Hi all. I have been wanting to dip my toe into VOIP and specifically asterisk for quite a while now, and am eventually going to take the plunge. I am a web developer with a fair bit of knowledge of linux, and playing round with configs, compiling installing and configuring applications, etc. My VOIP knowledge is pretty limited, understand basic principles, and SIP, etc. FXO/FXS etc confused me, but believe I know what it is now, an FXO port allows u to connect to a PSTN line, and FXS allows u to connect standard phone/fax to the PBX.
I would like to state how I plan to set this up, and have comments on what I plan to do. Also some questions (from what I’ve read and seen I’m hoping that most will be a yes!) I don’t want to really get into the configuration, etc of Asterisk at this point, just give a general/hardware overview of what I plan!
I would be running a SIP Asterisk server on probably an Ubuntu server platform at home (although could remote host on the net later at some point), possibly VM machine whilst I play and setup, and eventually a stand alone PC. I would like to terminate my land line (PSTN line UK based BTW), to the PBX, but the line is not near the PC, but I have ethernet near by, and would REALLY like to not use a PCI card, but rather a device that allows me to connect PSTN to the ethernet, and connect that as a trunk on asterisk. I have been looking around and the SPA-3102 (Lynksys), could do this for me, and provide an additional FXS port (I current have a draytek router with two FXS ports). Is this the best piece of kit to allow me to connect the PSTN to the PC over ethernet without a PCI card, etc?
I guess thats the hardest part so far, but I would like to know about SIP proviers in the UK, provinding an all in local call plan per month, with a remote dial in number, which allows more than one line to be used, e.g. I want my home line to be used for incoming and outgoing, but have for the time being one (in the future two, or more), external numbers provided by a SIP provider which could possibly allow more than one incoming/outgoing call at the same time, which could go to voicemail/automated system on the PBX if all the lines are engaged, or can’t be answered. Are there providers that do this relatively cheaply, and who are they?
I guess the main question is whether the SPA-3102 would do the trick, so I can get that ordered, and start playing! I can then look at the SIP providers!
Many thanks, this forum has already helped with the searches I have done, etc!
Martin