TUTORIAL Howto: Xorcom Analog Astribank 2 Configuration

[blanchae]

This is a HowTo on configuring a Xorcom Analog Astribank 2 USB channel bank. The "analog" refers to an Astribank with FXS/FXO ports. A digital Astribank refers to one with E1/T1 ports. The Astribank 2 refers to the 2nd generation Astribank. The Astribank 2 that I have has 16 FXS ports in the following channel configuration:

• Channels 1-8: eight RJ11 FXS ports
• Channels 9-10: two relay output ports in a single RJ45 connector
• Channels 11-14: four input ports in a single RJ45 connector
• Channels 15-22: eight RJ11 FXS ports.

Two output ports: If you phone the extension configured to channel 9 or 10, a corresponding SPDT relay is energized for as long as the line is off hook.

Four input ports: If one of the inputs is grounded, the extension that is configured for that channel (11 to 14) will go off hook. you can use it for a burglar alarm, fire alarm, etc.. that phones a message out.

The Astribank connects to the PBX in a Flash server using a supplied USB cable. There are two USB connections on the back of the Astribank, use the one labeled Main. Connect and power up the Astribank. That's all that you have to do at the Astribank end.

PBX in a Flash Configuration

1. Create a link in /usr/sbin to /usr/share/dahdi/xpp_fxloader

ln -s /usr/share/dahdi/xpp_fxloader /usr/sbin/xpp_fxloader

2. Download fxload from Xorcom:

http://updates.xorcom.com/astribank/fxload/fxload-2002_04_11-5xr.i386.rpm

3. Install fxload package:

"rpm -i /usr/src/fxload-2002_04_11-5xr.i386.rpm"

4. Load the firmware to test by running: "/usr/share/dahdi/xpp_fxloader usb"

5. Check using "dahdi_hardware -v", the firmware should be loaded now and you should see 11x2. I have an Astribank 2 so it displays 1162. Earlier models will display 1152, 1142, etc..

Troubleshooting firmware loading:

If you see 11x1, check that you have a USB 2.0 compatible port. I had a problem where the high speed USB port was disabled in the server's bios. Xorcom has a very good Astribank documentation webpage that has a troubleshooting section with info specifically on it.

6. Next posting, we'll manually configure /etc/dahdi/system.conf and /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi_astribank.conf

 

[blanchae]

Configuring /etc/dahdi/system.conf

Using nano or Webmin-Others-File Manager-Edit, add the following into /etc/dahdi/system.conf:

#Astribank fxs ports 1-22
# ports 1-8 are RJ11 FXS -> channels 1-8
# ports 9-10 are outputs on a RJ45 -> channels 9-10 n/u
# ports 11-14 are inputs on a RJ45 -> channels 11-14 n/u
# ports 15-22 are RJ11 FXS -> channels 15-22
fxoks=1-8
echocanceller=mg2,1-8
unused=9-14
fxoks=15-22
echocanceller=mg2,15-22

Note: if you have other dahdi devices already loaded, the channel numbers for the Astribank will start numbering AFTER the previous dahdi devices channels.

Configuring /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi.conf

For Asterisk to see chan_dahdi_astribank.conf, insert the following highlighted line into /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi.conf:

; include dahdi extensions defined in FreePBX
#include chan_dahdi_astribank.conf
#include chan_dahdi_additional.conf
#include chan_dahdi_trunk.conf

Create /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi_astribank.conf:

Using your favorite text editor (nano) or Webmin-Others-File Manager-New, create /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi_astribank.conf and add the following text:

[channels]
signalling=fxo_ks
context=from-internal
echocancel=yes
channel => 1-8

signalling=fxo_ks
context=from-internal
echocancel=yes
channel => 15-22

Restart Asterisk and Dahdi:

From the Linux command prompt (yes, stop dahdi twice):

"amportal stop"
"service dahdi stop"
"service dahdi stop"
"service dahdi start"
"amportal start"
"asterisk -rvv"

Then from the Asterisk CLI, check if dahdi channels are present:

"dahdi show channels"

The Astribank channels should be displayed. If not try stopping asterisk again as per the previous directions.

Create Extensions in FreePBX

Now you can create your extensions using FreePBX. Select Extensions - Add an Extension - Generic zap device (FreePBX is running in Dahdi/zaptel compatiblity mode) and then you are done.

 

[ou812]

Thanks for the great howto, But I must ask how has your installs with fxo ports been as there is no hardware echo on this device, My very first install was with a Sangoma card with no ec and very quickly had to change it to one with ec. Since then all my installs have been Sangoma with ec. I would like to try this product but am nervous about no ec.

 

[blanchae]

I've only used it for FXS ports and have just installed the Astribank last week. No real world testing or comparison has been done.

