# Looking 4 few folks to build Asterisk Howto for Gentoo

## Joseph_sys

Is anybody interested to join me to build/test Asterisk Howto for Gentoo distribution.  ' :Razz: '

I'm 100% sure that many folks would appreciate such Howto.

Do to the nature of Asterisk it can be an extensive project so I don't won't to miss any steps in configuration/testing and it is easier for few people than one person to debug the process.

A typical setup installation would be small office or home setup with 4 to 10 extensions.

There are good links on asterisk but none of them cover installation and setup in step by step process all of them are missing something and/or are incomplete.

So my idea is that if few of us get together it is easier to debug it and test it.  As well I want it to be the Gentoo way: Step by Step so others will understand.

----------

## Joseph_sys

By the way pls. send me a private message.

It would be better if all the testing and configuration is done outside forum.

Once everything will be ready, we post the project on Gentoo forum.

----------

## seaq

hi, we gladly would help in your proposal.

let us know what should we do.

but, i would prefer to mantain discussions about the how-to on the thread so not only us can contribute but anyone who knows something about asterisk.

when the guide is finished we'll publish it as the first message.

but, it's your call, just tell us how we can help.

----------

## Joseph_sys

I would be nice to discuss it on the mailing list but the problem is that there is not that many people willing to participate.  I guess the limiting factor is the additional hardware requirement and implementation, and in some cases the hardware is not cheap.

----------

## yokem55

Problem one is that there are literally a billion and a half ways to use asterisk that it is really hard to make a comprehensive guide.  As is, there really isn't a whole lot that Gentoo does to the asterisk install that is non-standard, and thus all the existing documentation/handbooks/wiki's etc are already very useful.  A brief resource guide might be more useful with a bunch of links to where to find asterisk info.

----------

## DumbAss

I'm interested in helping writing the Asterisk user guide for Gentoo. The company I work for is verry interested in VOIP. In january / february I get the opportunity to spend 10 - 15 hours for VOIP. Maybe we will even buy a bunch of digium cards. As I now know verry little of Asterisk imy experiences with Asterisk as a noob could be helpful for others.

----------

## fennec

probably a howto for the home user would be interesting... 

is it possible to use asterix with dial-up modem with one line, just has an answering machine ( and maybe some other useful functions for a home user ) ???

----------

## DumbAss

 *fennec wrote:*   

> probably a howto for the home user would be interesting... 
> 
> is it possible to use asterix with dial-up modem with one line, just has an answering machine ( and maybe some other useful functions for a home user ) ???

 

I've been searching for that answer too. Last week I've been busy with getting it to work with an ISDN card and CAPI.

I think (non-win) modems are supported. But how to make it work, I don't know yet.

----------

## les.piggot

has anyone tried xorcom rapid? Its an asterisk server based on debian? Something like this on Gentoo would be fantastic. Joseph, I've pm'ed you about this

Cheers

Les

----------

## c0ns0le

Have we made any progress concerning this document. I'm in the works of creating a Asterisk SIP/PSTN server.

i can be reached via notanyone2you on yim or use my contacts from the forums.

brandon

----------

## les.piggot

Brandon,

I've been talking to joe about this offline via email as its earily days. If you need to set someting up quickly for SIP to PSTN, try asterisk@home  (http://asteriskathome.sourceforge.net/) or xorcom (www.xorcom.com).

I've  been running asterisk on a test server for about 6 months now and had some great results using it on gentoo.

For the howto I think that we should have a look at the xorcom (base debian "sarge" insatll) ideas, automatic detection scripts for zaptel hardware, as a quick starting point before delving into the config file   :Very Happy: 

Also by default, xorcom creates  10 analogue extensions, 10 sip extensions, Voicemail and a demo conference room, which is all ideal for the noob's to asterisk. For example, asterisk documentation is thin on the ground when configuring the FXS cards, I found out the hard way  :Sad: 

Drop me a note to discuss offline, before we post back to the forum, as were not too sure how many people would find a long winded discussion about it of interest.

Cheers

Les

----------

## Beetle B.

Hi y'all.

OK. Here's my issue: I've been hearing about Asterisk for a while, but really have no idea what possible uses it has (for individual users like myself)!

So my question: I live in the US & have broadband. Can I somehow set up Asterisk to help me make cheap calls to a number of countries abroad (where the "usual" rate is over 30 cents/minute)? I don't mind buying hardware. I just can't figure from all the various Asterisk pages if this is possible.

