about which card to buy (I've only looked at the Digium site
as
of now), and they all seem
> extremely expensive. (I was expecting to spend ~$50, but oh well.)
>
> Anyway, that's all I can think of now. I'm sure I'll think of
more
questions later. Thanks in advance!
>
> -Rajeev
> _______________________________________________
> Asterisk-Users mailing list
> Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
> http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
>    http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users

On Behalf Of Rajeev Sharma
Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2004 1:00 PM
To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Vonage, PSTN, 911, and hardware question
>I searched froogle, and found a modem with an "Intel (Ambient) MD3200
soft
>modem chipset" for $6.45:
>http://store.yahoo.com/store4pc/in56kv92pcid.html
>So, would I be able to use 3 of these modems with the X100P drivers? $20 is
>definitely in my budget. :D
I haven't had any issues with cheap cards - but I've read plenty of
horror stories.  If you're willing to take the risk, hey go for the
$6.45 card, you can always go back and purchase an X100P later.
>Also, about the Vonage ATA: which configuration is better? The only
reason >I can see for using the ATA is avoiding problems with QoS and
NAT, but I >don't know much about his stuff.

Use the ATA device for outbound & get unlimited outbound calls.  If
you don't think you'll run over 1 call + call waiting, etc then use it
for incoming as well.  Otherwise use the Softphone account for inbound
& ATA for outbound as I described in earlier post.
>2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern. I'm
planning
>on keeping my regular 
>PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls
>actually go to the 911 center, along with my address). Is there an
easy way >for all the phone jacks in my house to automatically be
switched to the >PSTN line if my broadband goes out? I'm also planning
on hacking together a >powered switch so that when the computer's
power supply goes down, the line >gets switched fully to the PSTN
line, but I'm hoping somebody can give me a >better solution.

I read someone's comment to use a cell phone.  I understand the need
for this rollover to PSTN but you're really just adding cost &
complication.  You said you'd rather spend $20 on the FXO card, but
you're willing to spend an extra $20+ / month to keep a PSTN line
around?  If you're set on this, then as far as I know your options are
pretty limited:
1) Buy a UPS for your server, switch & ATA device as well as your handset.
2) Use your cell phone.
3) Keep the PSTN and go to walmart & buy a cheap analog handset that's
connected to it in a central location in your home for emergencies.
4) If you're using * to receive calls via PSTN -> X100P (or clone),
plug an analog handset into the phone jack on the card, this will
function even in the event of a power outage.

RT

Rajeev, supporting Digium enables Asterisk to exist in the first place.

Don't come asking for support here should you not be able to get these
work alikes to operate correctly.



-----Original Message-----
From: asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Rajeev
Sharma
Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2004 2:00 PM
To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Vonage, PSTN, 911, and hardware question

Thanks for the clarification. $377 still seems a little much to me.
However, I noticed this on 
voip-info on the * hardware page:
"# Intel modem marked with chipset 537 or MD3200. This card installs and
behaves exactly like a 
Digium Wildcard X101P card."

I searched froogle, and found a modem with an "Intel (Ambient) MD3200
soft modem chipset" for $6.45:
http://store.yahoo.com/store4pc/in56kv92pcid.html
So, would I be able to use 3 of these modems with the X100P drivers? $20
is definitely in my budget. :D

Also, about the Vonage ATA: which configuration is better? The only
reason I can see for using the 
ATA is avoiding problems with QoS and NAT, but I don't know much about
his stuff.

And, back to this question:

2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern. I'm
planning on keeping my regular 
PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls
actually go to the 911 center, 
along with my address). Is there an easy way for all the phone jacks in
my house to automatically be 
switched to the PSTN line if my broadband goes out? I'm also planning on
hacking together a powered 
switch so that when the computer's power supply goes down, the line gets
switched fully to the PSTN 
line, but I'm hoping somebody can give me a better solution.

Anybody have any suggestions about this?

