[Asterisk-Users] Switch issues with non-dedicated comms.. (My experience)

[WipeOut .]

Hi,

NOTE: This mail is sent for general information based on my experience to the Asterisk community not as an attack on Asterisk which I think is an amazing system..

Some of you may have seen my posting a few days ago where I was having problems with using the "switch" command in my dialplan..

It was suggested to put the switch command into its own [context] and then to include it into the contexts where it was required.. While using switch in the context that contains all my extensions or using it in a seperate context and then including it both worked fine on my setup this had not solved the issue I was having. After more testing I would simply advise that anyone who does not have a dedicated (and somewhat reliable) link between their two systems simply don't use the switch command and rather configure a wildcard extension mapping to the remote Asterisk system..

The problems I experienced is that when the link between the two servers is down the local server becomes highly unreliable.. 

Firstly when dialing an outside line it attempts to search the remote (at this time unavailable) dialplan before it has processed all the local options, This causes a massive delay between the time the call is dialed and the time the call actually starts the connection.. I have tried qualify=yes in the iax.conf but this did not alter the call processing routine in any way or reduce the time it takes from the time the number is dailed to the time it finds the extention mapping it needs to use..

The second issue is that when the line is down and an outbound call is placed (on my local system it is using an X100P) the call will terminate after approx 1-2 mins for no apparent reason.. I can only assume this has somthing to do with Asterisk trying to test connectivity with the remote system or somthing else to do with the switch command becasue when I comment out the switch command and use wildcard extension mappings the problem is gone..

so effectively what I have done is replaced this..
switch => IAX2/...

with this..
exten => _2xxx,1,IAX2/...
etc..

Now I am sure many of you are going to respond and tell me that my dialplan is wrong or that you are using switch and its perfect.. Thats all fine and I agree that switch is perfect when the link between the two systems is up.. All I am saying is that one day when you link is down for whatever reason and suddenly your local pbx starts to freak out and has long delay when placing a call or disconnects you constantly then rememebr my experience.. It will save you many hours of stress..

Later..


-- 
______________________________________________
http://www.linuxmail.org/
Now with e-mail forwarding for only US$5.95/yr

Powered by Outblaze