I apoligize in advance for this newbie question on what I perceive as a mostly advanced level list... I did some searching, but would like some of your expert opinions. I'm building an asterisk server to be used in the home, both to learn, and as proof of concept of applying this solution in a home. To keep costs down, I'm considering one X100P ($25 ebay clone) card to connect the existing phone line, and a single-port FXS of some sort to connect all existing phones. I was leaning toward buying a TDM400P (TDM11B) but would have trouble justifying the added cost to my colleagues who may want one of these systems in their homes. Note: I'll add softphones and later add an IP phone or two if budget allows, and features seem worth the expenditure, but I don't yet have a good grasp on the benefits of IP phones... 1. Does this make sense? 2. What is a good, inexpensive FXS solution? 3. Would a TDM400P solution be a better way to go, cost considered? I want cheap and reliable, if that's possible :) Thanks -- Lee
1. It makes so much sense, I have the same here at my home/office. One PSTN line on a genuine X100P; a dozen extensions on Sipuras; a handful of lines from Vonage (don't ask), Broadvoice, sipgate, etc. 2. I'm using Sipura SPA-2000s -- $50/port. Linksys PAP2-NA is also an option if you can find them -- $30/port. 3. From what I've read on this list (go google a little), there seem to be a good number of problems with the TDM400P as relates to FXO ports. Not sure how well FXSs are working, but considering the cost/port, a low-cost IP phone or a Sipura with analog phone are good functional alternatives. If you want ADSI, you'll need some sort of Zapata tho. In my case, I found a 900MHz Duron to be powerful enough for the two or three conversations that could happen here at one time.> -----Original Message----- > From: Lee [mailto:leeb00@gmail.com] > Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 2:57 PM > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List > Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Asterisk for home office > > > I apoligize in advance for this newbie question on what I > perceive as a mostly advanced level list... I did some > searching, but would like some of your expert opinions. > > I'm building an asterisk server to be used in the home, both > to learn, and as proof of concept of applying this solution > in a home. To keep costs down, I'm considering one X100P ($25 > ebay clone) card to connect the existing phone line, and a > single-port FXS of some sort to connect all existing phones. > I was leaning toward buying a TDM400P (TDM11B) but would have > trouble justifying the added cost to my colleagues who may > want one of these systems in their homes. > > Note: I'll add softphones and later add an IP phone or two if > budget allows, and features seem worth the expenditure, but I > don't yet have a good grasp on the benefits of IP phones... > > 1. Does this make sense? > 2. What is a good, inexpensive FXS solution? > 3. Would a TDM400P solution be a better way to go, cost considered? > > I want cheap and reliable, if that's possible :) > Thanks > -- > Lee > _______________________________________________ > Asterisk-Users mailing list > Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/aster> isk-users > To > UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
Lee wrote:>I apoligize in advance for this newbie question on what I perceive as >a mostly advanced level list... I did some searching, but would like >some of your expert opinions. > >I'm certainly no expert but I'll give it a shot anyway :-)>2. What is a good, inexpensive FXS solution? > >I simply got a budgeton sip phone. It's simple, it has nice fat buttons and it sounds fine.>3. Would a TDM400P solution be a better way to go, cost considered? > >Even cheaper / easier, buy some PSTN termination calling credit and an incoming DID from a IAX VoIP carrier. Cheers, Jean-Michel.
>1. Does this make sense? >2. What is a good, inexpensive FXS solution? >3. Would a TDM400P solution be a better way to go, cost considered?My own home office experience may run counter some others on the list. To me it makes little sense to use a Vonage type service that's based upon an ATA device, then bring it into an FXO. This make work for others but it simply seems inappropriate. Moreover it doesn't make economic sense since the $30/mo flat rate service is the equivalent of>2000 minutes from an IAX based ITSP. I don't use that much time a month.Compound this with the fact that small FXO adapters tend to suck. I've tried X100p clones and the Sipura SPA-3000. Neither were acceptable. I recently installed a TDM11. After only a few days I'm still happy with it. The relative volume of the call is ok with only +3 db gain in zapata.conf, unlike the SPA-3000, and the line is not noisy, like the X100 clone. The X100p clone was horribly unreliable in my Asus/ AMD 2500+ based server. In over a year of reading this list and repeatedly polling for peoples experience with PCI and standalone FXO adapters I've come to the conclusion that there is no really good solution. If the TDM400p is long term unacceptable, and ITSPs don't cut it fomr some reason, then my next experiment will be to order up a BRI and try an ISDN based interface. I also have SPA-2000s for FXSs. I have been totally happy with these. They connect to a Panasonic KX-TG4000B KSU with 4 cordless handsets & extensions. Lastly, on my desk I use a Polycom IP600 SIP phone. It's a great device. Can't say enough good things about it! If I decide to put a SIP phone on my wife's desk it'll surely be another of these wonders. For termination I use no fewer than four providers; (all are IAX based, in order of preference) - www.sixtel.net - www.voipjet.com - www.nufone.net - connect.voicepulse.com The great thing about * is that I have one macro for outgoing calls that cascades from one provider to another if the former is not available for some reason. Sixtel is incrementally more expensive for making calls than Voipjet, but they offer DIDs in my area where few others do, especially over IAX. I was also able to get at * friendly tech support via their 800 number, I do not connect to any outside ITSP over SIP. I keep only one POTS line from SBC. That's my main incomming line. If one of the DID providers proves very reliable over the next month or two I will likely switch my main incomming line to a IP based DID. Then bye-bye SBC. Finally, my DSL service was provided by Covad over SBC lines. The initial service had a problem when the voice line on the corresponding copper pair rang. The ring signal would interrupt the DSL feed and I would lose IP connectivity for a minute. SBC and Covad said it was a problem with line filtering but I tried lots of filters with no improvement. The solution was to change the service to a dedicated loop DSL that does not piggyback the DSL over a voice line. The DSL has its own copper pair. This has been about 20% faster and absolutely reliable. Michael -- Michael Graves mgraves@pixelpower.com Sr. Product Specialist www.pixelpower.com Pixel Power Inc. mgraves@mstvp.com o713-861-4005 o800-905-6412 c713-201-1262