[Asterisk-Users] New User -> couple of dumb questions

[Rich Adamson]

> Just installed * 1.0.9 on a FC4 (full install)
> 
> I am using 2 X100P clones
> 
>  
> 
> I do not remember what all steps I took to get everything installed.
> 
> Every time I reboot, I have to modprobe zaptel & modprobe wcfxo
> 
> before asterisk will work.  Did I miss a step somewhere?

Yes, the step isn't well documented. Do a 'make config' from within
the /usr/src/zaptel directory and the startup scripts should get
installed. The startup scripts will handle the modprobes, etc.  
 
> also,
> 
> I have Xlite on another machine in my network, I have not been able to
> 
> find (or dont know enough to recognize) Can I setup in such a way that
> 
> I can call from my Xlite to an extension in my * box?

Yes, the key to understanding this stuff is in how 'context' is used
within the various config files. (See example below.)
 
> I setup the extensions.conf to enable outbound calls (noise/echo are atrocious)

This is likely an issue of what you have in the zapata.conf file. For
the x100p's, you probably want these statements:
; This is the incoming 464-0718 pstn line on Zap/3
context=inbound-home
signalling=fxs_ks
echotraining=800
usecallerid=yes
hidecallerid=no
callwaiting=yes
threewaycalling=no
echocancel=yes
echocancelwhenbridged=yes
rxgain=3.0
txgain=0.0
callgroup=2
immediate=no
callprogress=no
musiconhold=default
channel => 2

In the above, the key statements that impact echo will be the 
statements that have the keyword 'echo' in them.  The rxgain and
txgain will need to be adjusted to different values for "your"
pstn line loss. Start with the above values; if echo is to bad,
reduce the gain values. If echo is okay but volume is low, increase
the gain (more positive). You'll need to stop asterisk and restart
it for gain value changes to take effect (a reload won't cut it).

Without some better description of 'noise', I can't comment on it
very much. But, if the above statements don't address your problems,
then do a 'cat /proc/interrupts'. If you see the x100p device driver
sharing an interrupt, then you will need to address that. Hundreds
of postings over the last couple of years on how to address 
interrupt sharing issue.

> but cannot seem to get the entry right to call an internal extension.
> 
>  
> 
> Im sure both of these are quite simple, I have probably missed 
> some little thing in my frustrated state.

Let's see if this helps a little....

In your sip.conf file you define each sip phone (eg, xlite) something
like this:
[3001]
type=friend         ; This device takes and makes calls
username=3001       ; Username on device
secret=mypassword   ; Password for device
host=dynamic        ; This host is not on the same IP addr every time
context=from-sip    ; Inbound calls from this host go here
dtmfmode=rfc2833
mailbox=3001       ; Activate the MWI. use 3001 at local-context to use a
                   ; context other than default (for Voicemail).

When xlite registers with asterisk, all calls generated by the phone
will be analyzed/executed in the "from-sip" context located in
extensions.conf.  For a small installation, you probably want all
of your sip.conf phone definitions to include 'context=from-sip'.

In the extensions.conf file, you _must_ have a matching context for 
'from-sip', and whatever is located in that section is the only 
extensions that can be called. So, you'll want something like this:

[from-sip]
include => local-extns
include => local-calls

Each of the above refers to yet another context, like:
[local-extns]
exten => 0,1,Dial(SIP/3000,15)

exten => 3000,1,Dial(SIP/3000,15,r)
exten => 3000,2,Voicemail(u3000)
exten => 3000,102,Voicemail(b3000)
exten => 3000,103,Hangup

exten => 3001,1,Dial(SIP/3001,15,r)
exten => 3001,2,Voicemail(u3001)
exten => 3001,102,Voicemail(b3001)
exten => 3001,103,Hangup

; This section for local numbers Only.
[local-calls]
exten => _21XXXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})
exten => _30XXXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})
exten => _32XXXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})
exten => _41XXXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})
exten => _420XXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})
exten => _421XXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})
exten => _423XXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN})

Or, for the local-calls context, you could simply do:
exten => _9XXXXXXX,1,Dial(Zap/1/${EXTEN:1})
which forces you to dial a 9 before all local calls. The EXTEN:1
says to drop the first digit from the number dialed
(eg, 94231234 will be sent out the zap/1 interface, dropping
the leading 9).

The above are examples only to provide at least a little hint
on how contexts function. You might want to read more in the
asterisk-docs, wiki, and other references on this. There are
also a couple of O'Reilly books on asterisk.

Lots of references listed on www.asterisk.org at the bottom of
the 'support' page.