Connecting analog line via old voice modem to Asterisk

[darius]

Hi,

looking for a solution (audio module support) to let me connect old analog voice modem
(audio in/out ports to be connected to audio out/in ports in sound card).

As Asterisk can play audio to a sound card, so can play audio to pstn analog line connected to Asterisk's server.

Ok, I am fully aware, vendors of SIP hardware are not interested to go hardware-free solutions.

But what about $10 cheap usb SIP phones.

What support is provided by Asterisk for $10 cheap usb SIP phones ( wireless or not) ?

Ok, usb SIP phone is a SIP client, not pstn gateway.

So what is market of Asterisk compatible PCI / usb voice analog modems coming with a sound card, 2 in 1
to work as PSTN Gateway for Asterisk for in/outbound calls ?

Darius

[MrFidget]

Hmmmm......

I think I know where you are comming from. There is, somewhere out there support for an internal PCI voice modem to use as an FXO. Not too sure. Google Asterisk and Voice Modem and you'll find some articles for and against.

As for your USB phone, Xlite is free, works most of the time and is easy to configure.

If you have the $$$ just buy a Cisco / Linksys / Sipura SPA3102 which provides an FXO for your PSTN line, an FXS for a regular phone, and works.

Plenty of examples online to make this hardware work.

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but it is an answer ( I hope)

Good luck
Chris

[darius]

Hmmmm......

I think I know where you are comming from. There is, somewhere out there support for an internal PCI voice modem to use as an FXO. Not too sure. Google Asterisk and Voice Modem and you'll find some articles for and against.

As for your USB phone, Xlite is free, works most of the time and is easy to configure.

If you have the $$$ just buy a Cisco / Linksys / Sipura SPA3102 which provides an FXO for your PSTN line, an FXS for a regular phone, and works.

Plenty of examples online to make this hardware work.

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but it is an answer ( I hope)

Good luck
Chris

Thanks MrFidget,

my interest in Asterisk is in Mobile Asterisk and in Asterisk for Personal Use.

As I run Asterisk on laptop and the only available microPCI port is busy with microPCI WiFi card,
I have collected all available solutions to make Mobile Asterisk to work.

As I use Asterisk for Linux app run under CygWin, to be emulated as Windows app, I can run Mobile Asterisk on MS Vista laptop, just for tests (no extra hardware).

Hooking up Mobile Asterisk to the world via GSM Gateway, Mobile Phone's Bluetooth, Mobile Phone's data cable + audio ports, 3G voice modem are all open options.

Mobile channel module for Mobile Asterisk (via Bluetooth) is comming with standard instllation of Asterisk,

Celliax or Gsmopen mobile channel has been developed for Linux and Asterisk,

Mobile Asterisk has been ported for Nokia Internet Tablet (Debian),

So as you are aware, I am interested in any Asterisk compatible hardware, which can be hooked up to my laptop
via Ethernet, usb, modem/tel , Bluetooth , sound card audio ports.

Already tested sound card to work as mobile channel for Asterisk,

what comes next under tests is 3G usb voice modem to serve as GSM USB Gateway (sound card + AT data cable / Bluetooth).

Celliax mobile channel for Asterisk is exactly what I was looking for.
Unfortunately, under Asterisk for Linux run under Windows Cygwin emulation,
sound coming from Asterisk playing MOH audio files is distorted with signal drop outs in audio track.

I am just testing sound track adaptive repair solutions on one hand
and flash-based SIP softphone apps, as
Flash comes with another mobile channel for Asterisk,
hooking up Asterisk audio ports to those of sound card.

Flashphoner is coming as Flash-to-SIP Gateway
http://flashphoner.com/
I would like to redevelop (if there is any chance)
to have it to listen to DTMF codes on line in/ mic port
to let me remotely control Mobile Asterisk one day.

Please let me know your opinion.


Darius

[MrFidget]

I'm impressed with your efforts. More trouble than I would have gone to.

If there was a way you could run Asterisk on pure linux, I would recommend you do it. That will fix a heap of issues with music on hold quality as it really requires a rock solid timing source.

Try to run Asterisk on a separate box. Its doesn't have to be much.

Look at astlinux.org. That is a version you can write to a USB key and boot up on practically anything with a 300MHz clock and 128Mb ram for starters. Best to use something a bit more substantial. The release was designed for Sokeris embedded systems with a CF card as a HDD, but hammers on a cheap atom based box.


