[wellylug] FWD: Install Linux OS - Asterisk

[Alick Wilson]

Hi Francisco

>I owe you a coffee. :) <

Sometime when we eventually meet! Wellington is a small place.

>I install Linux OS on my Laptop( with Windows2000 SP4, Pentium M ) , Then I
install Asterisk s/w to run a virtual PABX. <

Not quite. The Asterisk distros I suggested all come with integrated Linux
O/S, Asterisk PBX and Asterisk web GUI. You need to install the distro
either on a dedicated PC or in a virtual machine running on Windows 2000.

So, you need to install the VM first, then install the Asterisk distro on
the VM.

I have little experience with VMs and no experience with Asterisk distros on
a VM so I cannot recommend either for or against this approach - I've always
used dedicated junk PCs.

>Do I need additional hardware ( external ) on my laptop.<

You do not need any more hardware or software on the Asterisk server - your
laptop. 

>The VoIP service provider is ready to provide me SIP trunk on Ethernet
link. <

I strongly recommend that you connect a VoIP phone directly to the VoIP
service provider and have this fully working before attempting to install
Asterisk.

As a VoIP phone you need at one of:
- VoiP hardphone. I can recommend any of the Linksys SPA range - several
colleagues have these.
- softphone and headset. 
- analogue telephone adaptor (ATA). I can recommend any of the Linksys SPA
range - I have 2 x SPA3102 and 1 x SPA2000.

I suggest a free VoiP softphone with headset to get started. I've used the
following, they all do the job:
- Counterpath X-Lite
- SJPhone
- WengoPhone
- Zoiper

I guess you can run a softphone on the Asterisk server. I've not done it so
I cannot say what issues might arise.

Cheers,
Alick


-----Original Message-----
From: Francisco DEL ROSARIO
[mailto:Francisco.DELROSARIO at team.telstraclear.co.nz] 
Sent: Friday, 19 September 2008 2:32 p.m.
To: alick.wilson at braithwaite.co.nz
Subject: RE: [wellylug] FWD: Install Linux OS - Asterisk


 Dear Alick ,. 

I owe you a coffee. :) 

May I ask again some clarifications. 

I install Linux OS on my Laptop( with Windows2000 SP4, Pentium M ) , Then I
install Asterisk s/w to run a virtual PABX. 

Do I need additional hardware ( external ) on my laptop. 

The VoIP service provider is ready to provide me SIP trunk on Ethernet link.


I see the follwing connections to happen : 

VoIP provider ----Layer 3 ---Layer 2 ---Hub ---Laptop ??
                                         |
                                         |
                                         |
                                        VoIP phones ??


-----Original Message-----
From: Alick Wilson [mailto:alickwilson at gmail.com] On Behalf Of Alick Wilson
Sent: Friday, 19 September 2008 14:26
To: 'Wellington Linux Users Group'
Cc: Francisco DEL ROSARIO
Subject: RE: [wellylug] FWD: Install Linux OS - Asterisk

Hi All

I have been running Trixbox CE and its predecessor Asterisk at Home for some
years in my home office and found it very stable. I have colleagues with
similar positive experience. I can happily recommend it for SOHO use.

As for security, I run Trixbox behind my firewall router, a Linksys WRT150N
running DD-WRT open source firmware. The only ports on Trixbox available
through the firewall are the SIP ports.

As for a VoIP service to get started, I suggest 2talk
http://www.2talk.co.nz. I've been using 2talk for local PSTN number, tolls
and mobile calling for over a year and found the service highly reliable.

Alick

-----Original Message-----
From: Jethro Carr [mailto:jethro.carr at jethrocarr.com]
Sent: Friday, 19 September 2008 11:43 a.m.
To: alick.wilson at xendra.co.nz; Wellington Linux Users Group
Cc: Francisco.DELROSARIO at team.telstraclear.co.nz
Subject: Re: [wellylug] FWD: Install Linux OS - Asterisk


On Fri, 2008-09-19 at 11:33 +1200, Alick Wilson wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I suggest one of the following Asterisk distros:
> - Trixbox CE, which is available either as a bootable install CD-ROM
> or VMWare image. I have been running Trixbox CE for several years on a

> junk PC (currently Pentium 700 MHz with 256 MB memory and 8 GB hard
> disk).

Trixbox is nice to play with to try out the technology, but I advise against
deploying it in production anywhere.

There have been a number of security problems with Trixbox and I've seen
times where they don't push out updates to fix known security flaws very
fast.

I'm also not pleased with their security design - In once case, a web
interface of trixbox could be exploited to give you a root shell, due to the
way they allow their PHP scripts to run as root!


-- 
Jethro Carr
www.jethrocarr.com/index.php?cms=blog
www.amberdms.com


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