Hi,
I want to hook up 32 USB phones (think “Skype phones”) so they can call and talk to each other. Is it possible to use Asterisk to achieve this? Any links to similar situations/solutions?
are these phones on different computers? I am assuming so.
You will want a SIP softphone program that is compatible with your handsets. Try xten software (www.voip-info.org for softphone and you will get a bunch of hits.
Also be advised your users will probably be happier with hardphones… snom and aastra make awesome phones, and the grandstream 2000 isn’t bad if you’re on a budget.
Sorry that I was unclear; no I’d like to use a single computer and connect the phones to the computer with some USB buses or similar. Can I get Asterisk to switch between them if all the (hard) phones are connected to the computer?
these “phones” aren’t phones at all … they’re really USB sound cards with a mic and speaker and keypad built in.
i hate to widdle on your bonfire, but imo, that idea is never going to fly.
Ok, fair enough. I sort of imagined it would be a bit too cheap (you can get these "phones for around 12 dollars…).
I still need a solution with one computer running a PBX and connecting simple phones to that in some fashion. Is “real IP phones” the way to go and then using normal ethernet routers/switches and cables to connect them to a LAN with the computer on? Can asterisk act as the PBX in such a setup?
yes it can do that wonderfully.
You can also use normal analog POTS phones via interface cards (digium TDM400/TDM2400; sangoma A200), ATAs (pots to sip adapter) or a channel bank (T1-many POTS breakout device). There is also a company making a usb channel bank (no T1 needed) which i think had a pretty low $/port.
With *, you can mix and match technologies and services as you see fit. You can use all IP phones, all analog phones, or a combination of both.