[Asterisk-Users] Review: Packet8's DTA310

[Eric Wieling]

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I've been using the DTA310 from Packet8.net for a couple of
weeks.  The DTA310 is about $130 without the Packet8.net VoIP
service.  It only supports SIP.

On the back of the DTA310 is a power connector (power supply is
provided with the product), a 10/100 Ethernet port, an FXS port,
and a reset button.  The front of the device has LEDs for Power,
Link, Phone, and Message.  The unit I received has a minor
defect where the power connector is a little flaky, but I doubt
that it's a general problem.  There is no POTS line pass-thru
port on the device.

The unit supports static IP and DHCP configuration and has a
decent web based interface for configuration.  It also supports
VLAN tags for QoS type of configurations.  It supports simple
dial plan configurations so you don't have to wait for a timeout
or press # before the call is sent to Asterisk.  I like this
feature a lot.  It supports Inband and RFC2833 signaling and
allows you to squelch inband DTMF.  It also allows you to
suppress voice packets during RFC3288 events (I have no idea what
this would be useful for).  I have found no real documentation
for the device.  I was hoping for at least documentation for the
wild-card characters in the dial-plan configuration.

The unit supports G711 ulaw, G711 alaw, G723 (the default
codec), G726, and G729.  I have only use the G711 ulaw codecs
with Asterisk.  Others may work.  It supports SNMP, a password
for access to the web interface (no password by default) and
time-zone configuration and NTP.

The device supports Caller-ID.

The only minor problems I've had with the device is that when I
hang up from an inbound call sometimes Asterisk calls the device
for some reason.  It rings twice and then stops.  Also the
message waiting light doesn't work with Asterisk.  I have a
cordless analog phone plugged into the device and the message
waiting light on the doesn't work either.  If the device can't
register with the SIP server you won't get a dial-tone and you
can't seem to access the web based interface.  Also if you do a
factory reset (hold down the reset button while powering up the
unit) all the codecs seems to be disabled.

Using the web interface you can upgrade the firmware on the
device via TFTP.  I've not tried using the device with a NAT
firewall between it and the Asterisk server.

Packet8.net does NOT officially support the device except for
connecting to their VoIP service.  When I contacted them for
help in getting the device to work with the Packet8 service when
I moved it behind a firewall they were VERY, VERY helpful and
responsive.  They even asked for a copy of the config of my
Cisco router (the device doing the NAT).  The only time they
didn't want to help is when I was trying to connect the device
to my local Asterisk server.  I can't really fault them for
that.

I've had no problems with the sound quality.

Overall I'm quite happy with the device.

--Eric Wieling