As far as connetions to the real world go, if you want reliability, use some pre-existing ethernet geateway devices for PSTN, GSM. They will be most reliable for you. Again, for clients, use a real IP handset. Makes the world of difference.

If you want to play with a soft phone. XLite works out of the box with little to do other than username / password / SIP server.

All this stuff works and is reliable (any stability comments on versions of Xlite aside). If you use the right hardware, you can deploy it in a commercial environment and it will work.

As far as flash / java based phones. Lovely in theory, variable in practice. For DTMF control for some tele-automation, it would probably be OK. (I have a SIP client on my iPhone which I use to turn on and off voicemial and call forwarding when I am out. While sometimes the mobile data bandwidth doesn't let me hear the voice responses, the DTMF, which is sent out of band allows me control of my phone system.

That said, if you are wanting to experiment, please, do, and share your results. Thats what this open source stuff is all about. I will check out the link you have sent me this week.

[darius]

I'm impressed with your efforts. More trouble than I would have gone to.

- Thanks

Look at astlinux.org. That is a version you can write to a USB key and boot up on practically anything with a 300MHz clock and 128Mb ram for starters. Best to use something a bit more substantial. The release was designed for Sokeris embedded systems with a CF card as a HDD, but hammers on a cheap atom based box.

- Astlinux looks to be a right choice, tro have potable Linux + Asterisk + Freeswitch on one USB stick.

As far as connetions to the real world go, if you want reliability, use some pre-existing ethernet geateway devices for PSTN, GSM. They will be most reliable for you. Again, for clients, use a real IP handset. Makes the world of difference.


- As I use Asterisk stand-alone, the only real world is audio channel to let me test and play dial plans and play MOH files.
So I plan to use mobile phone to control Asterisk as I don't use PSTN landline anymore.

Calling mobile phone, 3G usb voice modem hoocked up to Asterisk is exactly a solution I am looking for.

I configured my Asterisk for SIP provider coming with public PSTN numbers, but I am was not happy with sound quality of MOH files played by Asterisk via SIP provider => mobile phone,
as at the same time laptop was via 1Mb/s band 3G usb modem connected to the Internet, by another MNO.

Having spent some time learning - Packet Loss Concealment

http://www.speex.org/downloads/

http://www.voiptroubleshooter.com/problems/plc.html

audio signal drop outs analysis by Audacity

http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Aste ... andOptionj

I am sure the problem is in Celliax audio channel for Asterisk,
as Asterisk can play clear sound via XLite SIP client, sound card to headphone, run on the same machine.

So I am looking for another audio channel for Asterisk, as Celliax is not ok.

I don't know how to build another audio channel for Asterisk module, but
Flash SIP softphone looks to be another option, as can make Asterisk to play MOH files via sound card to headphone,
exactly what I am lookming for.

I am trying to learn how Flash app can act as middleware between Asterisk and sound card.
So I would like to modify Flash-to-SIp Gateway to let me control it via DTMF codes sent by a mobile phone.

As Flash-to-SIP Gateway doesn't look to have DSP, DTMF decoder incorporated , so tell me how to make it transparent to DTMF codes injected via line in/ mic port.
====

If you want to play with a soft phone. XLite works out of the box with little to do other than username / password / SIP server.

All this stuff works and is reliable (any stability comments on versions of Xlite aside). If you use the right hardware, you can deploy it in a commercial environment and it will work.

===
X-Lite is ok but can't serve as remotely controlled audio channel for Asterisk.

===

As far as flash / java based phones. Lovely in theory, variable in practice. For DTMF control for some tele-automation, it would probably be OK. (I have a SIP client on my iPhone which I use to turn on and off voicemial and call forwarding when I am out. While sometimes the mobile data bandwidth doesn't let me hear the voice responses, the DTMF, which is sent out of band allows me control of my phone system.
===

Ok, but I work on Mobile Asterisk Station ( run on my laptop) as : Asterisk + GSM Gateway all in one.

As GSM Gateway is not available to me, I need to replace it by GSM mobile phone or 3G usb voice modem.
===

That said, if you are wanting to experiment, please, do, and share your results. Thats what this open source stuff is all about. I will check out the link you have sent me this week.

====
I just need to learn HowItWorks Flashto-SIP Gateway first.

[darius]

Look at astlinux.org. That is a version you can write to a USB key and boot up on practically anything with a 300MHz clock and 128Mb ram for starters. Best to use something a bit more substantial. The release was designed for Sokeris embedded systems with a CF card as a HDD, but hammers on a cheap atom based box.