Thanks,

----------

## xbmodder

hey. i would love asterisk user group for gentoo & a guide 

i have a room on freenode:

#gentoo-asterisk

on irc.freenode.net

----------

## les.piggot

Beetle,

Yes asterisk is a replacement PBX telephone system., which you can use and subscribe to VOIP services, such as vontage.  Although not gentoo based, have a look at www.automated.it for the begineers guide to asterisk, as it allows integration on analog phones to IP phones, voicemail, IVR menus conference rooms etc. There is a line so a knoppix version of asterisk so you can try it first. 

If its just a couple of phones though,  and no voicemail etc. you might be better just subscribing to vontage or netphone to get cheeper call rates. 

Les

----------

## iDrainoi

 *Beetle B. wrote:*   

> Hi y'all.
> 
> OK. Here's my issue: I've been hearing about Asterisk for a while, but really have no idea what possible uses it has (for individual users like myself)!
> 
> So my question: I live in the US & have broadband. Can I somehow set up Asterisk to help me make cheap calls to a number of countries abroad (where the "usual" rate is over 30 cents/minute)? I don't mind buying hardware. I just can't figure from all the various Asterisk pages if this is possible.
> ...

 

Some companies like NuFone and Voicepulse allow you to connect Asterisk to their systems and you can pay for your LD or even local calls if you like on a pre-paid basis. Also, NuFone allows you to set your own caller-id =) There rates are very good. Like .2 cents a minute anywhere in the US and Canada I believe.. and then like .3 cents anywhere else.

----------

## Parasietje

I was wondering:

is it possible to attach a regular telephone to a modem or sound card and provide VoIP services for regular phones? I subscribe to a VoIP provider, I hook the phone connection of my house to my computer, and I install asterisk. Can I then call using regular phones?

----------

## nelix

I am interested... while my house only has one phone line, i would like to link the house phones with voice over ip...

I have a vpn with 2 friends (1mbit each) and i was thinking we could share the line pool of all our houses... 

Mostly i wanna start out playing... but in the long term it would be nice to save a few bucks... linking my internal phones to voip server would be great...

I would love to help, i have some test hardware we can use... and i am always free to test.. just tell me what needs doing

----------

## DarkStal

I am definately interested in helping, though my time is limited and I don't have any phone lines in my house. I'll have to sit down and actually try to install Asterisk step by step and see how that works out. If there is anything else that you need though feel free to drop me a line!

Darkstal

----------

## someguy

the company i work for also uses it we run it on gentoo running on some kind of sparc it serves our city were also using metaswitch but thats entry point on the switching equipment were using asterisk for our voicemail it works quite nicely

----------

## Parasietje

 *someguy wrote:*   

> the company i work for also uses it we run it on gentoo running on some kind of sparc it serves our city were also using metaswitch but thats entry point on the switching equipment were using asterisk for our voicemail it works quite nicely

 

NOFI, but could you please use just a little interpunction. Your post is very difficult to read.

----------

## jhunholz

What's the status of this Howto? I am very curious in this! I would like to set Asterisk up on a dedicated box I have colocated in a datacenter for use as a voice-chat server for an online card game I play. Has anyone seen any howtos like this? Thanks!

----------

## Uriah Heep

Count me in - I'm in the process of setting it up. Currently I can send and receive calls using a BRI ISDN card (a cheap Winbond one) with mISDN and CAPI but the ultimate aim is for a system with FXO ports to act as an after-hours voice mail system. The draft handbook from the Asterisk site is useful, but so much of the onsite docs just repeat what the distribution says e.g. largely a cut'n'paste of the conf files. If anybody needs a clue on how I got BRI ISDN to work, let me know.

----------

## Nijinski

Pondering it's use along with vicidial for a small call centre.

I'd be interested to see/assist with a how-to if I can.

----------

## xlyz

 *Uriah Heep wrote:*   

> If anybody needs a clue on how I got BRI ISDN to work, let me know.

