[Asterisk-Users] Hints on hardware to use

[asterisk]

> Hello,
>
> I have to deploy an Asterisk PBX with this requirements:
> - 1 or 2 ISDN lines in input/output
> - 14 internal analog phones (yes, I know, analog ones...  ;(  )
> - Billing interface for the operator (for usage of analog phones)
>
> For the external interface I'm thinking about Beronet Quad Span ISDN/BRI
Card
> TE/NT (BN4S0).
> I'm in trouble about the internal interfaces: the first thought was about
> Digium card (4 x TDM400P with 2 x S100M modules each), but it's difficult
to
> find a MB with 5 PCI, and I'll have no chanches for future expansions.
>
> Does anyone of you know a PCI card with 8 FXS port that SURELY works with
> Asterisk?
> I'm ready to examine any other piece of hardware with 8 or more FXS ports,
> too...
>
> By the way, for billing operations I'm going to check AstBill sofware; did
> anyone positively try it with asterisk in operational environment?
>
> Any hint will be greatly appreciated...  ;)
>
> Thanks
>
>
> Jonathan

For your internal analog extensions why not get a Digium T1 card and a
channel bank.  I only have experience with Adtran 600E but they work
extremely well and can be had used on ebay for about $600 regularly (if you
are lucky you may be able to get it much cheaper.)  I read the Rhino channel
banks are much cheaper and work well with asterisk but have no personal
experience.

With the Channel bank solution, you are looking at $500 for the T1 board and
another $600 for the channel bank with 24 FXS ports.  Its a solid solution
and gives you tons of room to upgrade from 14 FXS ports to 24 by simply
adding phones.

Thanks,
Steve Totaro