===

Hi,

I am trying to install Astlinux on USB stick.
Downloaded physdiskwrite + PhysGUI
and looking for, what tz iso is right for my Vista dualcore pentium laptop, coming with usb ports ( no CF Card reader).

from
http://www.astlinux.org/release/072

Install Images:
Generic i586
Generic i586 Serial Console
ALIX
Soekris net4801
Soekris net5501
VIA C3
VIA C3 Serial Console
VIA C7
VIA C7 Serial Console
WRAP
ISO Images:
Generic i586
Generic i586 Serial Console
ALIX
Soekris net4801
Soekris net5501
VIA C3
VIA C3 Serial Console
VIA C7
VIA C7 Serial Console
WRAP


And how to use PhysGUI to transfer image to USB stick ( formatting and alike) ?

Darius

[MrFidget]

The ISOs you can burn to a CD-ROM and boot up from that. I haven't touched Astlinux since version 0.6, however I am guessing that they work like the earlier 0.4 version where you boot from CD-ROM and have your RW data on a USB key.

So burn a CD from the ISOs, boot it up and give it a go. You need the generic i586 version, unless you have a Via chip. Serial is for a serial console not SATA
I just used the DOS physwrite to write the image to the USB key, and then used fdisk from the running linux, to create the storage partition, however, the gui looks like it makes life much easier

Have a play and let us know how you go.

Cheers
Chris

[darius]

The ISOs you can burn to a CD-ROM and boot up from that. I haven't touched Astlinux since version 0.6, however I am guessing that they work like the earlier 0.4 version where you boot from CD-ROM and have your RW data on a USB key.

So burn a CD from the ISOs, boot it up and give it a go. You need the generic i586 version, unless you have a Via chip. Serial is for a serial console not SATA
I just used the DOS physwrite to write the image to the USB key, and then used fdisk from the running linux, to create the storage partition, however, the gui looks like it makes life much easier

Have a play and let us know how you go.

Cheers
Chris

Thanks Chris,

I just want to transfer the image to the USB pen drive (memory stick) - 4 GB.
Why CF card is preferred ?

I transfer the image to the USB pen drive using PhysGUI, as I can select USB target pen drive for the transfer of the image

http://doc.astlinux.org/userdoc:new-install

The issue is some transfer is done and DOS closes and no image transferred to USB pen drive.

Using DOS CLI physdiskwrite is more complicated as there is no deviceno discovery mode.

What is your idea about USB pen drive image direct transfer (I don't need CD with image)
as with USB I can use one partition for files storage, MusicOnHold and more.

?
1.
Download the appropriate astlinux-XXX.img.gz file from the AstLinux website. 1)
2.
On Linux or *BSD use dd to transfer the image to the CF card. (gunzip the image, then dd if=astlinux-XXX.img of=/dev/sdX where sdX is your compact flash card).
On Windows boxes, you'll want to use physdiskwrite (0.5.1 or later).
3.
Boot your system.
4.
Continue the installation below using the web interface

[MrFidget]

CF card is perferred as you get lots of ATA to CF adapters so uyou can use older hardware or hardware (other than PCs) that dont know about USB booting. You can also get "industrial strength" CF cards which are guaranteed to handle more writes than the cheaper camera ones.

That said, however, you can use an SD card, or a USB key off the USB boot extension.

When you do a physwrite, it should list which device you want to write to. Look for the device that is around 4Gb. Pretty easy to spot as it has 512 cylinders (or alt least it used to on my 1Gb stick)

You will end up with two partitons and some free space to create your additional partition(s) for your read/write data.

As far as getting the GUI working, Not sure about that one, I'll have a go over the weekend, other than that, I cant help you with this specific problem.

Maybe create the ISO, boot into (Ast)linux and use a dd command.
Copy the astlinux image file to a USB key
Boot the CD and login as root on the console
mount the usb key with the file
plug in the second usb key
dd the file from the first over to the new usb key as per their instructions

in a pinch this should work
Let me know how you go
Cheers
Chris

[darius]

CF card is perferred as you get lots of ATA to CF adapters so uyou can use older hardware or hardware (other than PCs) that dont know about USB booting. You can also get "industrial strength" CF cards which are guaranteed to handle more writes than the cheaper camera ones.

That said, however, you can use an SD card, or a USB key off the USB boot extension.