 

I do  :Smile: 

I have to configure  an asterisk install to use a BRI ISDN next monday. Any clue will be appreciated  :Cool: 

----------

## Uriah Heep

 *xlyz wrote:*   

>  *Uriah Heep wrote:*   If anybody needs a clue on how I got BRI ISDN to work, let me know. 
> 
> I do 
> 
> I have to configure  an asterisk install to use a BRI ISDN next monday. Any clue will be appreciated 

 

Sorry I didn't respond sooner - how did your install go? I couldn't get chan_misdn to compile (2.6.11 kernel) so I used chan_capi in conjunction with mISDN. Without mISDN dmesg would show that CAPI was there and the Winbond card was recognised, but Asterisk would complain that CAPI wasn't available. I no longer use ISDN as I got a cheap (10.00 UKP) FX100 card via eBay so I've now got that plugged into my POTS line and zaptel installed. I picked up an IP2005 phone (SIP, H323, MCGP) and so far everything works, although there is a noticeable echo on the IP2005. If you need more info, let me know.

----------

## xlyz

 *Uriah Heep wrote:*   

> Sorry I didn't respond sooner - how did your install go? 

 

so far so good: I just postponed it to next week  :Very Happy: 

I played with conf files to see how they work, but have not yet activated ISDN

 *Quote:*   

> I couldn't get chan_misdn to compile (2.6.11 kernel) so I used chan_capi in conjunction with mISDN. Without mISDN dmesg would show that CAPI was there and the Winbond card was recognised, but Asterisk would complain that CAPI wasn't available. I no longer use ISDN as I got a cheap (10.00 UKP) FX100 card via eBay so I've now got that plugged into my POTS line and zaptel installed. I picked up an IP2005 phone (SIP, H323, MCGP) and so far everything works, although there is a noticeable echo on the IP2005. If you need more info, let me know.

 

I'll stay with isdn as I need both channels. If I have problem I ICQ you.

----------

## jhunholz

I am trying to configure Asterisk to be used so that two players can talk with VoIP while playing a card game at a virtual table.  I am using an iax.conf and extensions.conf that I got from someone else who has done a similar thing, but he is no longer contactable. I emerged version 1.0.7, and I can start it with /etc/init.d/asterisk start, but when I scan my ports with nmap from another computer I don't find an open port for it (I assign a port for it to listen to in the iax.conf). Can someone help me? What files do you want me to post?

----------

## tecknojunky

So?  Asterisk + modem + regular phone?  Doable?  :Sad: 

----------

## k12linux

 *Parasietje wrote:*   

> I was wondering:
> 
> is it possible to attach a regular telephone to a modem or sound card and provide VoIP services for regular phones? I subscribe to a VoIP provider, I hook the phone connection of my house to my computer, and I install asterisk. Can I then call using regular phones?

 

Yes.  You could also attach * to your regular phone line and have it route local calls that way and route non-local calls (or calls when your local line is busy) out via a VOiP provider.

----------

## k12linux

 *nelix wrote:*   

> I am interested... while my house only has one phone line, i would like to link the house phones with voice over ip...
> 
> I have a vpn with 2 friends (1mbit each) and i was thinking we could share the line pool of all our houses... 
> 
> Mostly i wanna start out playing... but in the long term it would be nice to save a few bucks... linking my internal phones to voip server would be great...
> ...

 

Yes, you could connect your home phones with a VoIP service.

Yes, you could connect an * server at each friends house to their regular phone line and to each other's * server.  This would give the three of you the equivelent of a 3-line phone system with as many extensions as you wanted to put on it.  Calls between friends could be direct *-to-* still leaving your telco lines free for incoming calls or outbound calls from another phone at your house.  Calls to outside could use whatever telco line was available assuming there were no long-distance issues.  (Long distance could also be restricted so only local (to your house) callers could place an LD call on your phone line.)

Voice mail could be set up for each #.  For fun each of you could add a 2nd phone number with destinctive ring (quite inexpensive and perhaps even free) and have what appears to the rest of the world to be 6 seperate #s that all go to different voicemail boxes.  (Or to a menu to choose the member of the family to leave messages for... etc. etc.)

Even better, if your friends are not all in the same local calling area you could set up toll-bypass so calls from your hometown to any number at their hometown would pass over their phone line.  (Although you might get annoyed to find your friend calling his girlfriend using your phone line for a couple hours when you want to order a pizza.)

In other words.. if it has to do with phones or phone systems * can probably be set up to do it.

----------

## chroweb

I think a really useful guide would be how to setup extensions, the macro's as well, and connect a few "trunks" to things like Vonage and NuFone.

The roar to do that is extremely rocky especially if you look at the defaults and try to "reverse" engineer how it works out of that.

Another thing to do might be discuss how to attach some VoIP phones to asterisk. I know a few phones are really easy to attach and then a few are extremely finicky.

----------

