RECOMMENDATIONS Starting simple with a few requirements . .

[Philip Rhoades]

People,

I have wanted to get into RPi stuff for some years but have never gotten around to it but now I am wondering if it might be a good idea to try and set up a PBX on a Pi. However a PBX is probably overkill for what I want to do to begin with:

1. Be able to make outgoing softphone calls to traditional PSTN connected phones using the normal PC audio headset (saves me switching headsets all the time).

It would also be nice to:

2. Have a PBX (or something I can access from the computer) be able to act as a digital answering machine when I am not around.

3. Have conference calls with two or more PSTN phones.

I like the idea of using a Pi to be the PBX instead of putting cards in my workstation or server (both Fedora Linux).

Do people have suggestions / recommendations about how I could proceed?

Thanks,

Phil.

 

[AndyInNYC]

Phil,

For a home based system, the Pi is a great starting (or ending) point.

1. For your cell phone, download PortKnocker or some other port knocking app (there are free ones)
2. Again, on the cell, download the free version of Zoiper.
3. Download and install the software on the Pi. I think SourceForge.net has the newest file - IncrediblePBX13-Raspbian8 for Raspberry Pi 2+3
4. Get an account with a SIP Provider - I use FlowRoute.com. There are others, some of whom sponsor this forum/site. Buy a new DID (phone number).

Follow directions on here/nerdvittles for the 'howto' of all below; this assumes you can use 'nano' under linux, etc.

5. Set up a trunk using your SIP Provider credentials
6. Set up an extension for yourself; enable voicemail
7 Set up an Inbound route from the Trunk and point it to the extension
8 Set up an outbound route to use your Trunk and a dial plan (use the wizard built in to the software)
9. Set up your busy/away/etc. messages in your extension (do this after step #15 - you'll need to talk into the handset <g>)
10 set up email using a gmail account - google on this site for directions
11 create a Watson TTS free account and edit the sendmailmp3 file using your new credentials (again, google this site/nerdvittles for directions)

12 look up the ports used in the /etc/knockd.conf file. Enter those ports in the PortKnocker program.
13 on your home router/cable modem (or both if you have one behind the other), forward ports 5060-5069, 10K-20K and 4569 to your Pi IP address.
14 set yourself up on a dynamic dns service - let's call it "PhilipAtHome.dyndns.org"
15 create 2 accounts on your zoiper using IAX. The first will point to your Pi IP address for use in the house. The second will point to PhilipAtHome.dyndns.org (actually your own ddns address). This will allow you to use the app home and away. Fill in the extension/password you created.
16 create a conference room to transfer calls to - while you'll pay for each connected person (depending on the SIP provider) you can have as many people online at once as you wish. Paid versions of zoiper may also let you set up conferences inside the software
17 make some test calls!!

when you leave the house/get a new IP address on your phone, run the port knocking program and then open Zoiper. the phone may want to sleep the app, so you may lose connectivity while away. Think about getting a T46G off ebay (as low as $70, and a great phone) or something cheaper as your budget allows to drop on your desk. You can create a 'ring group' (look it up) so that cell and desk ring for each call. You can also add your cell phone to the ring group (use a # at the end of the number), but that will add another penny or so a minute when you answer that way).

Have fun and experiment. Buy a second SD card and weekly, clone the running one so you always have a working backup.

The Pi is slow to install the software; even with that, you'll be up and running to #17 well inside of 2 hours.


Andrew

 

[Philip Rhoades]

Andrew,

Wow! - thanks for such a thorough response!

However I am still a little unclear - I don't have the Pi yet - after doing all you list above, will that actually allow me to do #1 and maybe #2 and #3 from my OP?

Thanks,

Phil.

 

[wardmundy]

yes, yes, and yes.

http://nerdvittles.com/?p=21255

 

[AndyInNYC]

Elaborating on Ward's concise answer, there are programs on the PC which you can use in lieu of an app on your cell phone - I think X-Lite is one of them. The Pi will meet all of your needs and more - converting faxes to pdf and emailing them. Converting your voicemail to text and emailing both the sound file and text to you, etc. Great stuff.

Ward's software on the Pi (a $35 PC) is more comprehensive, extensible and has creates greater productivity gains than the PBX in my first office - a machine which cost six figures, had a $5K/month maintenance tab and provided nothing more than voice and voicemail.

Given those gains in productivity, where's my $10,000 new super car?

I run the house phones and my home office lines (as well as business lines and fax lines for a few friends) off my machine in the basement. I used to pay Verizon $160 for the two lines I used. I now have 3 lines on my bill (one is a low use fax-only line) and around a $20 monthly expense (and I use an 'expensive' Provider for my DID and minutes <g>).

Andrew

 

[ostridge]

13 on your home router/cable modem (or both if you have one behind the other), forward ports 5060-5069, 10K-20K and 4569 to your Pi IP address.

You should be able to skip this step as it really is better to keep your Pi hidden from tinternet if you don't want to connect from your cellphone / or outside extensions while you are outside the property and your NAT / firewall / router. For ultimate security Always operate from behind your firewall. The pbx will keep open appropriate ports for the trunks that you set up.