VOIP

[Jawloms]

We still are on 2 ISDN2 lines for our phones. Is it worth going to BETT to find VOIP providers? I am obviously aware of Google, Frameworks, people of EduGeek, etc., I just like talking to people face to face about things.

[mavhc]

FreePBX, Gamma sip for £7.50/concurrent call/month with free minutes, get some grandstream phones for £40, done.

[Julian]

If your PABX can provide an ethernet / SIP link, then you need only the cost of the Sip link, + reconfiguration, to use your ethernet link (assuming you have a good broadband connection).

[Jawloms]

Had a Google and from what I can see, I can't connect my existing Avaya 1608-i handsets to it. I realise that whatever I replace my phone system with, that is the case but wondered if anyone could confirm this to be true. Was just hoping to have a play with a couple of internal calls.....

[mavhc]

Looks like you can, they're SIP, https://blog.michaelfmcnamara.com/2012/01/asterisk-now-with-avaya-ip-phones/

[Jawloms]

From what I can see, the 1608sw-i will, mine is just the 1608-i which only does H323.

[Jawloms]

I now have a FreePBX server running, and two Grandstream GXP1620/1625 (which incidentally don't stand very well whichever way around you attach the base) and can phone each other via IP address. I have never touched FreePBX or anything like it before. As far as I can tell, I've set two numbers up in FreePBX, but can't get those numbers assigned to the phones and am really struggling to find a straight forward guide on how to give a phone a phone number. I'm assuming this is all I need to be able to make internal phone calls?

 

Any pointers or links to decent tutorials please?

[speakercon]

You need to register the phones to the extensions. Create two SIP extensions (eg 201 and 202) and then IP onto the phones and enter (minimum to register) the SIP username/password (extension number and password from extension info) and SIP Server (IP of freepbx server) - terminology on grandstream's might vary slightly.

 

Once that is done the phones should register and you should be able to call between them with their extension numbers.

 

I'm a big FreePBX fan, but you might be better with 3CX as the terminology it uses is more non-telephony friendly and as long as the phones are supported they will provision themselves.

Edited January 19, 2024 by speakercon

[speakercon]

Also, just reading back, is your current setup an Avaya IP office system? If so its likely you can register SIP trunks to it instead of using the ISDN ports. Do you know the model of the Avaya server?

[Jawloms]

You need to register the phones to the extensions. Create two SIP extensions (eg 201 and 202) and then IP onto the phones and enter (minimum to register) the SIP username/password (extension number and password from extension info) and SIP Server (IP of freepbx server) - terminology on grandstream's might vary slightly.

 

Once that is done the phones should register and you should be able to call between them with their extension numbers.

 

As far as I'm aware, that's what I've done. No joy though........

 

Also, just reading back, is your current setup an Avaya IP office system? If so its likely you can register SIP trunks to it instead of using the ISDN ports. Do you know the model of the Avaya server?

 

I believe it will, but it's very old kit now, we get issues with it occasionally meaning we have to reboot it to get it to work again, and Avaya filed for bankruptcy back in Feb. I believe they then came out of it OK after all, but it doesn't fill me with confidence in them!

[mavhc]

I now have a FreePBX server running, and two Grandstream GXP1620/1625 (which incidentally don't stand very well whichever way around you attach the base) and can phone each other via IP address. I have never touched FreePBX or anything like it before. As far as I can tell, I've set two numbers up in FreePBX, but can't get those numbers assigned to the phones and am really struggling to find a straight forward guide on how to give a phone a phone number. I'm assuming this is all I need to be able to make internal phone calls?

 

Any pointers or links to decent tutorials please?

 

How many phones will you have total?

 

You want to create extensions (Applications>Extensions) using pjsip, have a username and password, and have the phone use those to register.

 

You can create config files on the server automatically to map a phone (via mac address) to the config, or do it manually on each phone

[Jawloms]

I'd done everything correctly, however "SIP Protocol" was disabled in the firewall. Turned it on and now I can make and receive calls. It seems quite slow between dialling the number and either ended making ringing noises. Is that normal? It's about 3 seconds.

[speakercon]

Have a look in the dialplan settings on the phones.

 

You should be able to configure a custom dialplan to match your numbers or just change the 'interdigit timeout' settings to something lower than it currently is (which is how long the phone waits after the last number has been pressed before it process the call).

[Davit2005]

I'd done everything correctly, however "SIP Protocol" was disabled in the firewall. Turned it on and now I can make and receive calls. It seems quite slow between dialling the number and either ended making ringing noises. Is that normal? It's about 3 seconds.

 

Is the setting you enabled SIP Application Level Gateway, I have nearly always disabled that because it can cause problems. My home PBX (3CX) works with the setting disabled on the firewall.

 

I suppose you have allowed the relevant ports in and out where necessary?

 

My home PBX starts ringing an external number (mobile) after about 2-3 seconds. Incoming takes a little over 1 second. Using DECT phones connected to PBX (3cx) at home if it makes any difference.

Edited January 23, 2024 by Davit2005

[Jawloms]

 

That one.

[Davit2005]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70688[/ATTACH]

 

That one.

 

Nah, mine is on the actual firewall that is my internet firewall :-)

[mavhc]

The delay is because it doesn't know how many digits to wait for, so it's just waiting for a pause

 

You can set that for numbers starting with 2 it waits for 4 digits, and 9, 8 or 7 have 8, and 0 14 and 00 23 or whatever, but it's so complex I just tell people to press Dial if they care