I got a PC laying around and want to make it my phone server. What card do i have to purchase and whats involved in me turning this pc into bascially my switchboard? Thanks
It needs an Ethernet card and some way of connecting to whatever phones/lines you have. If that’s voip phone service (not vonage or the like, it must support byod (bring your own device)) you are set, if its analog line you need an interface. Same with the phones. VoIP phones will work over Ethernet, analog phones need an interface.
Remember, FXS Serves dialtone to a phone. FXO connects to a phone LINE.
If you need a few POTS (analog) interfaces, check out the Digium TDM400 series or Sangoma A200.
You might also want to read the book Asterisk: The future of telephony. It’s available from O’Rilley (dead tree format) or can be downloaded for free from www.asteriskdocs.org .
Also if you have a more specific question, check out the voip-info wiki (linked above). It is a wealth of knowledge. This forum is also here to help 
Good luck!
I want to route my regular phone calls (through PSTN) to go through VoIP because I want to skip paying my phone bill.I have ADSL 256/64 and Fedora Core 5 at home.My phone line is analog.
I have 2 plans on my mind but I need help from someone who is more expirianced in Asterisk than I am.Here they are:
Plan A is:
I will buy Digium TDM11B card (1 FXO and 1 FXS port) and connect my phone line in FXO and my phone in FXS and configure them on proper way. Question is will that save me from annoying Phone Bill or I will pay like before ?
Plan B is:
To buy Digium card with FXO only and Analog Telephone Adapter (IAXyS101).To connect my phone in ATA and my phone line in FXO.
Is this a solution ?Will I be free from annoying phone bill than ?
Thanks
if a call goes out over a PSTN connection, and you pay for PSTN calls, then you’re still going to get a bill.
in fact, with very few exceptions, if you terminate a call to the PSTN, you’re going to incur a cost. it’s only free when you call VoIP-VoIP via a peering arrangement or direct-calling.
first, you have very slow DSL. You will need a router that supports good quality of service, and you will need to use a low-bitrate codec like GSM or G.729. You should consider ordering better DSL if you want to use VoIP.
As bacon said, you will always have to pay to send a call to PSTN. However VoIP can do it cheaper usually. Check the various providers, you will probably get a better deal than your landline.
Between idea A and B, take idea A becuase then you just have a Digium card to setup, not a Digium card and an Iaxy. The result is the same though- if you have an fxo port and your call goes out over your analog phone line, then you are still paying the telco. They don’t see any difference between a phone and your * box.
If you want to use VoIP telephone service, the call would go out over the Internet and thru your DSL line.
What asterisk will mainly do for you is let you internally deal with calls, IE you can set it up as an answering machine, transfer calls between users in your house, etc. You might be better off just getting VoIP phone service and an ATA…
Thanks for make it clear to me.
But I wonder how can various VoIP providers (example Gizmo) offer free calls to users (PC-landline,PC-Mobile) in 60 countries ?I mean they must somehow avoid PSTN phone bill or they have very rich sponsor who is paying all of that.
Can you tell me one more thing please.Is 512/128kbs adsl enough for using ulaw or alaw codec ?
yes that is enough for ulaw/alaw if you have good QoS, but you will only be able to get one call across at a time.
SOMEBODY always pays for PSTN termination. In the case of Gizmo, they pay for it. There’s a catch for the Gizmo thing too- both the sending and recieving party must be Gizmo subscribers. It won’t let you call any random number for free.
Thanks for the information.
I knew for that catch. But if everyone join Gizmo and buy some VoIP Adapter
and if they are in those 60 countries they could call each other (PC-land line) FOR FREE ! I just don’t understand why should Gizmo pay for all of them?
Then they are losing big money for that and will lose more and more as more people join their services. Very strange.
as i recall, they are like skype in that they sell minutes to PSTN for random numbers, and will sell you a DID (phone number) for people to call you. All those people that signed up to get free phone calls are now potential customers when the promotion ends and they think ‘well now what do i do with this thing?’
I see thats just promotion.Thats good only for long distance callings.I get it.
Thanks