Two pbx connected together; analog port to analog port?

how can i connect asterisk (as an extension) to a mitel pbx via analog ports? i apologize if this seems like a stupid question; i go back and forth thinking it CAN be done directly, or thinking it requires something like a skutch box. I will show my age and say it seems like it’s similar to trying to connect two computer terminals together (it works, but requires some wiring thought).

Yes, i know SIP might be an option, but it’s a $15,000 dollar add-a-card-to-the-mitel option (being mitel-challenged, i don’t know for sure the veracity of this salesperson statement).

ultimately, i’m wanting to make outbound calls, through the mitel.

thanks in advance

Hi

What Mitel system is it?

If its a ICP3300 then sip is $60 a channel rougly. Works well dont even bother trying todo it via alog lines.

Ian

just for the sake of argument, how WOULD I do it via analog ports?

if you just want to make calls via the analog stations, you need a fxo card or ATA for the asterisk side, then setup your extensions.conf to use those ports like a trunk. You could still dial extensions on the Mitel side if you wanted, but the mitel side could only call the analog station on its side, so you could setup asterisk to either have a menu when people call it, or just ring all phones on the asterisk side.

so i can simply take a cable and plug one end into an FXO port on the asterisk side and an analog port on the mitel and electrically everything will work? Mitel will see asterisk as an extension and asterisk will see mitel as a trunk?

Basicly speaking yes. what they wont see is any calling party clears, so you will end up with hung channels fairly often

Ian

do i want to have the mitel configured for asterisk as a sip extension or as a sip trunk? difference in price (80 vs 150).