| reply to conurus
Re: [Equipment] Large home with cable, 2 lines, 6 computers, and Thank you! We happen to have a spare computer running Linux. What hardware do I need to plug a pretty big number of phones into the computer? |
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maziloFrom MaziloPremium
join:2002-05-30
Lilburn, GA
kudos:1 | said by conurus:We happen to have a spare computer running Linux. AFAIC, that won't be a good idea to use as a VoIP/PBX production line mainly because it is not very efficient in term of electricity consumption. What you want is a Linux embedded system that runs a PBX system with some FXO ports. You can get a ready made Linksys SPA400 with a built-in of four FXO ports + some ATA devices as extensions or get some open-source firmware supported WiFi router to build your own asterisk PBX + some SPA3Ks + some ATA devices. I have a free LaFonera flashed with DDWRT + asterisk on it to serve my VoIP lines. I use some Linksys PAP2v1 units and a Uniden UIP1869V(onage) Digital IP Phone / Router as my asterisk extensions. For a Linksys PAP2v1 units, I just plugged in some 2-line cordless phones to use.
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Mazilo
US Phone: +1-678-601-0907
UK Phone: +44-703-194-2574 |
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MartyT
join:2004-09-03
Georgetown, SC | reply to conurus
See the discussion below about turning a very low power consumption system that only costs $200 into a full-blown Asterisk system. You can buy these boxes at Walmart.
I'm running a home based Asterisk system using the same motherboard (I built my own system rather than buy the full $200 version). I use an 80% efficient Antec Earthwatts power supply. Very small startup cost and operating cost.
SEE: »pbxinaflash.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336 |
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maziloFrom MaziloPremium
join:2002-05-30
Lilburn, GA
kudos:1 | said by MartyT:I'm running a home based Asterisk system using the same motherboard (I built my own system rather than buy the full $200 version). About three years ago, I bought a bare-bone e-machine from a local Fry's Electronics for $99 and had been stressing it out to run a Debian Linux with 256MB for two years. Recently, a friend gave me a 512MB PC2700 RAM and I installed it to make the machine run smoother. It never crossed in my mind to consider this machine running as an asterisk PBX system. My LaFonera is good enough to run about 32 VoIP accounts now. 
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Mazilo
US Phone: +1-678-601-0907
UK Phone: +44-703-194-2574 |
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MartyT
join:2004-09-03
Georgetown, SC | Mazilo and I have been collaborating on getting Asterisk to run on another embedded type system that we both own, a Netgear WGT634U router, so we have a common interest in this thread. I use a standard PC for my Asterisk production system, and he uses a LaFonera. I'm happy with my setup, and he is happy with his.
A question for Mazilo I've never asked. Does your LaFonera based Asterisk system also support the Asterisk voicemail capability, particularly the voicemail to email feature? |
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maziloFrom MaziloPremium
join:2002-05-30
Lilburn, GA
kudos:1 | said by MartyT:A question for Mazilo I've never asked. Does your LaFonera based Asterisk system also support the Asterisk voicemail capability, particularly the voicemail to email feature? I haven't configured my Fonera (the one running on DDWRT v24RC5 with asterisk v1.2.24) to handle voicemail, yet. I am in a process to get my other Fonera running with OpenWRT SVN + Asterisk v1.4.17 (still not able to compile a recent released of v1.4.18, yet) compiled from source. This unit will hopefully have voicemail + GTalk supports and among other things.
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Mazilo
US Phone: +1-678-601-0907
UK Phone: +44-703-194-2574 |
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 bencPremium
join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
 ·Charter
| reply to mazilo
With 6 computers, is the power consumption of a 7th a big deal? I doubt it.
As for using Asterisk, I'd recommend it.
My router PC runs Debian Linux, and I also run Asterisk on it. I also installed the FreePBX front end, so you can administer Asterisk via a Web-based interface. The specs of it are:
P3-500MHz
256MB RAM
2GB Hard Disk (so no swap space)
2 NICs 10/100
Dinky 4MB AGP Card (I have this because the AGP isn't good for anything else)
I'd recommend something a bit for beefy because you'd have more extensions. Then again, my router PC has multiple jobs.
Do you have a router PC? Could you install Asterisk on that?
One thing though, if you install FreePBX on the router PC, you'll want to block port 80 inbound access, or whatever port you use for the FreePBX web interface.
After setting it, you can test it using numerous port scanners on the Internet, or from someone else's Internet connection.
As for analog interface cards, you might want to look into ZapMicro. They're cheaper than Digium. I'd tell you my experience, but I've yet to try them. I haven't fully implemented my Asterisk PBX yet. |
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