[asterisk-users] anoyingly answers already in use pstn line

[Drew Gibson]

Tzafrir Cohen wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 05:04:32PM -0400, Gleim, Jason wrote:
>>>
>>> I am using Asterisk and an X101P card as a glorified answering
>>>       
>> machine.
>>     
>>> We have a residential PSTN line with about six phones connected to it.
>>> Like an answering machine, I want Asterisk answer the line *only* when
>>> an incoming call is not answered after four rings.
>>>
>>> This mostly works. My extensions.conf is at the end of this message.
>>>
>>> The problem is that Asterisk will sometimes answer the line when
>>> someone
>>> is already talking on one of the six phones connected to it. Sometimes
>>> Asterisk will answer the line and start playing the greeting in the
>>> middle of a conversation! This is especially a problem when I am
>>> talking
>>>
>>>       
>> Others may wish to chime in and confirm or deny this but the card is
>> probably getting confused by you loading the line with the other phones.
>> I know most of the analog cards I've worked with (which does not include
>> the X101P) really get cranky if there is anything else hanging off that
>> line. The only solution I've seen to the problem is to change things
>> around so that the card is the only thing on the line.
>>     
>
> The "cranky" card here is not the issue. It would be the same with any
> other card.
>
>   
>> In know you said you haven't switched to IP or FXS but is there a reason
>> why? 
>>     
>
> That would require rewiring.
>
>   

I swapped my X101P for a Linsys SPA3102 some time back.

Calls come in to the SPA on its FXO port and get forwarded to Asterisk 
which then rings the "legacy" phones on the SPA's FXS port, as the other 
members of the household (read "wife") are used to. All of Asterisk's 
features are available.

If any issues arise, you just pull the power to the SPA and calls just 
pass through directly to the legacy phones.
In addition, the SPA is supposed to pass calls through to the FXS if it 
loses its registration with Asterisk (eg Asterisk crashes) but I never 
got this working.

One day, I would like to teach Asterisk to behave like an old-fashioned 
answering machine to allow a "second chance" to catch calls after the 
fourth ring but I haven't had the time yet.

-- 
Drew Gibson

Systems Administrator
OANDA Corporation
www.oanda.com