asterisk users - Mar 2005 - E1/T1 back to back ??

Hi there

Just a quick question, I will be building some servers in a lab utilizing
Digium E1 cards. I would like if possible to avoid the expense of installing
an e1/ISDN30 in my lab. I have two questions really, first does anybody know
of an effective simulation tool I can use to replicate a real world PRI but
without the telco line being installed. And secondly, can I have a scenario
with 2 asterisk servers with digium e1 cards 'back to back' one
configured
as the network side and the other configured as the client side (can I just
use a single cat5 straight through cable between them ?? and cant the Digium
e1 cards operate ok in both modes?)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

On March 14, 2005 06:43 am, Brett, Gary wrote:
> Just a quick question, I will be building some servers in a lab utilizing
> Digium E1 cards. I would like if possible to avoid the expense of
> installing an e1/ISDN30 in my lab. I have two questions really, first does
> anybody know of an effective simulation tool I can use to replicate a real
> world PRI but without the telco line being installed. And secondly, can I
> have a scenario with 2 asterisk servers with digium e1 cards 'back to
back'
> one configured as the network side and the other configured as the client
> side (can I just use a single cat5 straight through cable between them ??
> and cant the Digium e1 cards operate ok in both modes?)
A standard Cat5 ethernet cable won't work, but a T1/E1 crossover cable made 
from Cat5 should work just fine.  I do this all the time with T1/PRI, I
don't
see why it wouldn't work with E1/PRI.

One side is set up as pri_cpe, and hte other as pri_net.

-A.

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005, Brett, Gary wrote:
> Just a quick question, I will be building some servers in a lab utilizing
> Digium E1 cards. I would like if possible to avoid the expense of
installing
> an e1/ISDN30 in my lab. I have two questions really, first does anybody
know
> of an effective simulation tool I can use to replicate a real world PRI but
> without the telco line being installed. And secondly, can I have a scenario
> with 2 asterisk servers with digium e1 cards 'back to back' one
configured
> as the network side and the other configured as the client side (can I just
> use a single cat5 straight through cable between them ?? and cant the
Digium
> e1 cards operate ok in both modes?)
You can put two Asterisk-boxes back-to-back. Configure one as pri_cpe and 
one as pri_net. You need an E1 cross over cable which is different from an 
ethernet cross over cable. Search the net for which pins to connect.

Other alternatives exist. They may be closer to what you would see from a 
real pstn connection, but they are also a lot more expensive. 

Peter

On 07:46 PM 3/13/2005, Brett, Gary wrote:
 >
 >
 >Hi there
 >
 >Just a quick question, I will be building some servers in a lab utilizing
 >Digium E1 cards. I would like if possible to avoid the expense of
installing
 >an e1/ISDN30 in my lab. I have two questions really, first does anybody
know
 >of an effective simulation tool I can use to replicate a real world PRI but
 >without the telco line being installed. And secondly, can I have a scenario
 >with 2 asterisk servers with digium e1 cards 'back to back' one
configured
 >as the network side and the other configured as the client side (can I just
 >use a single cat5 straight through cable between them ?? and cant the
Digium
 >e1 cards operate ok in both modes?)
 >
 >Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Yes, you can connect two asterisk systems together back to back using t1/e1 
interfaces.  You will need a T1 crossover cable (do a google on T1 
Crossover).  Make sure you set signalling to net and cpe (if using pri 
signalling).

hi gary,

Brett, Gary wrote:
> (can I just
> use a single cat5 straight through cable between them ?? and cant the
Digium
> e1 cards operate ok in both modes?)
you need a crossover cable (not the same as a ethernet x-over)
take a look at: http://www.voip-info.org/wiki-crossover+T1+cable

  frank