One of the first things that I noticed was when I did an echo test (*43). I have both Digium TDM400 cards and Sangoma FXS cards to compare for this simple in-house test. During the (*43) echo test, when you speak, your voice is echoed back to you. I believe the delay is the result of the CPU processing power, quality of the dahdi FXS driver and the performance of the FXS card.

The Digium card has a long delay when doing the echo test - definitely an echo. But in fairness, this card was the first generation Digium TDM card. The Sangoma card has less delay but the delay is still quite noticeable.

Now, the Astribank has surprisingly less delay, I immediately noticed how little echo delay there was during the echo test. The delay was more approaching reverb then delay. I really don't know how relevant this is to a real world conversation but I have a feeling that it is a positive comparison.

 

[Linetux]

Xorcom has long argued that their devices don't "need" HWEC as when you put Oslec on a box with an Astribank, it gets you damn close to HWEC. Personally, I don't like that... it's one more thing to install, one more thing for the 'box' (CPU) to have to do, and it will limit the number of channels you can have going at one time.

I'll be having another conversation with their engineers in the next few weeks to see when they're going to come out with an HWEC version of the Astribank and complete the transition to a 'perfect box'

By the way, for those that don't know, you can actually have TWO Asterisk boxes hooked up to the same Astribank, giving you redundancy at your 'telco' level. Basically if the box senses it's not able to communicate with the primary USB device, it will fail over to a second one, allowing your other box to take over.

This is a licensed feature, but welcome in high-availability configurations.

 

[blanchae]

Xorcom Astribank Troubleshooting Info Scripts

If you are contacting Xorcom about Astribank problems, they are going to ask you to send them a whack of info. I've written two scripts (one for zaptel and the other for dahdi) that you can run from the command line that will create a text file that holds all the info that Xorcom support will need to help you troubleshoot.

xpp_zap_conf creates a text file called xpp-zap-info.txt
xpp_dahdi_conf creates a text file called xpp-dahdi-info.txt

The text info files are created in the same directory that the scripts are run from.

In order to upload them to the forum, I had to add the extension .txt to both scripts: xpp_zap_conf.txt and xpp_dahdi_conf.txt. Remove the .txt extension and make them executable by using the chmod command:

chmod 744 xpp_zap_conf

OR

chmod 744 xpp_dahdi_conf

 

[blanchae]

Since this was orginially written, I haven't used the Astribank until this Jan 2011. I put it into production and ran into a problem where the Astribank 2 was losing USB sync after about 4-6 hours and dropping out. Sent out a tech support ticket to Xorcom and received the following solution:

I have two 4 channel T1 dahdi cards and the Astribank driver xpp_usb should be loaded last after any dahdi cards in /etc/dahdi/modules. It is by default.

In /etc/dahdi/init.conf, add the following line:

XPP_SYNC=dahdi

This uses the dahdi cards as the master sync source.

in /etc/modprobe.d/xpp.conf file (you may have to create this file), add the following options:

xpp rx_tasklet=1

This enables interrupt handling for the Astribank.

It's been 16 hours without a drop-out so it's looking good.

Their last suggestion is that I'm using an older version of dahdi (2.2.1) and I should upgrade to 2.4 if I continue to have problems.

 

[blanchae]

It dropped out just after I posted the "good" news in the previous posting. I've updated dahdi to the latest version 2.4.0 and posted a new thread on how to update to the latest dahdi version.

 

[ou812]

Xorcom now has Hardware EC on it IPBX's and Astribanks, its not on there web site yet but I was told by there North American sales manager Bill Soto its available

Looks like it is an add on card with licensing

Gary

 

[blanchae]

It dropped out just after I posted the "good" news in the previous posting. I've updated dahdi to the latest version 2.4.0 and posted a new thread on how to update to the latest dahdi version.

Okay, updating didn't help but I'm pretty sure that I've found the reason for the loss of sync. The Astribank should be loaded after any Dahdi devices because it syncs to the first Dahdi device that it can find. Why? Because Dahdi devices are most excellent stable clock sources. EXCEPT in my unusual situation.

The Astribank is used in an educational lab environment where the Dahdi T1 lines are normally not connected until a student does the T1 lab. So the Astribank syncs to a Dahdi card that is not timed to anything.

So for testing, I have had the Dahdi T1 line connected to another PBX for the past 3 days and the Astribank has sync'd fine. I'll leave it up for the next week to verify that is the solution.

 

[blanchae]

The system ran absolutely perfect for a week. More testing proved that my initial configuration of the T1 lines was wrong. I had the Digium T1 cards configured as TE (received clock) instead of NT (provide clock). Interestingly no alarms came up with two T1's both configured as TE and it still worked. Probably because the TE config was in /etc/dadhi/system.conf but in /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi_trunk.conf it was NT. And Dahdi is smart enough to know that there was a misconfiguration and keep working.

