I run a bed and breakfast. I have a broadband connection and server, and would like to run the telephonic system through the internet, ie we want basic pabx functionality, including allowing customers to make calls from rooms. Can, and how would asterisk be configured to achieve this(a simple schematic will be great)? Also, would using the internet in this manner(voip) result in cheaper call costs? I live in South Africa.
You would want an Ethernet hub with power over Ethernet capability, the phones, cat 5e or cat 6 twisted pair cables to the phones and to a spare socket on your existing router. You would normally want to have wall sockets for the far ends of the room cables. Doing so for the hub ends will avoid problems over having to crimp your own RJ45 plugs onto the cables. You will then need standard Ethernet jump leads.
As there is nothing terribly special, the salesman at your local computer store should be able to fill n the details.
I think this is a Support question, not a general comment.