When you do a physwrite, it should list which device you want to write to. Look for the device that is around 4Gb. Pretty easy to spot as it has 512 cylinders (or alt least it used to on my 1Gb stick)

You will end up with two partitons and some free space to create your additional partition(s) for your read/write data.

As far as getting the GUI working, Not sure about that one, I'll have a go over the weekend, other than that, I cant help you with this specific problem.

Maybe create the ISO, boot into (Ast)linux and use a dd command.
Copy the astlinux image file to a USB key
Boot the CD and login as root on the console
mount the usb key with the file
plug in the second usb key
dd the file from the first over to the new usb key as per their instructions

in a pinch this should work
Let me know how you go
Cheers
Chris

Thanks Chris,

just succeeded in transferring image to 4 GB micro SD card in 3G USB modem.
Tried to boot up from micro SD but Windows driver is required to access micro SD.
So my next turn is to use USB pen drive stick to transfer image.

As my graphics card is VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Family WDDM
do I need to download and transfer another image file ?
If yes, which one, as my processor is Pentium DualCore ?

Darius

[MrFidget]

the VIA images are for VIA C3 /C7 CPUs,

They are not for VIA motherboard / video / souind chips.

So use the generic i586 images for a dual core Pentium.

Keep plugging away, you'll get there, and then the fun starts....the sleepless nights ....the endless trial and error ....the incredible sence of satisfaction and fulfilment when it finally does work , and the blank looks from your friends when you show them what you've done and they stare at you blankly and say: "So what" and "I don't understand why you would even bother"...but deep down inside you know its your calling. It maybe lonely, you'll feel misunderstood, but remember, here you are amongst friends

Keep us posted

Cheers
Chris

[darius]

the VIA images are for VIA C3 /C7 CPUs,

They are not for VIA motherboard / video / souind chips.

So use the generic i586 images for a dual core Pentium.
Chris

Thanks Chris,

I am afraid physidiskwrite app by Manual Kasper should be removed from public resources
and no more marketed by
http://doc.astlinux.org/userdoc:new-install
as it simply doesn't work for Windows Vista.

Either PhysGUI, or physdiskwrite don't work for me in Vista.
This application can't discover attached 2 GB USB pendrive or any other USB pendrive.

I can run DOS CLI as administrator and none USB drive can be discovered.

So it's time waster, as I contacted developer of physdiskwrite, developers of Astlinux
and no reponse at all.

I give up Astlinux on USB 2GB pendrive as portable Linux + Asterisk application
until physidiskwrite app is back in order and working.

Any risk involved in accidental transfer of Astlinux image to hard disk
is unacceptable.


I am looking for 2-3 other persons, interested in porting latest Asterisk on Cygwin for Windows 7, Vista, XP.

[MrFidget]

I must admit, I still use XP, its a hard habit to kick, as the newer offerings have had issues i was not willing to contend with.

Have your tried using physwrite in compatability mode ? (right click -> properties -> advanced -> compatability mode....or something like that). I had a call out whereby Outlook refused to work as somehow something or someone had switched on compatability mode.

Another thought. Have you tried a windows ported version of dd ??

Give these a go. Let me know what happens

Cheers
Chris

[darius]

I must admit, I still use XP, its a hard habit to kick, as the newer offerings have had issues i was not willing to contend with.

Have your tried using physwrite in compatability mode ? (right click -> properties -> advanced -> compatability mode....or something like that). I had a call out whereby Outlook refused to work as somehow something or someone had switched on compatability mode.

Another thought. Have you tried a windows ported version of dd ??

Give these a go. Let me know what happens

Cheers
Chris

Thanks Chris,

I test dd for Windows, advised by Intel
http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

c:\Users\a\dd>dd if=c:\Users\a\dd\atslinux.img of=\\.\f: bs=1M
rawwrite dd for windows version 0.4beta4.
Written by John Newbigin <jn@it.swin.edu.au>
This program is covered by the GPL. See copying.txt for details
127+1 records in
127+1 records out

Is it ok ?

as I see 0 bytes for free/ busy disk space.

[MrFidget]

Plug the thing in and see if it boots I guess

You can look at the drive with disk manager and see what partitions are on there.

There should be a FAT16 and a linux partition. both primary. You should also have a bunch of free space at the end of the partition.

The FAT16 has the boot files, which load the kernel and other stuff from the second partition if my memory serves me correctly.

Keep us posted
Cheers
Chris

[darius]

Plug the thing in and see if it boots I guess

You can look at the drive with disk manager and see what partitions are on there.

