asterisk users - Nov 2008 - E1 PRI to and from SIP screeching

Hi all,

We have just set up trixbox latest with a Rhino r1t1 card, hooked up to 
a plain E1 PRI line. We call fine SIP to SIP, but as soon as we make a 
call from SIP to PSTN all sounds become unintelligible screeching or 
static kind of noise on both ends, when we call PSTN to SIP the PSTN 
side seemingly OK at least we hear no screeching sound, but the SIP side 
is a even worse screeching sound. To be certain all is as plain as 
possible we disabled all echo canceling, and we use only alaw.

Any ideas on what this can be and how we start troubleshooting this?

Best regards,

Peter

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 12:25 PM, Peter Lindquist <peter.lindquist.th@
gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> We have just set up trixbox latest with a Rhino r1t1 card, hooked up to
> a plain E1 PRI line. We call fine SIP to SIP, but as soon as we make a
> call from SIP to PSTN all sounds become unintelligible screeching or
> static kind of noise on both ends, when we call PSTN to SIP the PSTN
> side seemingly OK at least we hear no screeching sound, but the SIP side
> is a even worse screeching sound. To be certain all is as plain as
> possible we disabled all echo canceling, and we use only alaw.
>
> Any ideas on what this can be and how we start troubleshooting this?
>
> Best regards,
>
> Peter
>
I would contact Rhino first and see if they can help, give them SSH.

But you can do a "pri intense debug span 1" and see if there is
anything
unusual.  You could check /var/log/messages as well as the Asterisk log.
Try "cat /proc/interrupts", not sure about rhino gear and interrupts. 
Try
the card in a different slot.  Make sure your cable is correct.  Make sure
your configs are correct.....

-- 
Thanks,
Steve Totaro
+18887771888 (Toll Free)
+12409381212 (Cell)
+12024369784 (Skype)
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Steve,

Thanks, contacted Rhino and they say it is a card firmware/driver 
version issue which is causing the EC to mishandle alaw/ulaw. Waiting 
for them to provide me with new firmware/drivers.

No problems can be seen with interrupts, debugging the span, etc. All 
looks normal, but all one hears is noise.

Will give the list an update as soon as upgrades are provided and installed.

Thanks,

Peter

Steve Totaro wrote:
>
> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 12:25 PM, Peter Lindquist <peter.lindquist.th 
> <http://peter.lindquist.th>@gmail.com <http://gmail.com>>
wrote:
>
>     Hi all,
>
>     We have just set up trixbox latest with a Rhino r1t1 card, hooked
>     up to
>     a plain E1 PRI line. We call fine SIP to SIP, but as soon as we make a
>     call from SIP to PSTN all sounds become unintelligible screeching or
>     static kind of noise on both ends, when we call PSTN to SIP the PSTN
>     side seemingly OK at least we hear no screeching sound, but the
>     SIP side
>     is a even worse screeching sound. To be certain all is as plain as
>     possible we disabled all echo canceling, and we use only alaw.
>
>     Any ideas on what this can be and how we start troubleshooting this?
>
>     Best regards,
>
>     Peter
>
>
> I would contact Rhino first and see if they can help, give them SSH.
>
> But you can do a "pri intense debug span 1" and see if there is 
> anything unusual.  You could check /var/log/messages as well as the 
> Asterisk log.  Try "cat /proc/interrupts", not sure about rhino
gear
> and interrupts.  Try the card in a different slot.  Make sure your 
> cable is correct.  Make sure your configs are correct.....
>
> -- 
> Thanks,
> Steve Totaro
> +18887771888 (Toll Free)
> +12409381212 (Cell)
> +12024369784 (Skype)
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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From IRC:

Echo Canceler Freak Out, this happens when the rxgain is too high and 
the echo canceler freaks out.  Some users describe it as "screeching",
"feedback", "static", or other useless terms.  If users
report "static"
on a system where there cannot be static (all digital, PRI, SIP, etc), 
you might be experiencing ECFO.

Try lowering your rxgain on the PRI.

Peter Lindquist wrote:
> We have just set up trixbox latest with a Rhino r1t1 card, hooked up to 
> a plain E1 PRI line. We call fine SIP to SIP, but as soon as we make a 
> call from SIP to PSTN all sounds become unintelligible screeching or 
> static kind of noise on both ends, when we call PSTN to SIP the PSTN 
> side seemingly OK at least we hear no screeching sound, but the SIP side 
> is a even worse screeching sound. To be certain all is as plain as 
> possible we disabled all echo canceling, and we use only alaw.
> 
> Any ideas on what this can be and how we start troubleshooting this?

-- 
Consulting and design services for LAN, WAN, voice and data.  Based near 
Birmingham, AL.  Now accepting clients worldwide. Contact me for Tellabs 
echo canceling systems.  Also see http://www.fnords.org/skillslist.html

Eric,

Thanks, I did see that on IRC - and yes the problem is with the EC. Did 
try lowering
the gain to no avail. Rhino confirms that an upgrade of firmware and 
driver will solve
the problem. Just waiting for my on-site man to be in place to reboot 
the server.

//Peter

Eric "ManxPower" Wieling wrote:
>  From IRC:
>
> Echo Canceler Freak Out, this happens when the rxgain is too high and 
> the echo canceler freaks out.  Some users describe it as
"screeching",
> "feedback", "static", or other useless terms.  If users
report "static"
> on a system where there cannot be static (all digital, PRI, SIP, etc), 
> you might be experiencing ECFO.
>
> Try lowering your rxgain on the PRI.
>
> Peter Lindquist wrote:
>   
>> We have just set up trixbox latest with a Rhino r1t1 card, hooked up to
>> a plain E1 PRI line. We call fine SIP to SIP, but as soon as we make a 
>> call from SIP to PSTN all sounds become unintelligible screeching or 
>> static kind of noise on both ends, when we call PSTN to SIP the PSTN 
>> side seemingly OK at least we hear no screeching sound, but the SIP
side
>> is a even worse screeching sound. To be certain all is as plain as 
>> possible we disabled all echo canceling, and we use only alaw.
>>
>> Any ideas on what this can be and how we start troubleshooting this?
>>     
>
>
>