So back to the beginning with a proper configuration for the T1, I removed the T1 line, waited 4 days and the Astribank did not lose sync. Wahoo!

SOLUTION: The solution to the problem of lost astribank USB sync was to configure the T1 lines as NT so if you disconnect, the T1 card will keep providing clock. If the T1 line is set as TE and disconnected then the clock will drift and the Astribank USB will eventually drop out after 4 or 5 hours.

This is an unusal situation. Normally, the T1 is configured as TE because the service provider provides clock (NT) and their clock is up 24/7 365 days a year.

 

[ou812]

Now that they have hardware echo I am quoting them on 2 jobs 1 has 2 pri's and the other has 10 fxo's, have you ever configured astribanks to work with Zaptel. I would like to stay with asterisk 1.4 and zaptel. any advice would be appreciated.

Gary

 

[blanchae]

Sorry, I left zaptel several years ago and have just been working with dahdi. You do know that dahdi is version 2 of zaptel?

 

[Linetux]

I didn't catch this before...

Xorcom quit supporting Zaptel about 3 years ago if my memory is correct.

There's really no functional difference going to dahdi. I had to do the same on one PiaF box when one of my Xorcom boxes got hit by lightening and the replacement didn't work with zaptel.

 

[ou812]

Thanks for the reply's, it looks like I will be using PIAF Silver with dahdi for the first time on a production box.

Thanks again.

Gary

 

[euser4life]

Word of caution on the existing silver.... The current version of asterisk 1.4.39.1 and 1.4.39.2 has a few quirks..... Actually the last few version of the 1.4 branch have been a little buggy in my opinion... Example.... Some different transfer issues and things like no music on hold whenever you park a call. Also some issues with not being able to delete voicemails (still show up as old messages). No fault of the PBXIAF team.... I loaded up 1.4.39.2 last night and the voicemail issue seems to be working ok now.

 

[ou812]

Blanchae

Thank you for the How Two on the Astribank 2,

I have followed your steps and I am having a problem that may be my own fault. I have a 16 fxo port astribank 2 and at the point were i check hardware all seems fine (dahdi_hardware -v) shows

usb:001/007 xpp_usb+ e4e4:1162 Astribank-modular FPGA-firmware
LABEL=[usb:X1045041] CONNECTOR=@usb-0000:00:1d.7-2
XBUS-00/XPD-00: FXO (8) Span 1 DAHDI-SYNC
XBUS-00/XPD-10: FXO (8) Span 2

Now is were I changed things from your instructions as I have only fxo ports.
In /etc/dahdi/system.conf I entered
fxsks=1-16
echocanceller=mg2,1-16

I then did the change in /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi.conf #include chan_dahdi_astribank.conf

I then created /etc/asterisk/chan_dahdi_astribank.conf

which contains this
[channels]
signalling=fxs_ks
context=from-pstn
echocancel=yes
channel=>1-16

I did a restart down as per instructions and at command prompt

pbx*CLI> dahdi show status
Description Alarms IRQ bpviol CRC4
Xorcom XPD #00/00: FXO OK 0 0 0
Xorcom XPD #00/10: FXO OK 0 0 0
pbx*CLI>

I created a zap trunk 16 and setup outbound route to that trunk in freepbx and I see the attempt to dial out on zap16 in the command line but receive all circuits are busy. As I stated before I know I screwed up some were but not sure were.
Any help would be appreciated. this is a fresh install of PIAF silver.

Gary

 

[blanchae]

In my setup, the Astribank is configured as

Channels 1-8: eight RJ11 FXS ports
Channels 9-10: two relay output ports in a single RJ45 connector
Channels 11-14: four input ports in a single RJ45 connector
Channels 15-22: eight RJ11 FXS ports.

I originally expected that I would have 16 sequential FXS ports but the Astribank 2 is divided by the output and input ports. Channels 1-8 would be used for your first FXO ports and 15-22 for the last 8.

 

[ou812]

There is no IO ports on a fxo card, I removed the #include chan_dahdi_astribank.conf and ran 2 commands for self configuration, dahdi_genconf & dahdi_cfg this puts the config in dahdi-channels.conf I did this at the request of Xorcom tech support because for some reason the channels were up but not registered with asterisk. now when I enter lsdahdi they show all 16 up and registered but i'm not out of the woods yet, incoming call work but no out going, I get all circuits are busy, I created a trunk in freepbx as channel 16 and setup a route as normal but no go. I will report back when I figure it out.

Gary

 

[blanchae]

You must have a XR0020 without the I/O ports? You're doing your testing with channel 16. How about trying one of the first 8 channels.