[asterisk-users] Asterisk, VoIP and Samsung iDCS100

[Gordon Henderson]

On Tue, 2 Nov 2010, Ronny Adsetts wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Firstly, I'm new to Asterisk and am a system admin rather than a phone 
> engineer. I've googled and read around but haven't been able to answer 
> my questions sufficiently to buy hardware and get this thing set up.
>
> Secondly, if I've missed vital information from what is below, please 
> let me know what.

Throw away the Samsung and go for a pure Asterisk solution.

> Onward...:
>
> So, what I'm trying to solve us remote working. We're a small company, 
> less than 10 employees, with a few of us moving to working from home. We 
> have VPN access to the office already set up. In the office we have a 
> Samsung iDCS100 hooked up externally to a couple of ISDN/2 lines (BRI I 
> believe these are termed) and an analogue line. Internally we have 
> standard Samsung extensions, mostly digital though we do have an 
> analogue extension card.

With lots of remote workers you need a hosted solution - that'll save your 
office ADSL line b/w when the remote workers make/take calls.

> What I'd like to add on is the ability to hook up VoIP (SIP?) phones 
> (software, hardware) and have them treated by the Samsung as extensions. 
> Then we could transfer calls from the Samsung to the remote VoIP phones 
> or have the VoIP phones make external calls via the Samsung. We'd run 
> the VoIP connections over the VPN for security and minimise exposure.

That's the hard way. Just scrap it and replace it completely.

> I think (am unsure hence the questions) that this can be done in the 
> following ways:
>
> 1. Add analogue card(s) to the computer to run Asertisk and treat them 
> as analogue extensions in the Samsung. Statically route each extension 
> to a VoIP handset/user.

So incoming via ISDN, Samsung converts to analogue, PC converts to VoIP 
and then out again - it'll work (maybe), but it's a huge waste of 
resources.

> 2. Add BRI card(s) to the computer to run Asterisk and somehow hook up 
> the Samsung.

Do-able. Connect Asterisk to your ISDN2, then host the Samsung off the 
asterisk box. But then, might as well dump the Samsung and just put VoIP 
phones on everyones desks.

> 3. Other ways? Would a digital extension card in the computer solve the 
> one-to-one analogue problem?

Just throw it out.

> As you can see I'm lacking in a lot of knowledge here and need to ramp 
> up fairly quickly. Pointers are all I need really, I'm willing to learn 
> and read docs. The company we used to install the Samsung and cable up 
> for us just wanted to sell us a newer Samsung and were of no help.

Precisely - they want to tie you into a 7-year contract rather than let 
you be free and easy.

Personally, I'd run a 2nd BT line in, put ADSL on it and use that for 
VoIP, then port your lines into VoIP. Even better would be to use a hosted 
service - especially for that number of staff and remote staff. No faffing 
with VPNs either.

> If anyone has done something similar and can share the basic of how they 
> did it, I'd be eternally grateful. Specifically what's the best way 
> hardware wise of hooking up the Asterisk computer to the Samsung and in 
> rough terms, how do I configure it (the Samsung PBX especially).

Really, just think about replacing the lot. It will save you endless 
headaches and sleepless nights in the long-term.

If you want to DIY it, it's less than £1000 of hardware including the 
Linux box to run it on. Or you can buy a pre-built solution, or go hosted, 
or "get a man in" to do it for you - although you'll likely end up paying 
more, but at least you'll get support. Porting the numbers and dumping 
both the ISDN2 and Samsung will save you money in the long-run though.

Gordon