[asterisk-users] Audio dropping

[Ishfaq Malik]

On Fri, 2011-05-27 at 10:31 +0200, Mark Scholten wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> We see some strange behavior with phone calls, we use Asterisk 1.8.3.3.
> 
> SIP clients (all behind NAT at different locations, so not a single NAT
> solution is used):
> - x-lite
> - linksys pap2t
> - polycom kirk (multiple type numbers)
> - polycom (multiple type numbers, hardware phones)
> 
> Our Asterisk servers stays in between (some calls are recorded). Asterisk is
> running on a physical server (no virtual server software) with "old"
> hardware (Xeon 3.2 GHz with hypertrading and 4GB RAM, mainly used for
> buffers). We use a MySQL backend (CDR records are stored in it and SIP users
> are stored in a MySQL database).
> 
> We use a SIP provider with a trunk for outgoing and incoming calls, this is
> also an Asterisk server if I'm correct. We currently do around 1000 calls a
> week and max. do 10 calls at the same time. The Asterisk server is not
> behind a NAT.
> 
> What could the reason be audio in 1 direction is dropping? (Normally from
> the Asterisk server to the mentioned SIP clients.) No clear information is
> in the logs (it is like the call ended normally) and not all calls are
> having problem (most not, but it happens to often for us to start using VoIP
> more at the moment).
> 
> To test if it was the firewall we disabled the firewall on the Asterisk
> server and moved the Asterisk server before the other firewalls we have.
> 
> What could the problem be? And even more important what could solve it
> (and/or explain it)?
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Mark Scholten
> 

Hi

Are the broadband connections to the target SIP extensions dedicated for
VoIP or does any other traffic run over them?

We tend to find that 80% of call quality issues are caused by the
broadband connection.

A good diagnostic tool to keep an eye on the broadband connections
involved is smokeping http://oss.oetiker.ch/smokeping/

We find it an absolute godsend.

-- 
Ishfaq Malik
Software Developer
PackNet Ltd

Office:   0161 660 3062