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

[Steven Critchfield]

On Tue, 2003-04-01 at 09:31, Grzegorz Nosek wrote:
> 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).

No analog modems. 

If your ISDN adapter is supported properly, you can place that straight
into a asterisk box. The analog line would need a X100P.

gnophone supports dialing from URLs, If your application could generate
web pages to feed URL's the people could click on, then gnophone can
accept them from the external app. Otherwise, you may want to watch the
activity and place sample.call files in the queue as your employee needs
a new call to service. 
-- 
Steven Critchfield  <critch at basesys.com>