There should be a FAT16 and a linux partition. both primary. You should also have a bunch of free space at the end of the partition.

The FAT16 has the boot files, which load the kernel and other stuff from the second partition if my memory serves me correctly.

Keep us posted
Cheers
Chris

Thanks again Chris,

I am using excellent Vista partition tool
Disk Management console tool
Diskmgmt.msc

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/51 ... 170510.htm

C:\Users\a\dd>dd if=c:\Users\a\dd\atslinux.img of=\\.\h: bs=512k
rawwrite dd for windows version 0.4beta4.
Written by John Newbigin <jn@it.swin.edu.au>
This program is covered by the GPL. See copying.txt for details
255+1 records in
255+1 records out

And opening USB 1GB pendrive in Diskmgmt.msc
all I can see is
basic active 1GB partition and nothing more.
File system is RAW

Is it ok ?

As I need to get dynamic IP of my laptop in local network first to access it from another PC,
as described in
Astlinux manual
http://doc.astlinux.org/userdoc:new-install

[MrFidget]

what is you leave out the bs....pun unintended but left for authenticity

[darius]

what is you leave out the bs....pun unintended but left for authenticity

should I remove bs ?

Using physdiskwrite I once succeeded to move image to 4GB microSD inserted into 3G usb modem.

As drivers are required to get access to CDROM and microSD resources
I failed to boot up from USB pendrive.

RUNNIX is 128 MB FAT basic active partition, 3.58 GB not assigned


Have you ever succeeded in transferring Astlinux.img into USB pendrive using physidiskwrite or
DD for Windows Vista ?

Why life is so complicated ?

[darius]

[quote="benJoseph"]I'm coming! Let's see what happens


I have moved Astlinux.img to 1GB USB pendrive using DD for Windows

C:\Users\a\dd>dd if=c:\Users\a\dd\atslinux.img of=\\.\h: bs=512k

(for DD for Windows go to http://www.chrysocome.net/dd)

(DD for Linux Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd_%28Unix%29 )

Running disk manager from DOS CLI RUN
Diskmgmt.msc

Removeable 1GB usb pendrive opens as 1000 MB RAW hard disk basic active partition

Is it ok as portable USB Astlinux img drive for my laptop ?

[MrFidget]

FYI: The "Im Comming, lets see what happens" is a SPAM post to increase google rankings, There are links to the websites concerned at the bottom of his post as part of his signature. By linking his post to the websites, he is hoping that the random posts and traffic this site gets improves the relevance" of his sites in a google search.

For anyone who is monitoring these forums, feel free to delete the post, along with this one.

In answer to your question.
PLug the Key in and see if it boots, if it doesn't, looks like the block or sector size is wrong. PLan C could work. Burn the ISO, boot from CD, use DD to create your boot key / disk thing

IN answer to your other question:
Life is complicated.....but the rewards, when you figure them out, can be very satisfying, even if you may need some medication along the way

Chris

[darius]

FYI:
...
In answer to your question.
PLug the Key in and see if it boots, if it doesn't, looks like the block or sector size is wrong. PLan C could work. Burn the ISO, boot from CD, use DD to create your boot key / disk thing
...

Chris

Thanks Chris,

does it mean I am the only one interested in having portable Asterisk (Astlinux) on USB key (removeable harddisk) to work
and nobody else tested it before ?

Did you test portable Astlinux on USB key (pendrive) ?

I am sure Portable Asterisk (Astlinux on USB key) is an excellent solution,
promoting Asterisk.

Ok. I am fully aware, MNOs offer today flat rate, unlimited minutes, unlimited data transfer plans,
so tolls are no more an issue.
Does it mean Asterisk SIP telephony should die soon ?

[MrFidget]

1. yes I did have it working, used physwrite on an XP machine to create it. Used it to test various diaplan stuff. Cool feature, but I havent done it for a while. I just use some Centos machines now as I need some specific changes to some modules.

The challenge is with Vista, and the utilities seem to be broken on that platform

2. Re SIP trunking, its more the signalling aspect of it now rather than cost. Here in Aus, an ISDN 10 (1/3 E1) is far more expensive than an ADSL2+ with a 1Mb back channel. at 88K per call, thats 10 (very optimisitic) calls up the line for around 1/3 of the cost.

Presence, alternative media paths to the signalling, support for G722 wide band, video etc, is also driving SIP, so it is far from dead, but it was a fair question.

Keep going, you'll get there
Chris