[HOWTO] Asterisk connection via PRI
Posted: 14 Jun 2006 08:19
This info is also posted here: http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Alcatel+4400+via+PRI
so check both if looking for updates.
This page explains how to connect Asterisk to an Alcatel PCX 4400 via a 30 channel ISDN E1 trunk. It might not be the only way or the best way of doing it as I have been figuring this out as I go along but could be a useful guide. Please update or comment if you know a better way of doing a particular thing.
This guide assumes you have already setup an Asterisk server and have an Alcatel 4400 connected to the PSTN.
Current Progress
* Alcatel->Asterisk
* Asterisk->Alcatel
* Asterisk->Alcatel->PSTN
* PSTN->Alcatel->Asterisk
all working nicely.
With calls going to Asterisk via an open routing prefix ttended transfers from from Alcatel don't work and there's a problem with the attendant console dialing Asterisk. These problems went away by switching to ARS routing into Asterisk.
Hardware
You'll need the following:
* A PRA2 isdn card for the PCX 4400
* A T1/E1 card for Asterisk, I've used a Sangoma a102u, an equivalent Digium card would do too
* a cable to connect the two - I used a TY2 96PT at the Alcatel end which I patched into the back of a UTP socket and then used a normal UTP cable to connect to the Asterisk box. The connections are like so
Asterisk Configuration
zaptel.conf:
1. Install the PRA2 card
* Under Shelf/Board create a PRA2 object at the appropriate address
* Plug the board in
2. Create a trunk group for Alcatel-Asterisk
* Under Trunk Groups, name it something like Asterisk
* Q931 signal variant=ISDN all countries
* you may have to set 'entity number' if you can't dial out
* Under Trunk Group:
o B channel choice=yes
o Under Access create an object:
o If your card is in shelf 0, slot 4 the physical address will be 0-4-0
o access type=T2
3. Set the physical link parameters
* Under Shelf/Board/PRA2/Digital Access set
o Network mode=yes
o CRC4=yes
My Asterisk extensions begin with 3, so under Translator/Prefix plan
* 3 - Open routing no.
* Node number=the ID number of the Asterisk trunk group
5. Enable trunk to trunk dialling
This enables Asterisk->Alcatel->PSTN (thanks again Frank
* Under Classes of Service/Connection COS/5 set Rights COS 5 to 1
Caller ID issues
Caller ID name doesn't seem to work. Both the name and number show in the ISDN trace but only the number shows on Alcatel handsets.
We did have a problem where Alcatel placed a 0 at the front of calls from Asterisk. This was fixed under Translator->External dialing plan->External callback translation, and adding:
* Basic number: 3 (the start of our asterisk extension numbers)
* No. of digits to be removed: 0
* Digits to add: blank
Constraints
Our voicemail system (4635) can only handle one extension number length so our Asterisk extensions have to have the same number of digits as our Alcatel extensions. Otherwise dialling internal extensions from the auto-attendant menu doesn't work.
Different Connection Types?
I have also tried setting both ends to QSIG instead of isdn all countries/euroisdn but haven't had any luck with this.
so check both if looking for updates.
This page explains how to connect Asterisk to an Alcatel PCX 4400 via a 30 channel ISDN E1 trunk. It might not be the only way or the best way of doing it as I have been figuring this out as I go along but could be a useful guide. Please update or comment if you know a better way of doing a particular thing.
This guide assumes you have already setup an Asterisk server and have an Alcatel 4400 connected to the PSTN.
Current Progress
* Alcatel->Asterisk
* Asterisk->Alcatel
* Asterisk->Alcatel->PSTN
* PSTN->Alcatel->Asterisk
all working nicely.
With calls going to Asterisk via an open routing prefix ttended transfers from from Alcatel don't work and there's a problem with the attendant console dialing Asterisk. These problems went away by switching to ARS routing into Asterisk.
Hardware
You'll need the following:
* A PRA2 isdn card for the PCX 4400
* A T1/E1 card for Asterisk, I've used a Sangoma a102u, an equivalent Digium card would do too
* a cable to connect the two - I used a TY2 96PT at the Alcatel end which I patched into the back of a UTP socket and then used a normal UTP cable to connect to the Asterisk box. The connections are like so
Code: Select all
Alcatel Asterisk
1 blue txb (tip) 1
1 red txa (ring) 2
2 blue rxb (tip) 4
2 red rxa (ring) 5
zaptel.conf:
zapata.confspan=1,1,0,ccs,hdb3,crc4
bchan=1-15,17-31
dchan=16
extensions.conf[trunkgroups]
trunkgroup => 1,16
spanmap => 1,1,1
[channels]
language=uk
context=default
switchtype=euroisdn
signalling=pri_cpe
group=1
callgroup=1
pickupgroup=1
immediate=no
echocancel=yes
channel => 1-15,17-31
Alcatel Configuration; this needs improving as it only allows fixed length of extension numbers at present
exten => _0-24-8XX,n,Dial(zap/g1/${EXTEN}) ; internal calls
exten => _9XXXXXXXXXXX,1,Dial(ZAP/g1/${EXTEN}) ; 9 for external calls
1. Install the PRA2 card
* Under Shelf/Board create a PRA2 object at the appropriate address
* Plug the board in
2. Create a trunk group for Alcatel-Asterisk
* Under Trunk Groups, name it something like Asterisk
* Q931 signal variant=ISDN all countries
* you may have to set 'entity number' if you can't dial out
* Under Trunk Group:
o B channel choice=yes
o Under Access create an object:
o If your card is in shelf 0, slot 4 the physical address will be 0-4-0
o access type=T2
3. Set the physical link parameters
* Under Shelf/Board/PRA2/Digital Access set
o Network mode=yes
o CRC4=yes
My Asterisk extensions begin with 3, so under Translator/Prefix plan
* 3 - Open routing no.
* Node number=the ID number of the Asterisk trunk group
5. Enable trunk to trunk dialling
This enables Asterisk->Alcatel->PSTN (thanks again Frank
* Under Classes of Service/Connection COS/5 set Rights COS 5 to 1
Caller ID issues
Caller ID name doesn't seem to work. Both the name and number show in the ISDN trace but only the number shows on Alcatel handsets.
We did have a problem where Alcatel placed a 0 at the front of calls from Asterisk. This was fixed under Translator->External dialing plan->External callback translation, and adding:
* Basic number: 3 (the start of our asterisk extension numbers)
* No. of digits to be removed: 0
* Digits to add: blank
Constraints
Our voicemail system (4635) can only handle one extension number length so our Asterisk extensions have to have the same number of digits as our Alcatel extensions. Otherwise dialling internal extensions from the auto-attendant menu doesn't work.
Different Connection Types?
I have also tried setting both ends to QSIG instead of isdn all countries/euroisdn but haven't had any luck with this.