[Asterisk-Users] low-cost * (newbie question)

[Grzegorz Nosek]

hello all

i'm interested in setting up a small pbx using asterisk and the primary goal
is keeping the cost down. the general layout of the net is as folows:

* 4 phone lines (2x isdn+ 2x analog) [or 2x isdn + 1x analog, as one might be
put aside for a traditional phone/fax with no fancy stuff]
* a server box
* several client hosts (all linux with x)

currently, the isdn lines are unused (to be utilised shortly), one analog line
is used by a phone/fax and the other analog line is plugged into the server to
provide in/outbound faxes (using hylafax) and the whole net is still sort of
experimental in nature.

the functionality goal is to provide every client host with a way to make
phone calls to public phone network using headsets. currently, the sort of
kludgy way i originally thought of is sticking a modem into each box (there
are 3 at the moment) to dial the number plus a standard analog handset
w/headset connectors (via a pass-through on the modem) to talk. when i found
asterisk, i started to wonder whether i could use it in this scenario. i
imagine it so: (i'm new to * and telephony issues)

* put the isdn adapters and modems into the server box
* connect the headsets to sound cards on client boxes (oss-supported onboard ones)
* use gnophone to dial the number (i assume i can feed it the number from an
external application) and talk using the headset
* the call then gets over voip to the server (fast ethernet, same segment) and
from there on via one of the lines; either:
- one line is set aside for hylafax, the remaining three are for asterisk's
use, how is the traditional phone connected to * box then?
- one line is set aside for hylafax, one for the traditional phone, leaving
two for *

does it look reasonably? what equipment is needed? can i use plain standard
analog internal modems? how? we really cannot afford much funky hardware
(several x100p's, e100p's or an e400p is sort of out of question).

thanks in advance

grzegorz nosek