Steve Maroney wrote:
>>Thanks for the reply. Well, unfortunately, 911 and power outage
service is a problem for me.
>>However, ignoring that, there are still three main questions that I
definitely need answered:
>>
>>1. Calls in through PSTN line and out through VOIP (Vonage) line- will
this work?
>>2. Would I still have to use the Vonage ATA and plug the phone-line
out into my * box, or do I just
>>plug an ethernet cable straight into the * box?
>>3. I'm not going to use a VOIP-only phone, so I would like to use
the
phone jacks in my house. I was
>>going to plug in a phone line out of the * box and plug it into one
plug, so the phones would work
>>in parallel (that's what everybody does I think). Does this mean I
would need three X100P cards? (I
>>would buy something like the Wildcard TE410P, but $1495 is a little
steep if you ask me. ;))
> 
> 
> 1. Yes.
> 2. Possible both ways.
> 3. The X100P is a single FXO port card. The TE410P is a 4 port T1 card
> which isn't what you want unless you have a T1 circuit. Maybe you want
the
> TDM400P with 4 fxo moudles. Those are only 337.00 USD.
> 
> 
>>dean collins wrote:
>>
>>>Rajeev,
>>>1. I have a packet 8 service connected to my X100P card, works fine.
>>>2. as for power outages, buy a ups or lets face it that's what
mobiles
>>>are for. As for 911 I think this is just crap, when was the last
time
>>>you called 911?
>>>3. Yes your hardware is sufficient
>>>
>>>Best way to get started is to use one of the how to guides and grow
from
>>>there.
>>>
>>>Cheers,
>>>Dean
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com
>>>[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Rajeev
>>>Sharma
>>>Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2004 10:20 AM
>>>To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
>>>Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Vonage, PSTN, 911, and hardware question
>>>
>>>Hi. I've never deployed a Asterisk system before, so go easy on
me.
:)
>>>I'd really appreciate if you
>>>answered these questions:
>>>
>>>1. Is it possible to use Asterisk with Vonage VOIP service? (I'm
talking
>>>about the "Premium
>>>Unlimited" plan.) I think I've seen something about
plugging the
phone
>>>line from the ATA into a
>>>Digium card, but I'm guessing it would be a lot easier to just
bypass
>>>the ATA.
>>>
>>>2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern.
I'm
>>>planning on keeping my regular
>>>PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls
>>>actually go to the 911 center,
>>>along with my address). Is there an easy way for all the phone jacks
in
>>>my house to automatically be
>>>switched to the PSTN line if my broadband goes out? I'm also
planning
on
>>>hacking together a powered
>>>switch so that when the computer's power supply goes down, the
line
gets
>>>switched fully to the PSTN
>>>line, but I'm hoping somebody can give me a better solution.
>>>
>>>3. I'm assuming it would be (relatively) easy to configure
Asterisk
to
>>>dial out through VOIP and
>>>answer through PSTN. Is this correct?
>>>
>>>4. Hardware. I'm planning on using a Pentium III 500Mhz
computer,
>>>running Debian Linux (probably
>>>Woody, maybe Sarge if it's stable by the time I build this
system).
>>>Assuming I have 1 PSTN line and
>>>up to 3 VOIP lines, would this be enough? Also, which phone card
would
>>>you recomend? I'm kind of
>>>confused about which card to buy (I've only looked at the Digium
site
as
>>>of now), and they all seem
>>>extremely expensive. (I was expecting to spend ~$50, but oh well.)
>>>
>>>Anyway, that's all I can think of now. I'm sure I'll
think of more
>>>questions later. Thanks in advance!
>>>
>>>-Rajeev
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Asterisk-Users mailing list
>>>Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
>>>http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>>>To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
>>>   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Asterisk-Users mailing list
>>>Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
>>>http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>>>To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
>>>   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Asterisk-Users mailing list
>>Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
>>http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>>To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
>>   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>>
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Asterisk-Users mailing list
> Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
> http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
>    http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> 
> 
> 
_______________________________________________
Asterisk-Users mailing list
Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users

Quoting Rajeev Sharma <rajeev@hoojamomma.com>:

*snip*
> 2. Phone availibility during a power outage is a big concern. I'm
planning on keeping my regular
> 
> PSTN line around for emergencies and 911 dialing (so that 911 calls
actually go to the 911
> center, 
> along with my address). Is there an easy way for all the phone jacks in my
house to automatically
> be 
> switched to the PSTN line if my broadband goes out?
Using a double-pole-double-throw releay will do the trick for a single
phone/line.

Viking makes a power fail transfer device (commonly built-in to many PBX's).

http://www.vikingelectronics.com/products/telephonemanagement/pf-6a(dbb).html

The PF-6A power failure bypass system makes it possible to receive calls during
phone system and
power outages. The PF-6A bypass unit connects 6 pre-assigned single line station
phones directly to
user-assigned C.O. trunks.